Feeling guilty and needing advice

[Ducklove2428]

Hey everyone. My full size girl just hatched out some call ducks and only one survived. It’s two days old. Today I came out and found the mom duck stepping on the baby, crushing it, messing up its hips and legs, and suffocating it. I pulled the mom off, and the baby seemed shocked, breathless, and for two hours he wasn’t able to walk. He can now stumble around a little bit, and I think his legs will be OK but I ended up putting him inside in a brooder. I also got him a chick friend, so he wouldn’t be alone. I feel so guilty for taking away from his mom. Because now she doesn’t have any babies and I’m afraid she’ll be depressed, I also feel bad for him because his mom was all he knew and now he lives with a random chick he doesn’t know. I know it’s kind of crazy and silly but I just feel so bad for the mom because she seems upset she doesn’t know where her little baby went. Was it wrong of me to take him away? But I’m too scared to put him back in because I’m worried she could crush him in his sleep. Or should I leave him in the brooder with the chick? Thanks anyone.

 

[sourland]

You did the right thing if you want to save the duckling.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Sometimes we need to interfere for the welfare of the animal. She may not have done it on purpose, but it was harming the duckling so it was the right decision in this case.

The duck will be upset for a little bit, but will go back to normal soon enough. If you can, see if you can find the duckling a friend of his own species. He'll do better. A chick is better than nothing, but they really do need a companion that 'speaks their language'. Same with the chick. And you'll find that ducklings are *very* messy and you won't want to keep chicks in with one for very long, unless you're changing their bedding ten times a day (I learned this the hard way!).

Also, !

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had to do this when my Muscovy was hatching her ducklings she was fine after a few days but just like you I didn’t want to interfere but I had to.