Help! Mother won't accept baby!

[jdywntr]

My impression is the other ducklings are hatching and they are under a chicken. Is this correct OP?

If it is, it will be much easier to put them under her as chickens are more "trancelike" at night and don't fidget. I've picked chickens up in the dark and they don't even move. My ducks wake anytime I go outside near the coop at night.

 

[animalz11]

no, there is nowhere else to put them

If you smear vasaline where the ants are coming in and out then they should leave your duck house alone. Ants can't walk on vasaline.

 

[animalz11]

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.

I know that wild birds have very poor smell, but they do have some smell, and anything to help the mother accept the ducklings...

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

Thank you everybody for your help! A duck is hatching under her. I hope she accepts the ones that are hatching. Would the older ducks that live with her kill the baby ducklings?

 

[OreoPlymothRock]

When we got home from somewhere, they killed it!

 

[desertdarlene]

I don't mean to sound harsh, but you seriously have to find a way to brood the babies and maybe incubate the rest of the eggs that are hatching or give them to someone else and never let your ducks hatch babies again. Like Steven said, some ducks aren't great broodys.

 

[ChristineR]

Who killed the duckling? Where was the duckling? I thought you had it in the house??? Is the broody hen a chicken or a duck?

Steven is right. Birds have very little sense of smell. It is not true that birds will reject their hatchlings because they smell you on them.

At this point I would post ads and find a home for the remaining duckling with someone who has other ducklings or is at the very least able to brood them safely. He won't be happy by himself and it looks like you had him outside? He may have just died from the cold.

 

[desertdarlene]

I think this was a third duckling that hatched. The OP was going to stick the other two under the mother after this third one hatched to see of she would take it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When we got home from somewhere, they killed it!

I'm sorry this has happened, if I am seeing this right looks like the duckling probably fell down that steep ramp and who knows what got it, so sad.

 

[Amiga]

I just looked over this thread, and want to encourage OreoPlymouthRock to step up and decide that the most important thing to do is protect the eggs-ducklings. If the mother duck isn't doing it, you owe it to those babies to help them survive and thrive. If the broody hen works, stick with that. If you need to incubate indoors, do that. If you need to bring hatchlings in to protect them from the hazards of the outdoor environment, do that. If you need help, ask for it and then follow through to protect, shelter and nurture the littles. Don't wait around or assume it's going to be okay the way it is.

We care about people, we care about ducks. As people, we have to take care of the animals we have. I feel that you want to do what's right. You need to know that it is within your power to do the right thing. Please keep us posted, and please think through what will help the ducklings, and get that done.

There are some very caring, very expert duck people helping you here. Take their good advice.