Reintroducing a duckling to mom *Pictures post 7*

[FarmrGirl]

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I think Patches is awesome!

How 'bout...

patka (croatian for duck)
Boo boo bear
Finn
Beau (a hero name)

 

[bt03]

I think one of his eyes was damaged because he does not like for you to be on his right side and it seems slightly watery. I have cleaned it and it doesn't appear to have anything in it. But I'l' take a live, partially blind duck over a dead duck any day, it will just add to the unique things I love about Ducky.

The odd thing is he is very quiet. I kind of freak out that the cat got him or he died in his sleep, but nope, he is just sitting happily waiting for you to play or say hello. He is a very unusual duckling. I have him in a portable container and he goes all over the place with me, even work

He does get upset when you are out of sight for a while and will peep for you but as soon as you call to him and he knows you are ok he gets quiet for quite some time until he is ready to make sure you are ok again.

Very strange duck in deed

 

[bt03]

Just a quick update on Ducky and they rest of the ducklings.

After a couple of introductions Ducky finally went out with his siblings and mom on Saturday. I put him out with the others while mom went for a swim break and he did great! I'm not sure if he really knew or even knows he is a duck and not a person. He likes to nibble on bills and taste toes, lol. He finally stopped after one of the other babies got his toe good after being tasted for the 3rd time. They all sleep snugly in the nest and happily try to drench themselves in their waterer (which is hard to do since only their heads fit) and make a mess with their food, like ducks will do.

I noticed a disturbing thing last night. Mom seems to be getting tired of the ducklings and wants to go back to her mate. She has broken out of the coop (and had a minor injury for her troubles) twice now. When you pick up her babies and they peep she will look at you but keep on walking like she doesn't know they are hers. The coop is set up to be a brooder also so mom isn't really needed, but it would have been nice to have that help when it was time to introduce to dad a few weeks down the line. I'm hoping she will stay with them today but if she decides not to it's no big deal and I can bring them inside if we need to when it gets cold. The babies seem to be more people friendly than the ducklings we bought at Tractor Supply this past spring. Maybe because they listened to us jabber every day and we tried to be there when they came out of their shells so they would know we were friends. I hope they continue to be people friendly, not so friendly that they will be picked up , but friendly enough so that they don't run like we are murderers every time we come close.

Thank you everyone that responded to my need for help and for the good wished for a speedy recovery for Ducky!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Glad to hear Ducky is back with his sibs, how many hatched? I don't know why some moms are that way, Good you are able to bring them inside if you need too. Congrats!!!

 

[bt03]

Miss Lydia, we have 8! There were 5 duds in the bunch but that is ok, 8 is a lot at once so 13 would have been the undoing of my sanity, lol. We only wanted one clutch from Olivia because we wanted to have at least 8 ducks as pets for our front yard. So her being a bad mom is kind of the pits but at the same time it's ok because we don't plan on letting her sit again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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The one girl that tried to kill her duckling won't get the chance to sit again either, we do practice birth control here because before ya know it we'd have more ducks than we'd have room. So just keep in mind that next summer you'll spend alot of time looking for eggs and making her get off of eggs, and then you'll have her daughters to contend with.

because mine free range I had to put hardware cloth around every building that sat off the ground. Thank goodness they don't go out into the woods like my chickens do or I'd really be in trouble. Hey Congrats on the great hatch!! Pics coming I hope.