[daveinmanc]

erm  . . . .  could do with some tips please lol  . . . . .

had our first day at the weekend where we let the boy and girls go exploring the outside world  . . . .  all went well and they seem to be getting used to us just being around, they had a good look around the garden and seemed to be enjoying thereselves  . . . . .

then, i tried to tempt them to go into the raised pond i've built by leaving some mealworms up the ramps leading into the pond, which they duly ate from the ground  . . . .   :x

so i then added lettuce which seems to be the bribe to end all bribes and  . . . . . . . one of the girls got to the top and proceeded to scoff lettuce then bugga off, followed by the other girl who did exactly the same  . . . lol

so  . . . i then ushered them into the run, picked a girl up, sat, talked, and popped her in the pond where she swam about for a good, oh, 30 seconds before bursting out and runnin off, repeated the procedure with the drake who lasted about 10 seconds, tried the other girl who managed a good 90 seconds eating lettuce while bathing before she exited out while the other girl was running down the garden to see whats going on followed by the drake  . . . . .    :?

should it be this hard to get a duck to go to water lol??? they'll bathe in the sink for hours on end so it cant be that the waters too cold for them cos its deeper, by like 5 inches? is it just getting them used to knowing that they can go in and giving it a bit of time to get used to their surroundings?

and also, what about handling? is it ok to try to pick them up a couple/few times a week as we've been trying to do ? or is that too much too soon? dont want to overdo anything but also want them to be comforatable in our presence .. ...... . . .

[van connick]

give them time to adjust to their new surroundings.....and you.

[slowef]

Just give them a day or so to get used to it they will love it.

I don't think ducks enjoy being picked up mine don't but they are rather big and clumsy and feel a bit helpless with their legs dangling

I enjoy holding food out for them to eat from my hand they will do it if you are patient or its mealworms and lettuce!!

My nanna had a duck called Quackers who used to watch tv sat on her lap but he was an only duck (Aylesbury) and had imprinted to her from a very young baby.

[daveinmanc]

yep i'll just have to have more patience lol  

think i was possibly more excited than the ducks when i'd finished the pond off lol

the chap we got them off actually said to handle them on a fairly regular basis to get them used to being picked up, should they need to be looked at for any reason or just generally inspected for health etc, and to be fair once they're cradled they seem to be absolutely fine about it and settle pretty quickly, i've felt for their hearts thumping and they seem to be quite calm if they're held right and talked to.

have yet to feed them by hand and cant wait till they do but they're still a little cautious coming right up to us but they do get about 2 feet away before they realize where they are and then they leg it off again lol
  :?

[Fat Hen]

You can lead a duck to water but you cant make it swim.    

[Jellyhead]

I think you should get them used to being handled too. They will soon let you know when they want to get down or if they really don't like it. It took my ducks quite a few days to get used to their pools and even now when I empty them out and fill them with fresh water they seem to have a ritual of swimming for a bit and then flying out as if someone had scared the life out of them    

[daveinmanc]

even now when I empty them out and fill them with fresh water they seem to have a ritual of swimming for a bit and then flying out as if someone had scared the life out of them    

i'm glad you put that in F.C, they had me scratching my head the other day thinking i should have backed away from the pond or something when they were in, ( 1 at a time) they just looked so happy paddling about for the short time they were in and then they did exactly as you said lol  

tried tempting them in yesterday again but even the trail of lettuce around the top couldn't get them in, they'd crane their necks to eat it of the top, walk up the ramp to the top and eat - but they just wouldn't go in     :roll: