er, help? My mama hen is out free ranging.. trouble is..

[Going Quackers]

The baby didn't leave with her because it was penned... now what? i tossed it in the outdoor pen and she is talking to it but has about as much interest in going in the pen as being on a dinner plate

She only has the one duckling it'll be 3wks friday, I do usually free range my birds, however their are drakes 3 of them?

Now what, just chase mama down? or is it time to let the baby join? This is stressful lol

 

[Missy60]

Do you think if you let the baby out of the pen the mommy would come and get it, since she is talking to it? Ok I don't really have a clue about your problem, but I just wanted to sympathize with you. My ducks have been stressing me out to today. Good luck with what ever you choose to do.

 

[Nsampsel]

At 3 weeks old baby is probably getting pretty good sized. I would say let it out with mom but keep an aya on the other ducks to make sure they don't attack it. Since mom is still paying attention to it she will most likely also still protect it as well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The baby didn't leave with her because it was penned... now what? i tossed it in the outdoor pen and she is talking to it but has about as much interest in going in the pen as being on a dinner plate

She only has the one duckling it'll be 3wks friday, I do usually free range my birds, however their are drakes 3 of them?

Now what, just chase mama down? or is it time to let the baby join? This is stressful lol

At 3 weeks old baby is probably getting pretty good sized. I would say let it out with mom but keep an aya on the other ducks to make sure they don't attack it. Since mom is still paying attention to it she will most likely also still protect it as well.

I can give you my experience as to whats going on here. My one duckling is 5 weeks today since about 3 weeks mama has been going off on her own doing pretty much what she wants to leaving her ducklings to just hang out around the house but where it hangs out is fenced in, and our goose pretty much watches over it. It may stay with mama but if she goes at the pace mine does it may not be able to keep up with her. And will it be left somewhere where it will be vunerable? if it's not stressing out about mama not being with it just leave it alone. when the ducklings let out the distress call is usually when mama comes running. even my mama duck with the week old one will go off by herself and soon as she hears the call is right back with her duckling. So far none of our drakes have been aggressive towards either duckling. I have not let either mom take their duckling out of the large fenced in area yet. They can go if they want but they have to leave baby home. so far they have. My one mama with the 5 week old is back mating with both drake and gander and seems to be thinking of laying again, about the only time she is with her duckling now is when time to go in for the night.

 

[Going Quackers]

I can give you my experience as to whats going on here. My one duckling is 5 weeks today since about 3 weeks mama has been going off on her own doing pretty much what she wants to leaving her ducklings to just hang out around the house but where it hangs out is fenced in, and our goose pretty much watches over it. It may stay with mama but if she goes at the pace mine does it may not be able to keep up with her. And will it be left somewhere where it will be vunerable? if it's not stressing out about mama not being with it just leave it alone. when the ducklings let out the distress call is usually when mama comes running. even my mama duck with the week old one will go off by herself and soon as she hears the call is right back with her duckling. So far none of our drakes have been aggressive towards either duckling. I have not let either mom take their duckling out of the large fenced in area yet. They can go if they want but they have to leave baby home. so far they have. My one mama with the 5 week old is back mating with both drake and gander and seems to be thinking of laying again, about the only time she is with her duckling now is when time to go in for the night.

Exactly my concern! She is coming back to the pen and talking to it, she's foraging within that area but it's definitely upset it can't get with her.. I wish it wasn't on it's own, then i'd just be forget it, mama can forage babies can stay in the pen.

I'd eventually like it to free range but at nearing 3wks i worry, it could fall in a hole? get lost from the flock? with just one i am a worrywart lol

I am going to keep checking, so frustrating but i knew mama was getting fed up with being confined she usually is found each morning out of the nest box/fenced area in the barn..

 

[Going Quackers]

Do you think if you let the baby out of the pen the mommy would come and get it, since she is talking to it? Ok I don't really have a clue about your problem, but I just wanted to sympathize with you. My ducks have been stressing me out to today. Good luck with what ever you choose to do.

More than likely it's just whether it can keep up and what those drakes will do, they all know it's here(drakes) they see it penned have come up and 'talked' to it over the weeks since it's hatched but still? This is so stressful! argh!

 

[Miss Lydia]

More than likely it's just whether it can keep up and what those drakes will do, they all know it's here(drakes) they see it penned have come up and 'talked' to it over the weeks since it's hatched but still? This is so stressful! argh!

It's best to be cautious, when our youngest duckling 1 week tomorrow got to close to our youngest [thinks he is the ladies man] drake the other day he did pop it but thats all I was right there to intervene if necessary. What you need is a Gander, I have only the one but I tell you what he is the best baby sitter, mama can go off forage, swim what ever and he stays right with the ducklings till she gets back. But I will NOT let mamas take their ducklings out to forage, as i have been watching these little ones just cannot keep the pace the adults do and could get lost way to easy. matter of fact look at how many ducklings have been found alone this spring. lots and I can see why now, not only does mama go at a fast clip but the ducklings get side tracked and if they don't keep up they get left behind. In nature it's probably the way of keeping the population under control but I'm with you I am a worry wart and would rather not lose one if at all possible. I was watching mama and her 1 week old today mama would go into the house call to the baby and it would be so interested in what ever it was doing totally not hear her, she had to come out numerous times to finally get it's attention. LOL

 

[Going Quackers]

It's best to be cautious, when our youngest duckling 1 week tomorrow got to close to our youngest [thinks he is the ladies man] drake the other day he did pop it but thats all I was right there to intervene if necessary. What you need is a Gander, I have only the one but I tell you what he is the best baby sitter, mama can go off forage, swim what ever and he stays right with the ducklings till she gets back. But I will NOT let mamas take their ducklings out to forage, as i have been watching these little ones just cannot keep the pace the adults do and could get lost way to easy. matter of fact look at how many ducklings have been found alone this spring. lots and I can see why now, not only does mama go at a fast clip but the ducklings get side tracked and if they don't keep up they get left behind. In nature it's probably the way of keeping the population under control but I'm with you I am a worry wart and would rather not lose one if at all possible. I was watching mama and her 1 week old today mama would go into the house call to the baby and it would be so interested in what ever it was doing totally not hear her, she had to come out numerous times to finally get it's attention. LOL

LOL A gander? oh goodness ... I don't think it would appreciate all the other drakes... I finally let 'Junior' out, it was frantic running up and down in the pen... So far so good, Spot my oldest drake is wandering behind mama and babe, he is keeping back though and Junior is definitely keeping up for now, she was in the cedars beside the run so i had to put it down and she and it called and she came over to ensure it came to her... I'm totally paranoid but it being so upset in the pen seemed impractical too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

LOL A gander? oh goodness ... I don't think it would appreciate all the other drakes... I finally let 'Junior' out, it was frantic running up and down in the pen... So far so good, Spot my oldest drake is wandering behind mama and babe, he is keeping back though and Junior is definitely keeping up for now, she was in the cedars beside the run so i had to put it down and she and it called and she came over to ensure it came to her... I'm totally paranoid but it being so upset in the pen seemed impractical too.

LOL A gander? oh goodness ... I don't think it would appreciate all the other drakes... I finally let 'Junior' out, it was frantic running up and down in the pen... So far so good, Spot my oldest drake is wandering behind mama and babe, he is keeping back though and Junior is definitely keeping up for now, she was in the cedars beside the run so i had to put it down and she and it called and she came over to ensure it came to her... I'm totally paranoid but it being so upset in the pen seemed impractical too.

Well at least theres a drake watching out for them.

I just lost a bantam hen a couple weeks ago during the day when they we out foraging so i am very over protective right now.

 

[Going Quackers]

Well at least theres a drake watching out for them.

I just lost a bantam hen a couple weeks ago during the day when they we out foraging so i am very over protective right now.

Oh i'm sorry that's awful.

Spot is a real sweety, he was actually nesting with her at night I am over 90 some-odd % sure he was in with her when it hatched lol I was nervous about getting them back into the barn but by 8 she was back into her area with it, so we penned it back up in the barn for safety sake.

It was keeping very close, she seems to be a very attentive mum which was my worry as this is her first. The only issue we had last night was Lilly! she chased dusty and Junior out of the barn at one point she is a bit of a crank these days