please help! Transitioning an imprinted 1-month old duck away from me

[joya250]

hello,


About a month ago a very tiny baby duckling appeared where I work. Apparently had been wandering around with no mother to be seen for a few days. I have two geese, so I took it home and provided it the proper care. My plan was (and is) to let him go, as I cannot maintain a duck in my life.

I found a local private sanctuary that is a dream haven for water fowl. The duck will have a wonderful life, with overseeing by a dedicated caretaker (who loves birds as much as we do).

The catch is... and I feel terrible because I didn't research this and I could have known better -- the baby imprinted on me. It is now about 5 weeks old. Starting to grow feathers.

It lives mostly inside because of the other animals, although i make a point to bring it out at least twice a day for extended periods of time, and it swims in the goose pool. Unfortunately my female goose wants to attack it, so I constantly monitor.


I though once the duck got feathers it would stop needing its mother. I read this happens between 2-3 months.


HOWEVER, now I am reading that because the duck imprinted on me --- and we do have a bond --- that is can be very distressing to leave it somewhere alone without me, in effect, abandoning it.

What can I do???? What is the best way to do this with minimal stress to the duck???

I wonder if waiting until it is a bit older, and less dependent on a mother would be good? ... Or the sooner the better, so that it can interact with other ducks? ....


I am experimenting with leaving it alone. When I am out of eyesight it peeps incessantly. Unless I put it in its room, which has a mirror that it likes to sit in front of.


I am feeling very distraught and need some advice. All I wanted was to give this little baby the best life ... and it seems like I might have damaged it by allowing it to bond to me....

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I raised a loner duckling in the fall. He now lives outside with the other ducks just fine. I did slowly transition him. Could you visit where he is going? I had a cage he could stay in amongst my big ducks. It is important than you stay by him at first to be sure he will eat. Babies eat as their mothers stands watch. I gardened nearby. Then I started leaving him there. At first for only a little while. Eventually I let him out with the big ducks supervised. After a few days he started to follow them instead of me.

 

[KathiQuacks]

I also had a loner duck with my first batch of ducklings. At around a month is when I really started trying to get her to befriend my other ducklings / ducks, but she continued to have a fascination with me. She even saw me as her mate for a while in which I definitely stopped hanging out with her so much.

Eventually, after leaving her to be with the other ducks more, she was able to bond with and become mates with another duck instead, and slowly stopped following me / crying for me. It was a little sad to break the bond, but necessary.

I agree to make it a gradual transition, if you can. Your duck will be able to move on with time.

 

[joya250]

I raised a loner duckling in the fall. He now lives outside with the other ducks just fine. I did slowly transition him. Could you visit where he is going? I had a cage he could stay in amongst my big ducks. It is important than you stay by him at first to be sure he will eat. Babies eat as their mothers stands watch. I gardened nearby. Then I started leaving him there. At first for only a little while. Eventually I let him out with the big ducks supervised. After a few days he started to follow them instead of me.

Thank you for your reply. What age should I start to transition him? I don't know if sooner is better than later, since currently there are no other ducks around. Or, if giving it another month or so... and maybe the attachment will lessen? I am in no rush to get rid of him, but I know this place will be the best life for him, if he is able to transition without lasting trauma.

It is a private residence with has many birds and a hired groundskeeper. I am corresponding with the groundskeeper. I sent him a message to ask if I could start with just bringing the duck to visit a couple of times. It is about 30 minute drive away.

 

[ruthhope]

I have a rescued duck that I had raised and he bonded tightly with me. I got him 2 ducky friends from a wildlife rehabber when he was 6 weeks old. and put him outside in the duck house with them. That was more than 3 years ago. He still follow me round when I am outside and tries to sneak in the house when ever there is the vague possibility. He clearly thinks that he should live in the house with me and not in the coop with ducks. But he was successfully introduced to ducks at 6 weeks old and he does live in the duck house, and when I go away shows no signs of separation anxiety!!

 

[joya250]

I am not able to make visits or make any kind of smooth transition.

The caretaker just informed me that I cannot visit and that I must drop the duck off and leave it.

He said it would cause the duck too much separation anxiety if I left and came back multiple times.

Now I am so conflicted. :-(

He told me to bring the duck ASAP, which would be five days from today.

I COULD keep the duck. However, I would not be able to get it a mate. I also don't know what kind of duck it is (I live in Panama) or if it can fly. I am a renter. I have two geese, three cats, one dog. .... If I could manage to get the geese to not want to kill it, that would make things easier. ....

I am definitely torn. I know I will be okay. I just don't want this baby to feel abandoned and potentially be traumatized. If it can transition, the place really is a bird paradise. But if not, it will be sad and confused. The caretaker also did not respond when I asked him -- twice! -- if he would contact me and let me know how the duck was doing.

Any support, thoughts, intuitions, etc. appreciated... I want the best for the bird!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think if the place is all you are saying then the duckling will be okay. Does the person have ducklings the same age as yours? that will help a lot I raised a Muscovy duckling inside my home for close to 3 months I had Muscovy outside but he was my baby from hatch he was def bonded with me and me him but he finally took up with some females we went and got for him same age as he was. It was harder for me than him I do believe. lol
It may be a little hard for your duckling when it first arrives at the sanctuary but It will acclimate especially if there are ducklings the same age. They really do need a flock to be happy.

 

[joya250]

I think if the place is all you are saying then the duckling will be okay. Does the person have ducklings the same age as yours? that will help a lot I raised a Muscovy duckling inside my home for close to 3 months I had Muscovy outside but he was my baby from hatch he was def bonded with me and me him but he finally took up with some females we went and got for him same age as he was. It was harder for me than him I do believe. lol
It may be a little hard for your duckling when it first arrives at the sanctuary but It will acclimate especially if there are ducklings the same age. They really do need a flock to be happy.

Thank you for your response. Currently the duck is extremely bonded to me (my fault, I spend a lot of time with him)... and he is only 1 month old.

Do you think I should bring him immediately?? ... Or should I wait until 2-3 months, when he has all feathers and is less needy for it's mother??

To answer your question, there are ducks there about 4 months old. No duck is his age. He would be the youngest until new ducks are born.

Currently he is distressed when I am not in sight. I am hoping I can use the next month to transition him... from sleeping inside, to sleeping outside... and from seeing me less.

Right now, he is plopped on the top of my feet, snoozing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is exactly how my little duckling was or he would lay on my foot and put his head up my jeans pants leg like going under feathers. As far as when to take him have you asked the person who has this place how they integrate new ducklings/ducks? I think the longer you put it off the harder it will be for your duckling becasue he hasn't ever been around ducks. He really needs to start now but it has to be in the right way not just tossed in with a bunch of 4 month olds. Surely he may even have a small 4-month-old that might work to transition your duck to a new place? What breed is your ducking?

 

[joya250]

That is exactly how my little duckling was or he would lay on my foot and put his head up my jeans pants leg like going under feathers. As far as when to take him have you asked the person who has this place how they integrate new ducklings/ducks? I think the longer you put it off the harder it will be for your duckling becasue he hasn't ever been around ducks. He really needs to start now but it has to be in the right way not just tossed in with a bunch of 4 month olds. Surely he may even have a small 4-month-old that might work to transition your duck to a new place? What breed is your ducking?

Thank you. I don't know what breed the duckling is. I live in Panama. It looks like it is grey. Maybe his beak will turn red?

I was told that I must leave him and not visit. It sounds like they will plop him right in. There is a different view of animals in this country... and to many, it's just one more duck -- nothing special.

So my options are to: 1) dump the duck there and hope for the best, or 2) raise it for another month, and hopefully they will still be willing to take it.

I have a mirror set up, so the duck likes to look at himself. I have geese that he sees too. Perhaps this will help.

I know you are an expert (you helped me many years ago with my goose)... so I really respect your input. If you were me, would you choose option one or option two???