Advice for keeping duckling calm separated from mom?

[Skye'sDucks]

So I have twenty-five baby ducklings that are about a month old now and live with their mama behind our house. Due to circumstances, they aren't staying in a coop anymore. PLEASE: I don't want any comments on this. Thank you.

Anyways, one of my ducklings was wounded yesterday, we're thinking a turtle bit him as there are wild turtles in the creek they live by. We have the wound under control and monitored, but I'm wanting to take him in for the night as I don't want to chance anything. He'll most likely stay outside (but contained) with a buddy (one or two other ducklings) but obviously problems arise.

Is there anything I can do to keep him/them calm? Should I keep him inside? I don't even know if I'm allowed since he'll probably be very loud.

The other question: is there going to be rejection problems with Mom Duck? Or other problems with the other ducklings if I keep him in for several nights with maybe another duckling?

Cooping them all up is not an option, as they have outgrown their old coop and again, due to circumstances, we are not going to build another. (And again, I want to discuss my problem at hand, and not why I'm not keeping them in a coop. Thank you.)

Editing: I'm sorry if I sound harsh at all about me asking not to comment on how I keep my ducks. I have no idea how some of you feel about the topic so I wanted to avoid arguing.

Thank you for replies.

 

[chickens really]

You want no comments so I won't really reply...

 

[Skye'sDucks]

@chickensreally

Actually I kept adding that because I felt like some people might give me grief for not keeping them in a coop. (Maybe not? But I wanted to be sure)

I do want comments, just about the questions I asked.

 

[chickens really]

Lock Momma and Ducklings together...Simple solution...

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

@chickensreally

Actually I kept adding that because I felt like some people might give me grief for not keeping them in a coop. (Maybe not? But I wanted to be sure)

I do want comments, just about the questions I asked.

Isn’t the best way to keep any baby calm is staying with mom? I’m new to waterfowl and chickens, but I do have eight kids. Babies are babies in my view, but maybe I’m naive?

Are you only looking for calming methods that don’t mean keeping baby with mom? If putting them back together isn’t an option, having a sibling is better than being alone. I know my chicks, ducklings, and goslings are happier in groups.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Your being a bit abrasive in your replies so tone it down a bit I suggest..

If it came off as abrasive it was unintentional. It was merely an observation that babies are babies to me, so I (possibly naively) think the best way to calm a duckling is the one way the OP says she can’t do. My goslings arrived last week and they SCREAMED most of the morning. I don’t have their mom, so there really wasn’t much I could do. They were loud, but eventually calmed themselves into a cuddle puddle. If there is a way to calm them without mom I’d love to know it too.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Lock Momma and Ducklings together...Simple solution...

I could possibly do that, but they are really out-growing the old coop we originally made for them, even though I could probably corral them inside. I'm thinking keeping him with a friend (another duckling) would probably be the best solution, though I was also asking if anyone had any tips to keep them calm asides from just giving it time.

Isn’t the best way to keep any baby calm is staying with mom? I’m new to waterfowl and chickens, but I do have eight kids. Babies are babies in my view, but maybe I’m naive?

Are you only looking for calming methods that don’t mean keeping baby with mom? If putting them back together isn’t an option, having a sibling is better than being alone. I know my chicks, ducklings, and goslings are happier in groups.

Well yes, he's happiest when he's with mom. The only problem was was that we did not want to put all the babies + mom into a coop they are outgrowing. We were thinking the best and cleanest way for the duckling is to keep him together with only one other duckling, maybe two, to let them comfort each other.

So yes, I am looking for calming methods away from mom. They'll be taken from mom only during the nights until the baby is healed enough. I'll be reuniting the babies and the mom during the day.

My other thought is, if they keep quiet, I could move them inside and play some music, as I've heard that can sometimes calm ducks down, or make them happier. But I don't know. I'm newer to waterfowl myself (got my first two ducks last year) so that's why I'm turning to the forums for help.

 

[chickens really]

Keep them all with Momma till she weans them...

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

I could possibly do that, but they are really out-growing the old coop we originally made for them, even though I could probably corral them inside. I'm thinking keeping him with a friend (another duckling) would probably be the best solution, though I was also asking if anyone had any tips to keep them calm asides from just giving it time.



Well yes, he's happiest when he's with mom. The only problem was was that we did not want to put all the babies + mom into a coop they are outgrowing. We were thinking the best and cleanest way for the duckling is to keep him together with only one other duckling, maybe two, to let them comfort each other.

So yes, I am looking for calming methods away from mom. They'll be taken from mom only during the nights until the baby is healed enough. I'll be reuniting the babies and the mom during the day.

My other thought is, if they keep quiet, I could move them inside and play some music, as I've heard that can sometimes calm ducks down, or make them happier. But I don't know. I'm newer to waterfowl myself (got my first two ducks last year) so that's why I'm turning to the forums for help.

I’m probably in the minority, but my ducks and geese are housed together in a yard with 8 ft fence that has a three sided shelter facing away from the wind. I’ll probably put something over the open side come winter if I need to. They all play, eat, drink, and splash all night until I herd them to the movable corral on my field during the day. They’re out for the day, then go back behind the fence at night. My waterfowl won’t likely outgrow this setup anytime soon. I use fresh cut very tall grass as bedding and change it as needed.

I suppose the real question is which is more stressful? Close quarters or separation? I honestly don’t have the answer to that. The mom in me says separation is harder. But I could be anthropormising too much.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Am I really going to be causing too much stress/too many problems if I separate them for a few nights?

I've never really dealt with an injured duckling like this so I want to be sure I'm not doing anything wrong. I was thinking it would be okay for just a few nights, but if I'm really going to do more harm than good, than it is possible for me to keep them together.