Raising Ducks: 8 Tips For a Friendly Flock

Raising Ducks to be Friendly & Calm Takes More Work than Chickens, But Will Reap the Benefits

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by Erin Snyder
PHOTO: Adobe Stock/jobi_pro

Raising ducks who are friendly and calm will make it easier and more enjoyable to work with your flock. Whether you raise ducks for pleasure or profit, check out these eight tips for raising calm waterfowl.

#1 Choose a Friendly Breed

Raising ducks should begin with choosing a calm breed. Many duck breeds are friendly and make excellent pets, but a few breeds are more nervous. Nervous breeds to avoid include Khaki Campbells, Crested, and Runners (females only; Runner drakes make good pets) and some strains of Cayugas.

Friendly breeds include Welsh Harlequins, Saxony, Buff, Silver Appleyards, Rouens, and Pekins. These breeds are calm and docile and make ideal family pets.

#2 Get Ducklings

Raising ducks who have calm personalities and enjoy being handled means starting with ducklings. Ducklings imprint on the first thing they see, believing it to be their mother.  Ducklings that are imprinted on humans are friendlier, generally less skittish, and build a lifelong bond with their owner. (More on maintaining a lifelong bond with your ducks later.)

When handling ducklings, place the duckling in the palm of your right hand. Gently cup your left hand over the top of the duckling to prevent it from trying to jump out of your hand. Speak gently to the ducklings while handling them. For the best results when raising ducks as pets, handle each duckling for several minutes two to three times a day.

As with all poultry, never kiss ducklings, as they can carry diseases that could make you or your family sick.

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#3 Calm and Careful:

Ducks are often more nervous in nature than chickens, so it is extremely important to avoid scaring them at all times. Two of the ways that experienced duck owners have found to keep ducks calm and happy are to avoid sudden movement and speak in a calm, quiet voice. A few tips to work with your flock while prioritizing a calm environment include:

  • Hand signals: To those new to raising ducks, it may be surprising that ducks respond extremely well to small hand signals. When herding your duck flock into the coop for the night, don’t wave your arms about. Instead, hold your arm out and gently move your fingers in the direction you want the ducks to move. With a little practice, your flock will understand the hand signals, and you will soon be herding your ducks with ease.
  • Speak calmly: Never raise your voice when you are around your flock, even if it is to be heard above their quacking. Keeping your voice gentle at all times goes a long way in raising ducks who are calm.
  • Secure Loose Items: Ducks are easily startled by unsecure objects blowing in the wind. Whether a piece of newspaper or a blown-away trash can, ducks frighten easily and will sound an alarm call, alerting all other flock members that something is wrong.

#4 Be Firm

Just like raising teenagers, raising ducks means setting rules and sticking with them. When ducks reach their “teenage years” (about five to eight weeks of age until the point of lay), ducks will often try to break the rules you have set for them. Whether it’s refusing to go into the coop at night, not getting off the pond each night with the rest of the flock, or refusing to be handled, teenage ducks will “test the water” any way they can.

Being consistent and sticking with the routine is necessary during this critical time to maintain a calm, happy flock for years to come.

#5 Treats

When raising ducks that have not been handled, the best way to help them get over some of their fear of humans is through their stomach.

Start by sprinkling a handful of wheat berries or peas into a bucket or dish of water. Take a few steps back until you are far enough away that the ducks feel comfortable approaching the water source.

As ducks become more relaxed, gradually decrease the amount of space between you and the water. When you are close enough to touch the ducks, it’s time for the next step of hand feeding.

Some ducks will immediately eat treats from your hand, but if you have a shy duck, sit on the ground and sprinkle treats near you. You can also try placing your hand on the ground with a few treats in it until the duck either eats the treats or moves away.

#6 Handle Frequently

One of the most common mistakes many duck owners make is believing that ducks handled as ducklings will remain friendly throughout their entire lives, but unfortunately this isn’t true without consistent handling.

Before picking up your duck, be sure to speak your intentions and tell them that you are going to pick them up. (Speaking your intentions no matter what you are doing, such as when carrying water buckets or a pitchfork through the duck pen, will also help reduce panic in the flock.)

When raising ducks as pets, frequent handling is vital for a calm and friendly flock. Our flock is handled daily to ensure all flock members stay in the habit of being handled, and they all enjoy being picked up for a snuggle.

#7 Female to Male Ratios

It may sound strange, but one of the best ways to raise calm ducks is by maintaining a good male-to-female ratio. Too many males for the number of female ducks will not only cause tension between the drakes (male ducks), but it will also cause the female ducks to be stressed from unwanted attention.

Stressed ducks quickly become nervous, so be sure to keep male-to-female ratios within manageable numbers.

Light and Medium-Weight Breeds: 4-6 females per male

Heavyweight and Bantam Breeds: 2-3 females per male

Housing excess drakes separately from the flock will cut down on the number of homeless drakes without causing stress and tension among flock members.

#8 Teach Them Young

One of the best things my family has learned about raising ducks is that in order to raise calm and friendly ducks, we need to start introducing everyday routines to ducklings as soon as possible.

Even simple things, such as gently pouring a bucket of water into the kiddie pool while the ducklings are swimming, are key to helping adult ducks stay calm when a bucket of water is added to the pool.

Another example is if your dog tags along with you while doing the evening chores, be sure your ducklings get used to seeing him from the safety of their brooder or dog-proof enclosure.

Whatever your daily routine looks like, being consistent is the best way to help your ducks learn the routine and realize there is no need to be nervous or scared.

Raising ducks to be friendly and calm takes slightly more work than chickens, but with time and consistency, you will soon reap the benefits of a happy, healthy, calm duck flock.

This article about raising ducks was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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