Tips for raising a single duckling?

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC!

Can you look on craigslist for an inexpensive duckling or maybe a chicken chick?

-Kathy

 

[cheese17]

Welcome to BYC!

Can you look on craigslist for an inexpensive duckling or maybe a chicken chick? 

-Kathy

Well normally I'd say that's a great idea. I wouldn't mind the extra poop-scooping and chores since school is pretty much over. However, I don't know how to incubate eggs and I know how delicate that process can be. Second of all my parents aren't too keen right now on getting a second duck, even though it would probably give us a little more freedom since Peeps would have less separation anxiety. Although my parents have stepped up greatly in taking care of Peeps (today while I was at school my mom changed her bedding and my dad played with him) so perhaps once my parents adjust to one duck I can suggest getting another

 

[cheese17]

So the idea of having a second duck actually came up by chance in a conversation with my mom and me. The final verdict is no second duck. My parents are fine taking care of one duck while I'm gone, but not two. If I weren't heading off to college at the end of the summer, and I were still around to take care of this second duck, my parents wouldn't mind as much

 

[Amykins]

It's going to be an uphill battle, and both you and your parents will quickly discover that a lone house duck is nearly identical to having a human infant as far as time and energy goes. They need constant attention! And it has to be an indoor duck, because if you place a lone duck outside with no companionship it will become very anxious, depressed and potentially destructive.

If it's okay to ask, how did you wind up just getting one single duckling? What kind of research did you do before taking the plunge?

 

[cheese17]

Actually that's a running joke in my family now, that the duck is like another child, he's my parents grandduck. The moment this guy came home and started pooping like crazy we knew it was going to be a lot of work. For now my family has taken a liking to the duck and we're all working together to raise it.
I had a while to research. I researched what kind of food to feed it, how often I should feed it, how often to give him exercise and bathtime, how to dry him off, what kind enclosure he would need as a duckling and as an adult, what kind of predators to watch out for, and a few symptoms like angel's wing and limping to look out for. Despite all this research I never found out that ducks have to be given companions.
The duck came from my AP bio class. Each year the teacher incubates and hatches ducks for the meiosis unit in our class. We candled the guys and watched them grow each week, and when the ducks hatch people can take them home if their parents allow. So I was one of the lucky kids that got to bring one of the five ducks home. (One duck died after birth, the other four were taken home by me and other students.) We were only allowed one duck. Actually today I asked my teacher why she allowed us all to only take one duck home, since ducks are flock animals. She just trivialized it and said that the duck was fully capable of living by itself with a human (which was clearly wrong). I also asked the other three girls that took a duck home if their ducks squawked and pooped when left alone too. They said the ducks were relatively quiet when they left them alone, but they also mentioned that they don't nearly give their ducks as much affection and attention as I do. So I'm guessing that could have something to do with it too.

 

[Amykins]

That's awful! Forgive me, but I almost want to know the name of your school district so I can call the principal about what your teacher is doing! I've had ignorant bio teachers in the past (including one that didn't understand basic cell biology) but this takes the cake. Ask anyone who knows thing one about ducks and they'll tell ya that they're very social and that it's cruel to keep them alone their entire lives. They're like lovebirds; without proper socialization and a flock mate, they';; become very distressed and often will exhibit self-destructive behavior. I hope the other students realize this.

Sorry for the rant, I know it's not your fault. I just work with animals and it breaks my heart to see people treat things like ducklings and chicks like novelty nick-knacks and not an animal that can be challenging to raise even in the best of conditions!

 

[cobb4861]

I'll share my feeding station for my little Plucky. She (being a duck) is quite a messy eater and drinker. So I have this feeding station for her that keeps all the mess contained and is easy to clean up.

I've got a single duckling. She did have some separation anxiety when she was smaller, but now at 8 weeks she has settled into our schedule and seems fine as long as she is part of our flock.

 

[cobb4861]

oh and about the sleeping. She sleeps in the same brooder pen she had as a baby. I just pack it with some nice hay and she sleeps in the laundry room with the dogs. Not sure how much longer she will fit in that box, but its works so far. I find now she is telling me when its bed time. After the kids go to bed, she gets one last meal and then she goes and hangs out at the laundry room door as if to say its time mommy. I take her diaper off and put her to bed. She clucks like a content old hen for about 10 mins and then I don't hear a peep from her till I get up in the morning. Its me in particular she is listening for. My husband or the kids can be up moving around and she doesn't make a sound. But when I get up she will start quacking till I pull her out of the box and put her diaper back on.

 

[marcelineduckie]

That is an awesome set up! Right now I have a pedialyte bottle that I cleaned out thoroughly laying on its side in a plastic (what looks like) pencil holder with all the slits on the sides something that would organize either office or bathroom stuff maybe? And 2 little food dishes in another plastic holder thing too. They are right ducks need friends at least a friend. I started off with one duckling my husband's mom gave her to us and she'd cry at night or when I'd leave and come home she'd cry as I'm opening the door I'm a stay home mom so I do have a lot of time to spend with her but after 4 weeks I went out and got a duckling because of how many things I had read about ducks getting lonely and my husband was not happy at first but he quickly warmed up to both. Them being so different in size and age it was a struggle to get them to be ok together but we managed and now she does not cry, well as much, sometimes they do want me which is very sweet to me. But they keep each other happy and snuggle and marceline seems to have adopted Gunter as her baby girl. Marceline no longer screams when I walk out of the living room which is nice too. So my advice is if you do decide to get another do it quickly so they can grow up together. It will be a lot easier. As for food and all that we have a pekin, our first, she does eat a lot but when getting her baby I decided on getting a runner, she does not eat as much at all and runners are super foragers. So yeah hope this helps

 

[Amykins]

oh and about the sleeping. She sleeps in the same brooder pen she had as a baby. I just pack it with some nice hay and she sleeps in the laundry room with the dogs. Not sure how much longer she will fit in that box, but its works so far. I find now she is telling me when its bed time. After the kids go to bed, she gets one last meal and then she goes and hangs out at the laundry room door as if to say its time mommy. I take her diaper off and put her to bed. She clucks like a content old hen for about 10 mins and then I don't hear a peep from her till I get up in the morning. Its me in particular she is listening for. My husband or the kids can be up moving around and she doesn't make a sound. But when I get up she will start quacking till I pull her out of the box and put her diaper back on.

That's adorable <3 You should join us over in the house duck thread! I need to get a feeding station like that. My birds keep splattering the walls, LOL! They also sleep in their brooder box, albeit separately, since Wobbles is still in mating mode and poor Bean is terrified of him.

But you prove my point in that they need CONSTANT love and attention, and that goes double when you raise 'em on their lonesome! I'd never had gotten Wobs if I weren't home 24/7. And even in that ideal scenario I had to get him a girlfriend...if your duck turns out to be a boy Cheese, and you still have no companion duck for him, prepare to be attacked, bitten, and mounted by a very confused and determined drake!