Hi, I was recently given a young (maybe 5 week old) runner duckling. His dad had attacked and killed his sibling, and tried to get him too, so he was taken away and raised inside.
When he first got here, he was definitely imprinted on people, and would follow us around and cry if we walked out of sight. It was cute, but our main goal was to incorporate him into our 9 chicken flock.
Anyway, within a few days, he stopped caring about people, and would desperately try to get back to the chicken yard if I took him out to swim. I moved his wading pool to just outside the chicken yard and put a movable pen around it so that he could access the pool when he wants and get back into the yard if he wants. It didn't seem to help much though, as soon as I put him in, he gets right back out and runs back to the yard. I had to stick him in three times today to get him to start preening himself and doing his ducky things.
The 7 young chickens have accepted him as one of their own, and even seem to have changed their routine to better fit his - they now lay in the straw in the yard rather than roost in the coop like they used to.
It's all very sweet, and I am happy that he has a flock of his own, but I worry about him not wanting to swim.
I would get him (I think it's a him) another duck if necessary, and build them their own area.. but if everything is fine as it is, I don't necessarily want another duck.
Thoughts? Should little Bonino be ok with his chicks?
Thank you for any help you can give!
When he first got here, he was definitely imprinted on people, and would follow us around and cry if we walked out of sight. It was cute, but our main goal was to incorporate him into our 9 chicken flock.
Anyway, within a few days, he stopped caring about people, and would desperately try to get back to the chicken yard if I took him out to swim. I moved his wading pool to just outside the chicken yard and put a movable pen around it so that he could access the pool when he wants and get back into the yard if he wants. It didn't seem to help much though, as soon as I put him in, he gets right back out and runs back to the yard. I had to stick him in three times today to get him to start preening himself and doing his ducky things.
The 7 young chickens have accepted him as one of their own, and even seem to have changed their routine to better fit his - they now lay in the straw in the yard rather than roost in the coop like they used to.
It's all very sweet, and I am happy that he has a flock of his own, but I worry about him not wanting to swim.
I would get him (I think it's a him) another duck if necessary, and build them their own area.. but if everything is fine as it is, I don't necessarily want another duck.
Thoughts? Should little Bonino be ok with his chicks?
Thank you for any help you can give!
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