We bought a pair of Khaki Campbell ducklings from a reputable source this spring. The pair, a male and female, are skittish, flighty and seem to fear us though we have never been anything but gentle with them. We picked this breed because the research I did said that this was one of the sweetest and most docile breeds around. The babies are two months old and still don't really want much to do with us. For instance, when we move them from their night digs to their day pen, they will not move to come out until we have walked away from the night pen and if we are standing near the day pen, they won't go in. They are very good at finding their way to and from every day, until we have to move their day pen to get them in a dry and clean area. (We move the pen about once a week, sometimes more often depending on how muddy it has gotten. When we move the pen, we have to work as a team of three people to herd them to the new location.

The other concern I have is really something I have seen ducks of different breeds exhibit. The ducks were bought at the same time as our new Americauna chicks and our new silkie chicks. We moved the ducks and the Americaunas outside together and have kept the silkies inside about 4 weeks longer due to this issue. The ducks get along fine with the Americaunas but seem to hate the silkies. Any time the silkies go near them, the ducks attack and try to grab them by the neck. My grandmother had ducks when I was a child and the male would do this to his offspring and shake it to break it's neck or try to drown them. As soon as I saw this behaviour in my ducks, I took action to keep my silkies and my new chicks hatched by our 16mo broody hen away from the ducks. Unfortunately, this means that the broody and babies sleep in the coop that is attached to the run that the ducks and Americaunas sleep in. At this time, I am unable to combine the ducks and Americaunas with our other chickens (in our big coop and run)due to a nasty headed roo that I don't trust. This means I have no outside space left for my silkies. So, they are still inside at night and go out to pen with the Americaunas in their day pen during the day.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I really looked forward to having these ducks for over a year and am so disappointed that they want nothing to do with me.

How old are they? I'm thinking if there still young maybe you could separate them and just get some time alone with them to get used to human interaction over another skittish duck. That may help all the ducks to come around:) Once they're both used to you you can introduce them to one another again. At that point you may have to acclimate them to the rest of all your birds but I think by then you will have a relationship with them.

While they are separated and if you can try and introduce the silkies as a buddy.

I'm just throwing out ideas:) You have any photos of your new babies?

Thank you, Matt. We will try this idea as best as possible. We don't have space, currently to separate the ducks completely, but are now trying bringing one duck out at a time to spend one on one time.

We have some pictures, but hubby has not yet had an opportunity to upload them. As soon as I can get him to focus on that, I will post.

Yeah, I know what I posted is difficult especially when there is no room:( You could limit their food that way they are forced to come to you and your hand for their food.

When animals get hungry enough they will submit:) Looking forward to those photos my friend!