Babies inside a planter

[chris330r]

Hi all! It's been a while since posting but i'm back with a concern.

One of the wild ducks out back where I live has just hatched a clutch. They're all free roaming wild muscovy ducks around the pond. This is the one eyed duck who I know isn't going to be a good Mom because she seemed to quickly abandon her last clutch a year ago.

Right outside my window is a huge planter filled mostly with dirt which she used to make her nest. All the babies have hatched and i'm concerned if they're going to be trapped inside there now? The dirt goes up to 3/4 of the way to the top, but there's a good 8 inches or so to the top and I don't think they'd be able to climb out on their own.

Will Mom duck feed them until they're big enough to get out of the planter or should I take them out and let them waddle to the pond? I don't want them dying a slow death trapped inside the planter. Will Mom take them out herself?

 

[Gallinarium]

They can probably jump out, or the mother may help them out. If they aren't out in a day, let them out while the mother is watching. I can't see any harm this would have.

 

[Gallinarium]

Or, alternately, you could place something in the planter to hop up on and out of on their own.

 

[chris330r]

I'm also afraid that once they're out, they won't be able to go back in as it's like 2 feet high. I'd have to put like a ramp from the top going down into the grass, plus another little ramp to climb to the top. Oh why did this duck pick here to have her clutch. It seems the worst place for them to be!

 

[AllenK RGV]

I just use stairs of 2x4 pieces or 4x4 pieces as steps for my chicks for my hatchout dog carrier. I would probably have it much easier with them if I would just put the caster wheels into storage as they add 6 inches to its height.

 

[chris330r]

Here's a pic I took from my window. I don't want to go out there and disturb her. All the babies are underneath her. If I leave them alone will she just take them out with her beak like cats do?

 

[chris330r]

The mother went for a walk for a bit and I went over to check on them. There's 2 eggs that haven't hatched and I pulled out all the hatched shells so the babies wouldn't hurt themselves on it.
Tomorrow i'll take them all out of the planter and set them down onto the grass. The lake is only 20 feet away so they can all run down to the waters edge to feed and drink. The mom duck knows me well so hopefully she won't be angry or abandon the babies after letting them out of the planter.
I just can't leave them all trapped in there to slowly die. At least if I take them out, they'll follow the mom duck to another location to hide from predators. I did a search and it says after 1 day hatched they can walk and eat bugs out of the grass. I think that's better than staying trapped in that planter.

 

[chris330r]

I took them all out of the planter this morning and Mama jumped out and OMG the rest of the babies went nuts and actually started climbing out of it themselves!! It's like a whole FOOT from the dirt to the rim and they were popping out like popcorn lol.

Mama led them all to the lake and they're all swimming now. I'm so happy they're in the water. I did make steps to the planter for if they come back. (Mama was mad at me) and I also cut the planter side down to make a little opening to inside at the top of the ramp.

I don't know if they'll return, but I hope they'll do well outside now. All of them were swimming fine alongside Mama and off they went. I hope I did the right thing!?

There's 2 eggs still in there but I think they're duds. Should I just leave them for the crows?

 

[Gallinarium]

I'm also afraid that once they're out, they won't be able to go back in as it's like 2 feet high. I'd have to put like a ramp from the top going down into the grass, plus another little ramp to climb to the top. Oh why did this duck pick here to have her clutch. It seems the worst place for them to be!

I've never seen them return the the hatching nest, you may be good there.

 

[chris330r]

I've been checking all day and you're right, they haven't returned to the nest. I left the steps I made going into the planter just in case.

But they went right into the water and swam beautifully alongside the mama. Doing a search I read if they're too young they can't swim, but they must be a couple days old at least because they were doing great.

I just hope I did the right thing. They had no food or water sitting inside that planter and I was afraid they'd slowly starve. Now i'm afraid of predators, but at least that will be nature's way I guess. And they make the cutest little sounds when calling for their mama. I hope they do well. But it's most likely only 2 or 3 will make it to adulthood with all the predators around.