Baby ducks not taking to flock

[Shared Acres]

We have 5 adult ducks and 1 baby. They are all doing fine. So today I let the kids pick out three more baby ducks to add to the family.

Well, the adults seem to take care of and clean the babies, but the babies aren't sticking around. For a bit they were leading the duck herd, but I guess the adults got tired of the babies dictating where they were going to go.

Because when I got back from penning the chickens, there is one baby about 30 feet from the adult group and the other two appeared to have gone through the fence into the neighbor's yard (I can hear them quacking for each other).

I went looking for them and can't find them. I tried to get the one duck to go with the adults and he just gets in the pond and swims away.

The lady I got them from had all the babies in a pen by themselves and I don't know if they aren't understanding they need to stay with the flock or what.

The first baby I got two weeks ago took to the adult flock no problem!

Here is a pic from two days ago of the 5 adults one baby. I don't know that much about duck breeds, but I think the male is muscovy,not sure about the rest.

Here are two of the new ones we got today.

 

[professor-yellow]

They dont know where home is. Best to catch them before a cat does, and keep them secured in the bduck house with the adult that seems to mother them the most and the other baby. See if they bond. If not you best keep them penned with a light for warmth until they are feathered enough to be on their own, or about 7 weeks.

 

[LV426]

You need to spend more time with them on a one on one basis so that they know where home is. They are wandering because they don't realize that you are their new mom. They aren't with the other ducks because the other ducks are strangers. You would be best to bring in your one duckling who does stay with the adults and put him or her with the two you just got. Let them bond a bit and also interact with the three. They will soon realize that you are mom and that they should stick together. When they are older and can be outside by themselves then you can put them outside. They are too young to be outside on their own right now, they need to be fully fledged before being left outside with no mother.

Spending time with the ducks is important because once they know where home is they will always come back even if they get out and go wandering. It also makes it easier to treat them in the event that they are injured or become ill. My ducks always know where home is and in fact I can leave my two ducklings in the yard with no fence while I am inside and they won't leave the front yard unless I go with them.