Separating Ducklings

[jimbillman]

Hi, so I recently got 2 male white pekin ducks. They were shipped together from metzer farms, and me and my family are going to keep them as pets. I read from here that if 2 ducklings are kept in the same brooder they will bond to each other and not you. But then I read from other articles that ducks get lonely and depressed pretty quickly, and they should never be kept alone. The thing is, the ducklings already have bonded, probably from the 2 days they were in the same box together being shipped. So after all, me and my family really want them to bond to us, and have them follow us around and all that, but don't want them to be sad and depressed.

(May I also add, I separated the ducks earlier today for the first time, and for 3 hours straight they were chirping for really loudly, and they never did that when they were together.)

What should I do?

 

[Hannahnic14]

So I recently got a goose and I raised it with my chickens because I was worried about it being lonely. A week or so after I got him I got another goose for company. They have bonded to each other and, funny enough, to the chickens as well! I'm not sure about Ducks but I know that geese are very family oriented.

It sounds like your ducks have bonded to each other and separating them is causing alot of stress....but the more time you spend with them, the more they may see you as their family as well! Hope this helps!

 

[CoriM]

You should definitely keep them together! Separating them would be cruel - as you found out this afternoon. Ducks are flock animals and what's very best for them is to be with their own kind. I'm sure you want what's best for your ducklings! If your ducks were dependent solely on your human family for your interaction you would need to be with them 24/7 - that would be some crazy pressure! Your ducks can still completely bond to you, but let them have what is in their best interest and that is a bond with each other as well. I raised 6 ducklings a couple years ago and I found that because I spent so much time handling with them and being around them, plus giving them lots of treats, that they love me. They come to the coop door to see what yummy treat I'm bringing them everytime I go outside to check on them. When they're out in the yard they jump on my patio step and wait for me to open the door and get them peas. They trust me, but they're animals, and different than a dog or cat, so they will never probably display that same level of affection. If you kept them separate just so that they would follow you around and be bonded to you, that would be out of sort of a desperation as they would want to be with you constantly - they are just made not to be alone.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I actually avoid imprinting with my ducks and allow them to properly socialize with their own. The first picture I took the other day when I was in the garden and felt like I was being watched. Sure enough I was! About 5 minutes later the rest of my ducks all ended up sitting about 4-5 ft. behind me while I gardened. They will also follow me up to the house and even will sometimes all sit outside on the pavement staring into the house quaking at us like little protestors until I come outside (second picture you can see the brick window sill because I took the picture from inside the house)

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I don't fully understand - you are separating the ducks so that they imprint on you?

If you raise them together and treat them well they will look to you for their needs and beg you for treats and follow you around. They will go through stages where they are just scared of everything including you, but they always grow out of it.
I would just spend time with them. The more you can just sit with them and let them explore while you are there will help them to bond with you. No human can devote as much time to a duckling as another duckling can. They need a duck buddy and it is a bit cruel to separate them for your own wants and not keep their inherent needs in mind.

 

[jimbillman]

I don't fully understand - you are separating the ducks so that they imprint on you?

If you raise them together and treat them well they will look to you for their needs and beg you for treats and follow you around. They will go through stages where they are just scared of everything including you, but they always grow out of it.
I would just spend time with them. The more you can just sit with them and let them explore while you are there will help them to bond with you. No human can devote as much time to a duckling as another duckling can. They need a duck buddy and it is a bit cruel to separate them for your own wants and not keep their inherent needs in mind.

ok, thank you all so much for your feedback, they are all nice and happy together. I just got all this information from HERE, so feel free to reply to them and tell them their information is incorrect.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I teach AP Biology and used to teach about animal behavior including imprinting. According to the textbooks imprinting occurs in the first 24-48 hours after hatching and is to a species not an individual. Since these babies come from a hatchery and we’re hatched in an incubator the first large moving thing they saw was the human who took them out of the incubator and shipped them. So, they are already imprinted on people. They are flock animals and need to be together. They will still follow your family around and see you all as members of the flock if you treat them well. Move slowly around them. Scoop them up don’t snatch them from above like a predator. Give them treats and spend lots of time with them. Be aware that around a month old they will go through a scaredy-cat phase and run from you and every moving or new thing. Be patient and they will out grow it.