Duck mom!

[Lauren-pope]

First time duckling mom here! Rescued eggs from mom who abandoned her nest due to neighbour's dog terrizing her.
They are hatched and are now a week old and I love them to pieces. Knowing I'll have to set them free eventually as they are wild animals but that's alright!
What's the best bedding for ducklings as they are messy creatures?

 

[Hybridchucks]

Have they imprinted on you? xxx

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

I don't know a thing about Ducks other than how cute they are. LOL You might post this question in our Ducks section for more help with them... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/ducks.42/

Great to have you aboard and welcome to our roost!

 

[Kiki]

I'm not sure setting them free is a good idea.
Please check with the duck people in the above mentioned duck thread.
Welcome to BYC!

 

[drumstick diva]

If they imprint on you, they may not be successful at living in the wild. See what the duck folks suggest.

 

[Hybridchucks]

Have they imprinted on you? xxx

coz if they have it is cruel to set them free......sorry!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Have you got a local park? Perhaps with a pond? There's a lake out by my place, and people feed ducks there--nothing ever bothers them. Most of them are pretty tame, too. Ducks are very self-sufficient. Get them introduced to water early--we have two pekins that won't go in our pond because they're frightened of it--but keep an eye on them, because despite popular belief, ducklings can drown. Teach them to stay around water so that they don't do stupid things like leave the water and wander towards a road. One thing you could do is buy floating fish food and teach them to skim it off of the surface of the water.

Speaking as someone who's spent a lot of time around mallards, they should be fine unless you introduce them somewhere with a huge predator population. In a pond or on a lake, they feed themselves very well. Release them as soon as they're fully feathered and when the weather's mild. The younger you release them, the better they'll adjust. Before that, teach them to hunt snails and bugs and such--or just stop off every day and throw them some corn until they get the hang of it.

Even if they have imprinted, baby ducks have to leave the nest eventually--they don't stay with momma forever.

If you're really concerned about them, find some farmer who wants duck eggs and has a pond. That should work out well for all concerned.

 

[Lauren-pope]

Have you got a local park? Perhaps with a pond? There's a lake out by my place, and people feed ducks there--nothing ever bothers them. Most of them are pretty tame, too. Ducks are very self-sufficient. Get them introduced to water early--we have two pekins that won't go in our pond because they're frightened of it--but keep an eye on them, because despite popular belief, ducklings can drown. Teach them to stay around water so that they don't do stupid things like leave the water and wander towards a road. One thing you could do is buy floating fish food and teach them to skim it off of the surface of the water.

Speaking as someone who's spent a lot of time around mallards, they should be fine unless you introduce them somewhere with a huge predator population. In a pond or on a lake, they feed themselves very well. Release them as soon as they're fully feathered and when the weather's mild. The younger you release them, the better they'll adjust. Before that, teach them to hunt snails and bugs and such--or just stop off every day and throw them some corn until they get the hang of it.

Even if they have imprinted, baby ducks have to leave the nest eventually--they don't stay with momma forever.

If you're really concerned about them, find some farmer who wants duck eggs and has a pond. That should work out well for all concerned.

HI there
Thanks for the advice! I live on a farm, and have two ponds on my property with tons of ducks, that's how I ended up with thease ones. There mother nested behind my house which backs onto some wooded area.
They already love water I set up a little bowl and they swim around in it and jump in and out of it. I take them out side and they forage around, so I'm tying to get them accustomed to outside life, and water. They are naturals so far!
I've heard you can let wild ducks go after 3 months of course you take the to the area and make sure thy are comfortable on the water, and I plan on doing all that. I mean they are going to get big and have wings eventually to fly! I love them and am very attached but understand they are wild animals.

 

[Lauren-pope]

If they imprint on you, they may not be successful at living in the wild. See what the duck folks suggest.

Thanks will do!

 

[Lauren-pope]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

I don't know a thing about Ducks other than how cute they are. LOL You might post this question in our Ducks section for more help with them... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/ducks.42/

Great to have you aboard and welcome to our

Thanks very much!