How to desensitize ducks to touch

[Isindu]

I have 3, 10 day old Pekin ducks and the kids wan to touch/pet/stroke them. However, the ducks are quite scared of us. How would I go about desensitizing them. (We can feed the ducks by hand but they won't let us pet them)

 

[DesertBird]

This probably isn't the best advice, but I would say wait on it. In my experience, ducklings tend to be more skittish than chicken chicks and it's best to not stress them by chasing them around to pick them up or grabbing them when they're so afraid. Just keep doing what you're doing with hand-feedings and sitting out there with them until they get curious enough to approach or relax and stay near. My Pekins were very skittish at first but after they got a bit older (and especially after they started laying), they got a lot friendlier and will now come up to us and let us pick them up to pet them.

 

[Abraeri]

Ducks are pretty averse to being petted; ours are super friendly, they will eat from our hand and if I sit on the ground will climb all over me to get to treats but they detest being held. If I do have to hold them, I flip them on their back and stroke their bill, which calms them down. I agree with BlockedRelic06, give it time; their is a certain period as ducklings where if you scare them it is very hard to get them to trust you later. Let them come to you on their own terms

 

[DesertBird]

Ducks are pretty averse to being petted; ours are super friendly, they will eat from our hand and if I sit on the ground will climb all over me to get to treats but they detest being held. If I do have to hold them, I flip them on their back and stroke their bill, which calms them down. I agree with BlockedRelic06, give it time; their is a certain period as ducklings where if you scare them it is very hard to get them to trust you later. Let them come to you on their own terms

Same. I've got some other ducks and they're all definitely not fans of being pet - my Pekin only sees morning petting as what happens before food so she tolerates it, or maybe she just doesn't want to run like the smaller and skinnier ones. lol My others will throw a whole fit, running around the pen and quacking but acting like calm little angels when you do get them.

Ducks are just not one of the birds that enjoy being pet too much or tolerate it well - some of them will once they get a bit older but a lot of them don't. Personally, my Cayuga is my most "friendly" duck (which is basically just not afraid of us and lets us pet her lol) and my Pekin just seems resigned to being pet before she gets fed. The others are not fans of it, no matter how much I tried to desensitize them; raised them since a few days old, handle and handled them daily, and they're still just not into it.

 

[CrystaBub]

Have your kids sit on the floor legs straight out. Put a towel across their laps. Then turn the duckies loose! Eventually they will make their way to the kid’s laps where they can start to gently touch them. That’s what we did and my Pekin male will now sit in my lap and fall asleep while I pet his bill and back. My runner not so much lol. Mealworms crushed for young duckies is always a good bribe too. Good luck!!