Can I get ducklings for my lonely duck?

[Tori1133]

Hey guys! So last spring I bought 4 welsh harlequin ducklings, we recently lost all but one female to a predator attack

My one female has been hanging out with the chickens but I can tell she is lonely and I really want to get her some new duck friends asap. I’ve been searching kijiji and all over the internet to try and find some full grown welsh harlequins for sale near me (Ottawa Ontario) but have found nothing so far.

I know this is probably a long shot but do you think it would be possible to buy a few ducklings and put them with her? Would she like them or try to hurt them or just not notice them at all? Do you think there’s any chance she might adopt/befriend them? I’ve been finding people selling ducklings all over the place but no adults, so the thought just came to my mind that maybe it could actually work. I have a feeling the answer is no lol but wanted to check anyway. I’m more familiar with chickens and I know this would rarely work with a chicken but I guess I had a bit of hope that maybe ducks are different lol.

 

[CoriM]

I would think that you would have to wait until your ducklings are about 8 weeks old before putting them together. In the past my full grown ducks have been afraid of my ducklings, and I've had to introduce them slowly when they're full grown. You could always try for another breed full grown female duck, if you can find one. Otherwise the ducklings will grow pretty fast. You just want to keep in mind that you want to end up with more females than males - usually it's one male to about 4 females to prevent over-mating. Also, were you able to resolve the issue so you don't have to worry about further predator attacks?

 

[Tori1133]

I would think that you would have to wait until your ducklings are about 8 weeks old before putting them together. In the past my full grown ducks have been afraid of my ducklings, and I've had to introduce them slowly when they're full grown. You could always try for another breed full grown female duck, if you can find one. Otherwise the ducklings will grow pretty fast. You just want to keep in mind that you want to end up with more females than males - usually it's one male to about 4 females to prevent over-mating. Also, were you able to resolve the issue so you don't have to worry about further predator attacks?

Ah yes that’s basically what I figured. I don’t want to leave my duck alone for that long so I’ll continue my search for some adults for her. I was aware of the ratios for male/female, I actually was talking to one guy who has runner ducks for sale but he will only sell me them 1:1 male/female. He has been trying to convince me that his runner duck males are more gentle than other breeds and so I can have more of them… which I’m skeptical of lol. Have you ever heard of runners being described that way or is he just trying to offload his unwanted males on people? And yeah I’m pretty open to other breeds, I was just mainly trying to stick to lightweight egg layers since I don’t really plan to eat the ducks, I’d like to save a little money on feed with a smaller breed.

Also yes and no with the predator issue. The issue isn’t the predator getting into any of my coops - I haven’t ever had a single break in so I think they’re pretty solid. But I love to let my ducks free range. This has gone perfectly fine during the day as they’re ranging right around our house and we tend to coop them all up if we have to be away for the day. But we have a big river running through our backyard, which is awesome for the ducks, but they took a liking to sleeping on the water and we were struggling to get them to come home at night which is when the losses occurred. So the problem is not yet solved but I did a bunch of reading on some other forums on here from people having a similar struggle with their free range ducks and I think I know what I need to do to train them now! So I feel hopeful about that.

 

[Everose]

You could try making her broody for a few days on eggs, and then giving her ducklings. That's what I would do personally, but be sure she's in good health before attempting this.
https://www.tyrantfarms.com/why-and-how-to-make-a-duck-go-broody/

 

[CoriM]

Oh good, Im glad you're getting a handle on the predator situation! Haha on the runners - I think @Miss Lydia might have more info. on runner males. I have had two myself - hatchery mistakes as I ordered females. One of them was quite large and was a blue runner - that one was very aggressive and trying to mate a lot his first season. I did cull him. The 2nd one was a fawn and white guy and quite a bit smaller and sweeter. I culled him because he was constantly going after my one older females and scaring her, but he was a good male and I sometimes wish I had made it work to keep him. I think it's just one of those things where each case is different.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My Runner isn’t hard on his females he has 9 but if he had only a couple he would be. Drakes are so hormone driven 1 drake to at least 4 female and up would be best.

 

[Tori1133]

You could try making her broody for a few days on eggs, and then giving her ducklings. That's what I would do personally, but be sure she's in good health before attempting this.
https://www.tyrantfarms.com/why-and-how-to-make-a-duck-go-broody/

Hm interesting!! I might look into that if I can’t find any adults! Thanks

 

[Tori1133]

My Runner isn’t hard on his females he has 9 but if he had only a couple he would be. Drakes are so hormone driven 1 drake to at least 4 female and up would be best.

Okay yeah that’s what I was thinking too. I wanted to have at least 3 females but that’s good to know that you’d say at least 4. This guy is only willing to sell me 2 females if I also take two males which would leave me with 3 females for only 2 males. So sounds like I’ll have to turn him down :/

 

[Tori1133]

Oh good, Im glad you're getting a handle on the predator situation! Haha on the runners - I think @Miss Lydia might have more info. on runner males. I have had two myself - hatchery mistakes as I ordered females. One of them was quite large and was a blue runner - that one was very aggressive and trying to mate a lot his first season. I did cull him. The 2nd one was a fawn and white guy and quite a bit smaller and sweeter. I culled him because he was constantly going after my one older females and scaring her, but he was a good male and I sometimes wish I had made it work to keep him. I think it's just one of those things where each case is different.

Yeah that makes sense, I mean I also get a huge variation of temperament with my roosters so it makes sense that it would be the same with drakes!! Also sorry about your fawn and white male it’s always such a hard decision when the peace of other members of the flock is at stake. I’ve had to make that call on some aggressive roosters before too and it’s always hard. And yes! I really hope I get a handle on it and can train my ducks to come home to their coop for dinner every night! It would seem like such a shame to have a huge beautiful river RIGHT there but not be able to allow them to swim on it. I’m determined to make it happen lol!

 

[ruthhope]

Okay yeah that’s what I was thinking too. I wanted to have at least 3 females but that’s good to know that you’d say at least 4. This guy is only willing to sell me 2 females if I also take two males which would leave me with 3 females for only 2 males. So sounds like I’ll have to turn him down :/

Have you tried adoption rather than buying adult ducks? There are a number of duck rescue organizations -- I would think there is one in Ontario. Try searching for "wildlife sanctuaries near me" or "duck rescue near me". There is a facebook group Rescue Ducks where you might advertise that you are looking to adopt ducks rescued near you. https://www.facebook.com/groups/388169774565866