Help! Mother won't accept baby!

[OreoPlymothRock]

We tried rubbing the ducklings against puffball, she seemed like she accepted them, but then attacked them! We tried so many times, but it didn't work. Do we have to wait until the other ducklings hatch to do it? I feel so bad, is there anyway I could make her accept them? Please, anybody? I'm desperate, we can't brood them inside because my mother said no.

 

[desertdarlene]

Most birds have a poor sense of smell, so rubbing her scent on it won't help. Can you set up a brooder in a garage or other out building? He won't survive without warmth. Did you try slipping them other the mother at night while she's sleeping/sleepy?

 

[jdywntr]

Wait until the others hatch and then add the first 2. You need to do this at night or it is highly unlikely that she will accept them. Leave the hatching ones under her and do not remove them. Let her do it or she will not accept them either.

If you can't brood them inside then you need to set them up a warm place outside if she doesn't accept them. Barring that, you will need to sell them or give them away as it is too cold for them to survive on their own.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We tried rubbing the ducklings against puffball, she seemed like she accepted them, but then attacked them! We tried so many times, but it didn't work. Do we have to wait until the other ducklings hatch to do it? I feel so bad, is there anyway I could make her accept them? Please, anybody? I'm desperate, we can't brood them inside because my mother said no.

I think you need to tell your mom that things like this happens thats why there always has to be a back up plan like brooding inside until fully feathered, I can't imagine your mom would want the ducklings to die . And when are the next ducklings to hatch? also I hope you have gotten the hen and eggs from where the fire ants can get to them. There is alot of responsibility involved in deciding to hatch and raise ducks/animals. And one is to provide the right kind of care for these newly hatched ducklings that need alot of care right now.

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

if I put them under her at night, in the morning, will she kill them? How can I keep her from killing them? And will the ducklings follow her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

if I put them under her at night, in the morning, will she kill them? How can I keep her from killing them? And will the ducklings follow her?

She could, that's why jw said to wait till other eggs hatch then slip these first ducklings under her and doing it at night you have to still wait around for a while to make sure not only she accepts them but that they will accept her since they are imprinted on you all and not the hen. And if she accepts them and they accept her when you put them under her at night, then you get out there before daylight to make sure when it's light that she'll still accept them. When are the other eggs to hatch? The only way you can keep her from killing them is to be there close by and get them away from her. That's the thing with ducklings not hatched under a mama whether a duck or chicken they may not accept her as mama which means they won't follow her, all you can do is try. Try not to interfere unless their lives in threatened, mamas do peck at their babies so not all pecking is hurtful, only when it gets out of control do you need to interfere. I think you'd know the difference. I'd hope you would.

 

[jdywntr]

You would want to be there in the morning to keep an eye on them. So you need to be prepared to get up at first light and keep an eye on them. There is the possibility that she could kill them but unless you are prepared to raise them yourself, this seems to be your only option. They should follow her and the other ducklings but the longer that they are away, the more likely they are to not bond.

There have been studies done that show that the mother makes noises while the babies are in the eggs and they in return make noises close to hatch. By putting them under her at night, it gives them and her the chance to hear each other first and it allows time for them to begin to smell like her.

 

[StevenW.]

If she wont accept her duckling there is really nothing you can do.
If you handled the egg/duckling then the egg/duckling wouldn't smell like her, so try rubbing the duckling against her other eggs/ducklings so s/he can pick up the smell. If this doesn't work then you'll have ot raise it.
But you can't raise the duckling by itself or it will imprint on you, you need at least another 2 ducklings...

Sorry but that is absolutely preposterous! Birds cannot smell! If they can it's very little.

I've been told that touching eggs/chicks in a wild birds nest will make the mother and father go away and abandon the nest that is FALSE.
I have successfully put chicks under broodie hens and they aren't even close to blood relation.

You're duck might also just not be broody material and if that is the case then you don't let her raise them or brood ever again. It can also be because she is a first time mother and she has absolutely no idea what to do and just see the duckling as a threat.

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

if they are put under her at night, won't she feel something and look under her and grab them?

 

[Miss Lydia]

if they are put under her at night, won't she feel something and look under her and grab them?

Thats why we keep saying wait till the other eggs have hatched. WHEN are the other eggs due to hatch? or are they? were they set under your hen at the same time? if she hatches out the rest of the ducklings, thats when you slip the already hatched ones under her at night. She can't count so she won't know how many she had or has under her. okay if you know the rest of the eggs aren't going to hatch, then when it gets dark go out with ducklings covered in a towel in a box or basket, remove the eggs from under your hen, then very carefully take out each duckling one by one with your hand over top to keep hen from seeing or pecking at baby gently slip the ducklings under her. then just get far enough away to give mama hen room and just listen if you hear her attacking then your going to have to get the ducklings out of there fast.