My rouen hen Eugenie hatched an adorable little duckling about two weeks ago and has been an awesome mother to it. I was keeping them in a secure pen in the henhouse, but the henhouse is pretty stuffy and doesn't allow for much sun, so today, for the first time, I decided to put them out in the run where they'd have more room and could have some fun. I have a pen in the run for the chickens to escape the guinea fowl and larger ducks (who can both be kind of bullies), so I figured that mom and duckling would be fine in there even though it's not that secure.
Wrong. I came back two hours later and the duckling was outside the safety of the pen with the back of its head pecked. Dead. All of Eugenie's hard work hatching that egg and raising that duckling, just for it to end like this. Just a little earlier the duckling was playing in the water and having a grand time, and now its life is over. It was so cute and happy, I can't believe that baby is gone already, so quickly.
The poor little baby...
I feel so, so awful. If I had only chosen to put them just about anywhere else that was more secure, that duckling would still be alive and well, but I decided to be trusting of all of my other fowl and Eugenie's mothering abilities. I feel guilty and keep crying and crying. I wish I could go back in time and change things so this outcome wouldn't occur, but it's too late for that.
Any comfort or sympathy is appreciated... I really feel terrible about this and I'm wishing so hard that I could just go back and change it even though I know that won't do any good.
I'm just heartbroken that this happened!
Wrong. I came back two hours later and the duckling was outside the safety of the pen with the back of its head pecked. Dead. All of Eugenie's hard work hatching that egg and raising that duckling, just for it to end like this. Just a little earlier the duckling was playing in the water and having a grand time, and now its life is over. It was so cute and happy, I can't believe that baby is gone already, so quickly.

I feel so, so awful. If I had only chosen to put them just about anywhere else that was more secure, that duckling would still be alive and well, but I decided to be trusting of all of my other fowl and Eugenie's mothering abilities. I feel guilty and keep crying and crying. I wish I could go back in time and change things so this outcome wouldn't occur, but it's too late for that.

Any comfort or sympathy is appreciated... I really feel terrible about this and I'm wishing so hard that I could just go back and change it even though I know that won't do any good.

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