🤷‍♀️ I’m in need of advice on how to care for a lone duckling! 🐣

[AmyA248]

Hello to all,

Sadly, only one of my 4 Muscovy duck eggs survived. And my little miracle baby is alone.
I have read and know lone ducklings do not do well due to the fact they are social animals and could actually die of depression and loneliness.
I made a special brooder box for her with a mirror, 2 stuffed animals and cozy blankets.
We all take turns holding her and snuggling with her as much as possible and she loves it!! But when she has to go back in her box she cries and it breaks my heart!
Obviously we can’t sleep with her due to so much “pooping” and the fact that anything can happen, but our little baby is only 2 days old and she needs companionship.
We didn’t think she was going to survive due to the fact she hatched halfway and her yolk sac was not absorbed and was quite large.
I had to keep her in a little cup for almost 3 days while she absorbed her yolk sac and she was premature and weak.
I gave her diluted Nutra Drench and it truly works miracles and gave her the strength she needed.
She was so tiny when she was ready to complete her hatch, but she is a real fighter!!
She is so attached to me and wants to be with me at all times.

Does anyone have any further advice on how to make sure she’s as happy and healthy as possible?
I’ve never ended up with a lone duckling before and I cannot just purchase one duckling from Truck & Tractor Supply, I was told I must purchase 3!!
I’d love to find her a buddy but I’m not having much luck in locating a single duckling.
I’m quite worried and would greatly appreciate some advice from someone who has been through this.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice!

Very kindly,
Amy

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Hello to all,

Sadly, only one of my 4 Muscovy duck eggs survived. And my little miracle baby is alone.
I have read and know lone ducklings do not do well due to the fact they are social animals and could actually die of depression and loneliness.
I made a special brooder box for her with a mirror, 2 stuffed animals and cozy blankets.
We all take turns holding her and snuggling with her as much as possible and she loves it!! But when she has to go back in her box she cries and it breaks my heart!
Obviously we can’t sleep with her due to so much “pooping” and the fact that anything can happen, but our little baby is only 2 days old and she needs companionship.
We didn’t think she was going to survive due to the fact she hatched halfway and her yolk sac was not absorbed and was quite large.
I had to keep her in a little cup for almost 3 days while she absorbed her yolk sac and she was premature and weak.
I gave her diluted Nutra Drench and it truly works miracles and gave her the strength she needed.
She was so tiny when she was ready to complete her hatch, but she is a real fighter!!
She is so attached to me and wants to be with me at all times.

Does anyone have any further advice on how to make sure she’s as happy and healthy as possible?
I’ve never ended up with a lone duckling before and I cannot just purchase one duckling from Truck & Tractor Supply, I was told I must purchase 3!!
I’d love to find her a buddy but I’m not having much luck in locating a single duckling.
I’m quite worried and would greatly appreciate some advice from someone who has been through this.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice!

Very kindly,
Amy

Could you go to the feed store and look for another duckling? I know that feed stores usually sell chicks and ducklings. Maybe look on Facebook or Google maps for feed stores that sell ducklings. She is absolutely beautiful

 

[NatJ]

Does anyone have any further advice on how to make sure she’s as happy and healthy as possible?
I’ve never ended up with a lone duckling before and I cannot just purchase one duckling from Truck & Tractor Supply, I was told I must purchase 3!!
I’d love to find her a buddy but I’m not having much luck in locating a single duckling.

What is wrong with purchasing 3 ducklings?

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Aww, poor little girl. Is it possible for you to get three ducklings? Since you tried to hatch four eggs, I assume three more babies wouldn’t be too much of a problem. The lonely little baby needs a friend…or three!

 

[Violanna]

Hello to all,

Sadly, only one of my 4 Muscovy duck eggs survived. And my little miracle baby is alone.
I have read and know lone ducklings do not do well due to the fact they are social animals and could actually die of depression and loneliness.
I made a special brooder box for her with a mirror, 2 stuffed animals and cozy blankets.
We all take turns holding her and snuggling with her as much as possible and she loves it!! But when she has to go back in her box she cries and it breaks my heart!
Obviously we can’t sleep with her due to so much “pooping” and the fact that anything can happen, but our little baby is only 2 days old and she needs companionship.
We didn’t think she was going to survive due to the fact she hatched halfway and her yolk sac was not absorbed and was quite large.
I had to keep her in a little cup for almost 3 days while she absorbed her yolk sac and she was premature and weak.
I gave her diluted Nutra Drench and it truly works miracles and gave her the strength she needed.
She was so tiny when she was ready to complete her hatch, but she is a real fighter!!
She is so attached to me and wants to be with me at all times.

Does anyone have any further advice on how to make sure she’s as happy and healthy as possible?
I’ve never ended up with a lone duckling before and I cannot just purchase one duckling from Truck & Tractor Supply, I was told I must purchase 3!!
I’d love to find her a buddy but I’m not having much luck in locating a single duckling.
I’m quite worried and would greatly appreciate some advice from someone who has been through this.

Thank you in advance for any help or advice!

Very kindly,
Amy

where do you live? Be sure to check craigslist, a lot of people will post day olds there. Search google for local duck hatcheries. You would be surprised by what you can find! On the bright side a single duckling will imprint on you and not another duck and that makes them so much more affectionate!

 

[AmyA248]

where do you live? Be sure to check craigslist, a lot of people will post day olds there. Search google for local duck hatcheries. You would be surprised by what you can find! On the bright side a single duckling will imprint on you and not another duck and that makes them so much more affectionate!

Hi!
She’s imprinted alright! Lol!
I just feel AWFUL that she’s alone due to the fact I’ve read hundreds of times that lone ducklings get very depressed.
We give her as much attention as possible and have her brooder right in our living room!
She sleeps in front of her mirror that I positioned between 2 stuffed animals.
She can always see us but I still worry.
I’ve made 20 phone calls and nobody will give or sell me a single duckling. I almost begged Truck & Tractor Supply (even though I am totally against their practices regarding live animals) but you have to buy at least 3.
I work on the computer with her in my lap, but I have to clean up poopy every 5 minutes!!
My grandmother lives with us but she’s 90 and I’ve read elder people should not handle chics, ducklings, etc due to the fact that they carry salmonella, which I never knew until recently and now I’m completely paranoid.
I’m going to keep looking and thank you so much!!

 

[AmyA248]

Could you go to the feed store and look for another duckling? I know that feed stores usually sell chicks and ducklings. Maybe look on Facebook or Google maps for feed stores that sell ducklings. She is absolutely beautiful

Hi!

Unfortunately it’s a law that you cannot sell just one duckling. I tried all the feed stores in our area and I must purchase at least 3.
She is now 18 days old and doing well.
She’s in her grow out brooder which is a puppy playpen!
She spends most of her time sitting on the couch with my mother while we are working on wee wee pads! As she poops CONSTANTLY!
We are trying to get her used to a “ducky diaper” but she hates it!
She still is much too small to join the flock, and I’m not sure what the appropriate age is.
She had never seen another duck and I’m concerned due to the fact that she has imprinted herself on all of us and I don’t know what will happen when we finally introduce her to our flock.

Very kindly,
Amy

 

[AmyA248]

What is wrong with purchasing 3 ducklings?

We already have 8 Muscovys and we want to keep 3 females to each of our 2 drakes.
We also have a pair of Pekins that we rescued.
We don’t want to overdo it with having too many ducks, and adding 4 more when we don’t know the sex yet could create an imbalance in 3 females for each drake.
I would get 3 more in a minute, but my husband does most of the duck care and he really doesn’t want 3 more.
Stella is actually doing great and spends her days being spoiled by my mom that lives with us! She sits on the couch on her wee wee pads and gets snuggled all day!

Kindly,
Amy

 

[AmyA248]

Aww, poor little girl. Is it possible for you to get three ducklings? Since you tried to hatch four eggs, I assume three more babies wouldn’t be too much of a problem. The lonely little baby needs a friend…or three!

Hi!

The eggs I was incubating already had homes waiting.
Unfortunately we can’t have anymore ducks.
We currently have 3 females for each of our 2 drakes and a pair of rescued Pekins that we got at about 5 months.
I would get the 3 more in a second, but not knowing the sex could potentially lead to problems.
We don’t want a hide flock and we already have 10, and little Stella was thought to be a Muscovy, and really surprised us!!
Anyway, Stella is doing great and receives tons of love and attention!
My mother, who lives with us absolutely adores her and Stella sits on her wee wee pads snuggling with my mom all day!
She’s currently 19 days old and has a large puppy playpen as her grow out brooder filled with toys, stuffed animals and mirrors!
But I’m concerned about how she’s going to do when it’s time to introduce her to the flock!
I’m going to have to do a ton of research because she has no idea that she’s a duck!
We take her outside to watch the flock, but we don’t allow her to interact with them yet seeing that she’s still much to young.
My daughter wants her to be in “indoor duck” permanently and wear a diaper, and I’m actually considering it, but ducks are VERY messy and I’m OCD about keeping my house clean. Lol!
I’m just taking it day by day right now.

Thank you very much for your reply!
Kindly,
Amy

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Hi!

Unfortunately it’s a law that you cannot sell just one duckling. I tried all the feed stores in our area and I must purchase at least 3.
She is now 18 days old and doing well.
She’s in her grow out brooder which is a puppy playpen!
She spends most of her time sitting on the couch with my mother while we are working on wee wee pads! As she poops CONSTANTLY!
We are trying to get her used to a “ducky diaper” but she hates it!
She still is much too small to join the flock, and I’m not sure what the appropriate age is.
She had never seen another duck and I’m concerned due to the fact that she has imprinted herself on all of us and I don’t know what will happen when we finally introduce her to our flock.

Very kindly,
Amy

She seems to be in very good health! I'd say once she has her feathers she could go out with them full time. However I think bringing her outside with you by her side will get her use to the flock and that way she can possibly even become friends with some of your flock!