Mental Wellbeing

To help your duck(s) settle in, it’s really important to:

• Have your ducks’ spacious shelter and nesting areas already set up, with everything your ducks need.
• Make sure your flocks’ shelter is in the right location, away from anything that could cause them stress such as weather, direct dun, noise, busy roads, other companion animals, predators, etc.
• Slowly and calmly get them used to the daily routine of feeding and cleaning.
• Provide them with other duck friends that they get along with.

Keep reading for more information about how to help your new chicken feel safe.

When you bring your new duck(s) home, its likely you will have them in a carrier or cardboard box (with air holes of course).

Place the carrier or cardboard box safety in their shelter and let them walk out by themselves. Your ducks will feel more relaxed if they are able to explore their new home at their own pace.

Allow your ducks a few hours to get used to their new environment, then check on them again.

After the quarantine period, it’s time for introductions! Introducing a new duck to your flock can be exciting, but it needs to be done properly to give them the best opportunity to get along.

It’s often a good idea for introductions to be slow so that there is time for all of your ducks to adjust. A great way to start introductions is by housing your new duck in the same general area, but not allowing them to have physical access to each other. This way, they will get used to each other’s presence, but they will not be able to fight if they don’t get along immediately.

Generally, after about two weeks, you can then introduce your new duck to the flock. Though ducks often tend to get along fine, it’s key to monitor them during this time. If the first meeting is rocky (i.e. chasing, nipping, etc.), separate them and try again later. This can sometimes take a while so be patient.

First introductions will be more successful if they’re done in a large area, with enough resources for everyone, and places to hide away if they feel the need. When introductions go well, you will see your ducks approach each other, while bobbing their heads.

Keep in mind it can often be easier to introduce multiple new ducks than just one!

Ducks are usually the kind of animal that like to have both feet on the ground – handling can cause them stress, especially if this is not done properly.

Ducks should only be handled when necessary. Not all ducks like to be picked up, so always check with an adult first about whether it’s ok to pick up your duck. Like most animals, the more your ducks trust you, the more likely they will be to allow you to hold them.

Your ducks will respond better to handling if you get them used to your hand patting them gently and even hand feeding them healthy treats.

The best way to pick up a duck is by gently holding their wings closed and supporting their body with both hands. Next, tuck them under your arm, keeping their wings shut, and being sure to support their bellies.

It’s a great idea to reward your duck with some healthy yummy food when placing them safely back down to show them that handling should not be viewed as an unpleasant or feared experience for them.

Ducks can actually be trained to walk into their crates instead of picking them up – this a great way to reduce the stress of handling. Just remember, all training needs to be positive, reward-based training.

In order to ensure that your ducks are free from fear and distress, it’s important to make sure that you always move around them calmly and quietly. Ducks do not like being chased or being around sudden movements, as it can really scare them, sometimes leading to injuries.

To make friends with your flock, make sure all of your interactions are calm and positive. It’s a good idea to sit at their level, wait for them to come to you, and you can offer them yum food from your hand. This will help build a strong bond and trust between you are your ducks!

Keeping your group of ducks together is one of the best things you can do to make your sure their lives are happy and fulfilled. Ducks feel safer and happier when they have friends of their own species. In fact, having many compatible ducks is best, as they are social animals that prefer to live in groups. 

While ducks can enjoy human company, it does not replace the fact another duck will be the best companion for them, as they know how to communicate with each other, they enjoy doing things together, they can comfort each other, and are overall happier together.

This is a huge factor in keeping your flock free from fear and distress.

Ducks are highly social animals that usually get along well, but just like us, they can have disagreements from time to time.

There could be a number of reasons why your ducks are fighting. Be sure to ask yourself:

Are you giving your ducks the right food? Are they being fed in the right amounts? Are any members of your flock competing for food?

If your ducks are not being given the right foods in the right amounts, this can lead to fighting.

Do your ducks have enough space in their shelter and enough nest boxes to be comfortable?

Ducks can fight over space so be sure that you have another space and nesting areas for the number of ducks in your flock.

Are your ducks bored? Are they able to perform normal duck behaviours such as foraging, swimming, nesting, preening, etc.?

Boredom in animals can sometimes lead to negative behaviours, and this is no different for ducks. Keep your ducks from getting bored by providing toys and environmental enrichment. See our section on Behaviour for ideas on how to make your ducks' environment more interesting.