ChrisEllis Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Hi As i was saying before - we are having trouble taming these ducks - its beyond belief its like they have never seen humans before or grass or any other surundings - the minute they see a person they run up against the fence and run back and forth and catching them they dont care whether they jump on top of each other and its been proven i was getting ym ducks in their pen and got both the females and then the male just ran of - and its lik he is blind he just runs even if im not trying to catch him and he ran straight into the side of the coop and his ing was bleeding a bit - nothing major but im getting seriusly worried about them as this is stupid and beyond belief. Where do i go from here? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bessandra Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Hi Chris oh dear. Don't be disheartened. I hand reared mine from a couple of days old and to be honest, they aren't that keen on human contact! They love seeing me..I am mummy duck and walking sweetcorn I think! Be patient with yours and let them associate you with calm and food. As for the graze, try to bathe it with a mild salt solution,dab it dry and if poss,get yourself some if the purple gentian violet spray (used on horses and cattle). You can get this off t'internet. Try to catch the duck when it's dark and in bed,maybe wrap it in a towel to try and keep it calm while you go about your 'medical' duties. Rachel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Just be patient You haven't had them for long so its completely understandable they're wary of you and their new environment. Don't try and pick them up for now, that'll stress them out. If you are going to, wait a couple of weeks and pick them up when its starting to get dark so they're sleepy. I was told that if you don't leave feed out for them, and feed them when they're hungry they'll start associating you with food and so get to like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 If i dont pick them up to put them in their coop they wnt go in - they'l stay outside all night and freeze to death - thats what im worried about - and i guess thats a good idea - im going to give little feed once they eaten whatevers on the floor and then like you said they will associate me with food and get more used to me. Its quite frustrating having chickens and ducks that are all on the brink of laying eggs but not yet laying hehe. I just hope the ducks calm down a bit Thanks for the advice - i'll put some pictures on soon - they are beautiful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Can you slowly herd them into their coop? Thats what we have to do, and they know now so just toddle in None of ours are laying either, I know how you feel - not expecting them to lay until Spring, so we won't be disappointed ... but if they lay before it'll be a bonus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Herd them in! Are you joking hehe, we tried, we were thinking of putting teh coop up against an edge and corner so as they run they sorta run up into it and know to go in there over time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Oh, doesn't help if its in the middle We just slowly walk ours into the corner so they can't go anywhere else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Our duck house is in the centre of the paddock as that was the flattest area. We got about 10ft of plywood and make a fence on one side of the house. We then walk all the way around the back and herd them into the corner of the fence/house. They then toddle up the ramp. Now, they take themselves to bed every night and we just have to shut the door. I must admit, once they started laying they associated the coop with home a bit more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted January 31, 2010 Author Share Posted January 31, 2010 Thanks for the reassurance - i might give the plywood idea a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjay Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 My 2 go into their run as soon as it starts getting dark, I then just shut the door to make them safe. I have a plastic cement 'pond' in there and they are happy to sit on it until bed time. I then have to herd them up their ramp with the aid of a white stick (they couldn't see the brown one in the dark!) they do need a wee shove to go in the door but it's not traumatic at all. I have had mine for about 6 months now Chris and I still would not be able to catch them to put them to bed!! Have you got a walk in run or a fenced area around their house? JJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) Just like others have said. When we first got the ducks I built two moveable panels (a bit like cricket screens though nowhere near as high ). Just to stop them running round the back of the house and wearing me out. Putting the ducks to bed is then just a matter of walking about 15-20 feet behind them, raising my left arm for them to go right, right to go left. Works like clockwork The two boards in place: Just showing one of the boards Edited to add pictures Edited February 1, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Hi my ducks are tame but i only pick them up when i have to sorry but ducks dont like to be picked up and cuddled they are not that sort of pet the more you chase them and make them panic you will never get them in their house and ducks are incredibly stupid but they never forget sorry if i sound miserable but the reality is you may never get them as tame as you want too you might have been better starting with ducklings leanne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Just went outside and chose to take on people ideas - put the coop in the edge up against a corner - went to the outside side - bomp bomp 2 in the coop - donald was a bit scared so he ran behind it - but closed that gap up now and then di the same - and the last bomp - they were all in - in under a minute! although still as i was about to close the door he flapped and squabbled - the girls are more calm than him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miller30 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Im glad you found it easier to get them to bed tonight just do the same thing everynight and hopefully they will get the idea you could also try sitting on the floor during the day and offering them some lettuce to try and connect you with good things leanne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well done and glad it worked! If you do that every night they should begin to do it themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well done and glad it worked! If you do that every night they should begin to do it themselves. That's right, I just say "Come on Quacks time for bed" and off they go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 One evening we went to shut the ducks in and couldn't find them anywhere, looked all around the paddock and on the river but they were nowhere in sight until we looked in the house! They had gone in on their own for the first time and have done it ever since! Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Nice one, I was like... Well done Guys you got in on your own! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjay Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 (edited) Well done Chris - glad your bedtime routine has improved! Can't imagine mine will ever go in on their own but one always lives in hope! JJ Edited February 1, 2010 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Forgot to say.... WHERE ARE THE PICTURES CHRIS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 ahahai'll go get the camera now lol they are on there i promise brb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom123 Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Only jokinh but it would be nice to them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 Ok heres a few for you 2 pictures of the ducks - another of them and their coop - and then their pond to be - we digging it then putting in a rubber flexipond and thenf illing the gaps - so it looks like a natural pond but its soft rubber on the floor of it and its easy to clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayjay Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 OMG Chris they are GORGEOUS. What are they called? (You have probably posted that before but I can't remember) JJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky1 Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Absolutely lovely. Thanks for putting the, up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
