HOW TO GET MY DUCKS TO LIKE ME?????

[BackyardAnita]

I have heard that at first some ducks don't like their owners but then after a while they start to adapt to their owners and grow to love them and some ducks just love the owners since the owners got them, is this true? My ducks are about two months old and always run away from me, and especially my mallards hate me. I give the ducks treats such as fruit and peas which two of them, especially the pekin, love. But the two mallards don't take the treats I give them, unless I put the peas in their water bowl.
I would like for my ducks to follow me and let me pet them and such, how do i do this?

 

[Amiga]

I think I can relate to that feeling of just wanting them to be close, and to be able to scoop them up and love on them.

Not all ducks like that. It is really cool, I think, that a duck calls as many of the shots in a duck-human relationship as the person does.

I have thirteen little ducks. Nine I raised from day-olds. Of those, two like me to pet them. Sometimes. When they want it. One is a serious tease who comes over close, then hops away sideways when I reach for her. Most let me pet them just once and then run away. All of them let me pick them up after minor chasing. No one likes to be lifted off the ground. Uh uh.

The adopted buffs are friendly, but not huggers. Romy and I have developed a stronger bond because I need to give her medicine every day, and I do it by giving her medicine in a cup of peas.

Treats are one of the best ways to let them know you care. Spending as much quiet time near them will help. And your relationships with them will develop each in their own way.

 

[redsoxs]

I agree with Amiga. While some breeds may be friendlier than others, there is a lot of variability within the same breed. I did a search on BYC for threads talking about friendly breeds and there appeared to be a lot of different opinions. I had a flock of pekins and cayugas - two pekins were friendly, two were spooky, and all the cayugas were skittish - but all were raised as day old chicks. I think time and patience and treats is the key. Good luck to you!

 

[jdywntr]

It all depends on far too many factors. Ducks aren't like dogs that can be socialized into accepting some things. Though I have seen ducks that are perfectly happy to walk up to strangers and be pet. I think the REALLY friendly ducks are the ones that are raised one on one with a human inside and are constantly given human interacation. I, personaly, don't have the time, patience or desire to do this. My ducks come for food/treats. If need be, it doesn't take much to catch 1 or 2 but more than that, they figure out what I've got in mind.

 

[calmwinds]

My ducklings were hand raised and quite loving. They went through a stage of not wanting anything to do with me except bring them food. After a while they turned back to wanting to be with me following me talking to me and taking food out of my hand. They got back to allow being picked up especially while they are getting treats.

 

[TLWR]

Don't put food down for a day and they will run to you every time they see you hoping you have food LOL
At 2 months, that is around the "evil person" stage still as well.

Blue was my super friendly duck. From day she arrived here in the box at 2 days old until the day she died. You could pick her up you could sit next to her, she was a friendly girl.
Now Ally is my friendly duck. She does not want to be picked up, but she will tolerate it. She doesn't mind her nightly "good night" pet on the way into the duck house. She will willingly run to you to see if you have any treats for her and eats from my hand. Cadbury - the other from the original trio will also eat from my hand, but unless food is involved, she's an arms length away.
Of the 3 new ones... I watched one hatch and have had her since then. She is by far the flightiest of the ducks! The other 2 from batch 2 were ordered in again. One runner who is skittish and one harlequin who is coming around, but tends to stay an arms reach away, but will eat from my hands now... food is her motivator!

I sat with them last weekend holing on to a cucumber while they chowed down. This afternoon I hand fed them some of their dinner.
I figure none of them are going to be like the dogs pestering for attention, but if I can hang with them without them running off, all is good.

 

[duckins]

Oh yes the your a monster stage my ladies 4 mon. now loved me till they hit 2 mon but now they love me again one of them if I caught her and hugged her she would get down run and hiss to pool hop in and go to the extreme on bathing talk about making you feel bad. To sum it up terrifying terrible twos.

 

[Rosepath Garden]

I had a duck get bumble foot so she lived in our tub during the day for like two weeks.
Now she is calm with all people. She still isn't a big fan of being picked up.
My Saxony on the other hand is always the last to walk away just in case I have more food,
and she lets my two year old pick her up.

 

[ChampionAlex]

lool. Funny one TLWR.

 

[NYREDS]

Why don't you make some human friends & let your ducks be ducks?