Abandoned Duckling

[Waddles_and_Waffles]

Hey, so I found an abandoned duckling at dinner tonight. She still has her egg tooth and is absolutely tiny! We looked everywhere for her mother but it was dark outside and she was nowhere to be found. We found the duckling when we decided
to for a walk and could hear her chirping, we looked down and she decided to walk up to us and would not leave. I currently have two ducklings that I have been raising but they are about 4 weeks old now and I don’t think I should put them together. What should I do?

 

[Waddles_and_Waffles]

My dilemma is, I know ducklings shouldn’t be alone so im trying to figure out the right next move. Maybe I could put her with the bigger ducklings but separated where they could see each other and interact without having to worry about fighting. Thoughts?

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's an excellent idea make a separate area for this little one until old enough to be with them for good, What a precious baby. By the time this one gets old enough to be with your older ones they will already be use to each other.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

That's an excellent idea make a separate area for this little one until old enough to be with them for good, What a precious baby. By the time this one gets old enough to be with your older ones they will already be use to each other.

For the ducklings I use a bird (parrot) cage on its side within the older duck's space so they see each other and to protect the older duck from being overwhelmed by the babies. They run like little windup toys and it is quite a shock to a duck who is +2 years old. They watch each other but have their own space.

 

[Waddles_and_Waffles]

For the ducklings I use a bird (parrot) cage on its side within the older duck's space so they see each other and to protect the older duck from being overwhelmed by the babies. They run like little windup toys and it is quite a shock to a duck who is +2 years old. They watch each other but have their own space.

I might try to do that, but how long should I wait before they can be together. She definitely needs to get bigger as she fits in the palm of my hand currently but how many weeks is enough as I would like to keep them together as soon as possible, I’d hate for the new duckling to get too lonely

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

For the ducklings I use a bird (parrot) cage on its side within the older duck's space so they see each other and to protect the older duck from being overwhelmed by the babies. They run like little windup toys and it is quite a shock to a duck who is +2 years old. They watch each other but have their own space.

I might try to do that, but how long should I wait before they can be together. She definitely needs to get bigger as she fits in the palm of my hand currently but how many weeks is enough as I would like to keep them together as soon as possible, I’d hate for the new duckling to get too lonely

Sorry, I think I might not have painted a good picture for you. The adult duck has a bedroom space that is approx 5ft x 4ft and within that I put a large cage and the ducklings inside that. They see and can touch through the cage whenever the adult is in her "house". I have times that I supervise when everyone plays in one space and when the adult goes out to the garden I let the ducklings have the whole room to themselves. The babies are less than a month old so they can't go outside yet, but once they can I will make them an enclosure and let the adult join them or not depending on her needs. I know when the playtime is "done" because the adult duck walks over to me and lets me know she wants to go outside, she is very clear about her needs . Hope that helps, the answer to your question is that they are never not together, so you are introducing them and giving them 'together' time daily, but supervised.

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

By the way, your instincts are perfect, babies dislike being alone.