Help! Mother and ducklings in garden pool

[Jlze]

What all predators do you have there? fox owls what else weasel mink? It's amazing more weren't taken.
Flying predators are always a worry. Hawks mainly during the day. Some have Eagles we have them but I've never seen them up around the house.

I don’t know To be honest with you I’ve never seen Or heard of anyone seeing anything apart from foxes and occasional badger in their gardens.
We used to have a heron that dipped in the pond last year so it could have been that?

Is it a good idea to move them to a day pen with a kiddie pool?
I don’t know if the mother would like not being able to come and go though also a couple of male ducks have been stopping by

 

[Jlze]

Hmm, Lots of animals will take ducklings, so its hard to say. I see Hawks, Mink, Foxes and sometimes Owls during the day, but if its hungry it will take them anytime it has the chance.

Is that in the UK?
I’ve never seen anything like that
I have only seen seagulls Pigeons magpie crows blackbirds And other tiny Rita and robins in my garden
It is a fairly big garden though with lots of bird nests around

 

[Isaac 0]

Is that in the UK?
I’ve never seen anything like that
I have only seen seagulls Pigeons magpie crows blackbirds And other tiny Rita and robins in my garden
It is a fairly big garden though with lots of bird nests around

US, sorry not too familiar with what you you have in the UK. If you've seen a fox around, I'd say its most likely a Fox trying to feed her young.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was going to say making some kind of pen attached to your shed maybe then if she'll let you you could slowly try and herd her and the duckling into that, Place some nice bedding in the shed so you can then herd them into it and close them up for the night. All this depends on how receptive mama is to you. You can see how it is in the wild they hatch alot of ducklings and by the time they are ready to fly the brood has been whittled down to a very small amount. Mama could fly out if she wanted but ducklings would be safe. And I am saying all of this and many would say these are wild ducks and federally protected which means we aren't to bother them. So how is this relate in UK? And how do you not try to help when its in your own back yard? and do you think this happened at night?

 

[DuckyDonna]

If you've got a great blue heron dropping by that could very well be the culprit. When we lived in Florida the heron would pick off the little sweet ducklings all the time until there were none! They'd just eat them in one swallow. It was heartbreaking. Osprey will too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes but if the culprit was at night probably not a heron.

 

[Jlze]

hey guys,

so my shed idea has not gone to plan.
got all the ducklings inside eating and the mother but she got out last minute.

i went away and hid behind the shed door for 2 hours with the door open and the ducklings in a box peeping inside but she would not go in the shed after them.
tried to catch her with a towel it was useless.

she then flew off and hasnt returned and its now well after nightfall.

ive currently got the ducklings in a bathtub with blankets and a hanging toy to cuddle under as well as a warm water soda bottle

this is the last thing i wanted to happen but if they'd have been left out tonight with no shelter more would have been taken?

will the mother duck try to come back to the pool tomorrow?

i feel so awful having caused their seperation

do i leave food in the bathtub with them overnight?
any suggestions on what to provide them with right now would be much appreciated

i know they ideally need a heat lamp but have no way of getting one

please help xxx

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes they need food and water very important, water container should be something they can’t climb into. But deep enough to dunk their nares into to clean. I am so sorry you tried your best. Hopefully she’ll be out at dawn and if she hears her ducklings that will be a good thing. If she doesn’t come back then you next step will be to call a wild life rehabbers they will take in ducklings an get them ready for the wild when the time comes. How old do you think they are now?

 

[Jlze]

Yes they need food and water very important, water container should be something they can’t climb into. But deep enough to dunk their nares into to clean. I am so sorry you tried your best. Hopefully she’ll be out at dawn and if she hears her ducklings that will be a good thing. If she doesn’t come back then you next step will be to call a wild life rehabbers they will take in ducklings an get them ready for the wild when the time comes. How old do you think they are now?

thanks for your reply- I am so sorry only just seen your earlier post- a pen attached to shed would have been a great idea
thanks for the advice i will do that now and call animal rescue tomorrow and hopefully they will come get them
I have a small pond in the garden I was going to try and make a pen around and put them all in but if mother duck does not come back this wont be an option now
thanks for your help
xx

 

[Jlze]

Yes they need food and water very important, water container should be something they can’t climb into. But deep enough to dunk their nares into to clean. I am so sorry you tried your best. Hopefully she’ll be out at dawn and if she hears her ducklings that will be a good thing. If she doesn’t come back then you next step will be to call a wild life rehabbers they will take in ducklings an get them ready for the wild when the time comes. How old do you think they are now?

they have been with me for 6 days today so they may be about 8 days old?