Can I brood a duckling?

[bantymum]

Hi all, Mumma duck is about to start hatching again and I am thinking about stealing a duckling from her while she isnt looking!! and placing her(hopefully her) and not a him into my brooder nursery to raise as a pet.
I really want a pet duck who will follow me around and help me in the garden.
Now since the mumma duck left her young after only a few days to fend for themselsves with her last hatching months ago , i just thought i would bring this baby up in a nice ,warm, snug environment and cuddle it all the time while watching telly etc. yes i can teach it to swim in the bath!!or sink! and Im confident that i can give it all the company she wants, but when she is grown I can put her in with the chickens to freerange.
Will my imprint last on her? or will it be a waste of time for me to try and tame her?
hope to get some advice!
Thanks

 

[justusnak]

I brooded 2 small ducks last year. They came when I called them, and would quack at me to let me know they were hungry. Sometimes they got quite noisy! LOL The only problem I had was when I finally turned them outside..they would sit on the front porch and "cry" for me. I couldn't have them inside....4 dogs and DH would have a fit! THey stayed pretty friendly....untill a predator got them.

 

[bantymum]

Now Deb, thats an anti climax if ever I saw one!!!
the poor little duckies, I would have gone nuts!
I wasnt sure if they would still be tame in a pair.
I thought i needed to have 1 only to get her really tame.
Ive seen one that loved getting cuddles. She liked it when you stood behind her and wrapped your arms around her. She belonged to a lovely breeder I know.
UHOH!!!
My other half just got up to use the bathroom and he spotted me on the computer and said "what ARE you doing!"
rolleyes, its 12.12am!!he knows about my other love"BYC!"

 

[justusnak]

HAHA! Busted!! Ohhh, I am sure we have ALL been there a time or...20? LOL
I bet with all the care and love you can give it.....this lucky duckling would do just great. Its worth a try right??? When you do this...we of course will want updates! LOL

 

[Frozen Feathers]

I raised three ducklings with my chicks this year and they are so friendly. Follow me everywhere and quack when they hear the front door open. Not much different then raising chicks, except they are extremely messy. Mine aren't exactly lap ducks, but they "chew" on my sneakers and my jeans when I'm sitting in the yard and will eat out of my hands. Kinda cool to have little ducky shadows.

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou for your help you 2!!!
I will ducknap 2 then so they can snuggle together, then i will keep them hidden from the others and out of earshot.
Has anyone had problems separating them, do they quack at each other if they can hear their bros and sisters? even though you are their new stepmom!
I hope I pick 2 girls!!! so I get eggs as well as a shadow!
Thanks
Helen

 

[bantymum]

What have i done???
I said mom not mum!!! hehe,
I am turning into an American, yippee!!!
Next thing I will be saying baysil, instead of bazil, and tomaito instead of tomaaarto!!!cookie instead of biscuit!!
man ill have to change my name to bantymom!!

 

[justusnak]

Dont you change a thing! LOL

I guess its like picking up on an accent....this too will pass! LOL