Duckling Runts?

[tamiep]

I have a pair of Pekin ducks. They hatched some eggs. 4 that were hatched possible the same day are the same size, one that hatched 1-3 days later is 1/2 the size. I have 2 that I had to help hatch because mon & dad stepped on them and threw them out of the nest, they are the size of the smaller one outside, though born even later than the small one. The oldest are about 2 weeks old now.

Do ducks have "runts" like dogs and cats do?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Yes they do have runts. And usually these are the ducklings that are being abandoned or driven away by momma duck.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Runts need extra love and attention but they are awesome!

 

[tamiep]

I just took the two I had inside out with the rest today, it is so odd how that one is so much smaller than the two we had to help hatch, and as I said, it is older. The little one seems to be healthy, just tiny. In fact, when I brought the two out in the a container, the others ran and the tiny one wanted to see them. Of course I cannot pick them up because mom & dad are drama ducks (I adopted them as adults) and are always screaming "We're all gonna die! We're all gonna die!" whenever they see me. So those babies are afraid of me. The ones I took out are like, "Why are you all running that's my mama?"

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Just sit down outside with your little ones and hand out peas. It won't take long for the other ducklings to want to eat pees too, and you know that kids rarely obey parents when it comes to candy… And maybe after some repetition the big ducks will start to trust you too.