Raising ducks like children - please don't

If people are going to have pets - in this case, ducks - please, if your not going to have them for life
do them a favour and don't raise them like their your children, your not doing them any favours.

As some of you know i had two Muscovy ducks, sadly we lost one through illness at about 6/7weeks.
I also have 4 free roaming chooks.
Quacker, my duck, was raised with the chooks and lives splendidly with them.
I then read someone was giving away a Pekin duck and thought it might be nice
to have a friend for Quacker. She arrived Saturday (i was gobsmacked by her size...lol)
Anyway the people that brought her here, she hovered around them, i thought that's fine
she's used to them - then the guy picked her up and put her in the pool, thinking that was fine too
never did i realise that that was normal for this duck
I can tell, she has been hand fed, lifted into the pool and always had a 'human' in her sight.
Now i am trying to gently make her realise she is a duck.
She is loud for the most part - unless i am sitting outside with her, i have to lift her into the pool
which she thoroughly loves once in it and almost seperate her while feeding as she has no idea
when trying to get her share with the chooks and Quacker.

She sleeps in the chook pen, as does Quacker, but she starts her racket at 4.30am
I have to get up and let her out and pretty much let her see me the entire time or she goes off.
(i have no where else for her to sleep, and i don't think it would matter unless she was in bed with me :/
and that's not gunna happen.)
I have done this for 3 days, as i do have the time for it (i do grab a nap through the day too...lol)

I am going to have to drop a note in my surrounding neighbours letter boxes to be patient while i
de humanise her.

Animals make the most wonderful pets - but that's what they are = pets, not humans.

Sounds like an imprinted duck. Imprinted pekins seem to be pretty common and they think they're people, not ducks. I'm betting the former owner only had the one duck and not two or more. Fortunately, you were able to get her before she was dumped into a park as I've seen happen to many imprinted ducks. (I don't know the former owners, so I can't say that would be what they would do for sure).

She may start to bond with your duck, it just may take some time. Other than making sure she eats, I don't know that I'd continue to coddle her, unless you want to.
I have never had a duck that was that bonded but I did once get a 2-3 week old muscovy cross that had been raised inside. I kept him inside for about 3 days before I'd had enough. I am not patient enough to have something that needy peeping at me all the time. It took him a little time but he bonded with my other muscovy. At first he wanted nothing to do with them but then he started following them and doing what they did.

How can someone raise an animal so close to themselves and then just get rid of it? For me thats plain cruelty. Glad the duck is in a good place that have the patience to deal with the residual effect of his upbringing.

I am spending time with her outside, but it seems to make it worse
(when i walk away/come inside)
If she hears me inside she starts going off. (i got her Friday not Saturday as i posted)
She is venturing out more in the yard and starting to follow the other chooks/Duck.

My duck Quacker has taken a liking to the youngest chook, so she has her bond, and i doubt she will break that.
Charlie is going to have to learn to be a duck, with patience i am sure it will happen.

The 4.30 am waking is a priority to me - it's ok with me - sorta - but i know my neighbours won't like it.
I'm going to put black plastic over the front of the pen and see if that works.

I had to pop out last night and pick my son up around 9pm, as i drove in the driveway i turned my lights off
and told my son not to make any noise opening the gates. Of course it's near impossible.
I said to my son 'omg you woke the baby' cos that's how it feels..... .....LOL

It'll be all good

My Pekin is a silly baby kind of like that. She yells at her chicken and yells at me if she can hear me through the kitchen window. Also yells as soon as she hears the back door open or if she hears me drive up.
I call it the duck alarm.
I can see why people shouldn't let their birds imprint this way if they don't plan to keep the duck it's entire life.
My duck won't be going anywhere because I know how she likes to be cuddle.

I agree. life throws all kinds of stuff our way that's why I considered all possibilities before I got ducks. I am glad she's with you not some pond as many do. Hang in there she will adapt to your life your doing a great thing. Keep us posted.

Carebearsmiles said:

My Pekin is a silly baby kind of like that. She yells at her chicken and yells at me if she can hear me through the kitchen window. Also yells as soon as she hears the back door open or if she hears me drive up.
I call it the duck alarm.

I can see why people shouldn't let their birds imprint this way if they don't plan to keep the duck it's entire life.
My duck won't be going anywhere because I know how she likes to be cuddle.

Click to expand...

I agree. We have to think in the long effect of our actions. If I allow a animal to imprint is because I'm keeping it forever. I't the same with dogs, cats, and any other animal. All the misbehavior or especial behavior you nurture can reduce the chance of them to addapt in a new place.

do you have any pics of her? sorry i wouldnt go out everytime she cut up.

I don't go out every time. I just hear her. I think it's almost a "I hear you" or "hello". She sounds the alarm and then goes back to her foraging. Sometimes I exchange a hello with her through the window.
But I have long term animals. I am buying my home and don't plan to move anytime soon. I believe I'll have these animals forever.

For sure if you aren't sure or it's a temporary project, please don't allow the imprinting. It's hurtful to the animals. Any animal.

Here's a photo of my babies.