2 Ducks or 1?

[kacorey]

We picked up 2 ducks at TSC lastnight with the intention of keeping them as pets. They're only a few days old. Kids are grown, I work from home and it's extremely lonely. One is a mallard, the other is a pekin. We've had ducks before for slaughter so care isn't a concern but they seem to be attached to each other and not us. In fact, opting to run from us. If we take one out the other cries. It seems like I get different answers everytime I google imprinting, with some saying it's dependent on what they see when they hatch and others saying it can take up to 5 days. Should they be separated or what is the best way to bond with our new ducklings?

 

[Rosie42892]

Every duckling is different, but from my experience, nothing good comes from having solo ducklings. I bonded very well with my 3 Cayugas who were 3 days old when I brought them home. I also bonded very well with my two goslings and two buff ducklings.
That being said, they do always want to be with each other. When they are out, I always have the 3 cayugas, 2 goslings, or 2 buffs, and sometimes all 7 of them. They all follow me, eat from my hand, and snuggle on the couch. A single, imprinted duck needs constant companionship, rather then the few hours a day that most would like to spend time with their ducks.

I like to say that I more bonded with my ducks/geese, rather then imprinted. Imprinting sounds wonderful, until you have a very needy duck! I spend lots of time with my bunch, but when its time for them to go back in the brooder, they cry for a few minutes, then go back to hanging out. It was extremely important to me that they be bonded to me, but I had to make the effort to let them know that they are ducks.

If you want them to live together in the future, would you be able to just handle them together? Meal worms and food processed veggies helped mine ALWAYS see me as a good thing. They all love to snuggle up on the couch (when they were smaller, now in the grass) but when I leave, their world doesn't end. We would love to see pictures!

Welcome!!!

 

[kacorey]

Thanks! I'll keep them together as we had planned to keep them both regardless but weren't sure if they needed to be separated for a bit and then joined together or not. I think I had the idea that it was the same thing and that without imprinting they wouldn't bond. Here they are:

 

[Rosie42892]

They are adorable! Have fun with them. They tend to run when you try to handle them because we are so much bigger then them! It helped mine to warn them before I went to pick them up, so I am the crazy person talking to my ducklings!