How to pick up a duck

This is clearly trending, as I just got an email from a friend who wondered if this would really work.

I told her that if she tried to do that with even our friendliest Muscovy ducks, she's get scratched and be quite duckless.

If she tried to do so with our Khaki-Campbell ducks which are a closer relative to the duck in the video, it would freak out and take off.

The Duck in the video was likely  hand raised and I expect is totally human imprinted.

I tried it with some muscovies tonight.   It did not go well. Even hand raised.

Must need a more domesticated kind of duck.

Part 2

"cheese feet"

We pick up the muscovies by trapping their giant wings against their bodies, and putting them into the 'football hold'. The Rouen only get close enough, at feeding time, lol.

Suggestions for picking up REAL ducks*:

Muscovy: put each of your hands around the first wing bone at the shoulder, with the Muscovy feet facing away from you. If it's a new or broody mom, do your best to face the back end so not to get shot with defensive poop. Muscovy are Wood Ducks. They use their sharp claws for climbing and perching and those claws are hazards. It has to be a really special situation before I'll risk picking up a Muscovy without gloves on, (and one I'm on good speaking terms with also). A big Muscovy male has strong enough wings to break smaller human parts, so handle with care.

Mallard domesticated ducks (like the one in the picture): If the duck is scared, step one is to pin it so it doesn't hurt itself. These ducks are totally the bottom of the food chain, and panic can kill, so you need to sound reassuring and be as calm as possible. Step two is a football hold with one arm, while the other hand goes around the base of the neck. The base of a duck neck is very strong - you don't want to be grabbing tightly like a choke-hold, the hand pressure should be between the fingers and thumb of the hand with the neck just captured in the circle.

NEVER EVER pick up a duck by the legs like you see people do with chickens. Duck hip joints are *really* weak, and you can easily end up with a dislocated joint.

* don't get me started about all the good reasons why animals should be raised by role models of as close a species as possible - ie chickens by chicken moms,  ducks by duck moms. They might not seem as "friendly" to you, their local human, but they learn so much about natural behavior and being a good duck/chicken citizen that it's worth it. In fact a local dog breeder agrees with this in regard to puppies and why they also need to be reared by a responsible dog mom.
Yes, there are times this is not possible for various reasons, but I see it as a problem which is part of the entire "Industrial Agriculture" mind-set, that it is worth questioning.

Now, once you've mastered picking up a duck, you are ready for the next level - playing drums with a duck.....

If you want to laugh over a much smaller version - a duckling - try here: https://permies.com/t/225839/carry-duckling