Help! Newly adopted ducks are gone!

[MrsClucky]

I adopted an 8-month-old drake a week ago and yesterday brought home three 7-week-old ducks. They seemed to bond immediately and were hanging out together. They didn't seem scared and there's plenty of food, a kiddie pool, huge pasture, etc. Late in the day, the little ones disappeared. We panicked but they came waddling back in about an hour. I think they'd just slipped through the fence to the neighbor's pasture. None of them can fly. This morning, let them out of their coop and the little ones have all taken off again. It's been over four hours and I'm worried sick. We've looked everywhere, driven around, checked with neighbors.

Are they trying to find their way home? Will they come back? If they don't, will they make it on their own? There are ponds around here but they're walking! Would they respond to a duck call? Is there anything I can do to get them back? Help!

 

[maybejoey]

Im so sorry i dont think theres any thing you can do to get then back.

 

[dumb_cluck]

Hopefully they will return. If not, learn from the experience and pen and confine your "adoptees".

Free ranging sounds great, but the reality is that they may/will wander off, get killed, get lost, run over, etc.

Sorry for the abruptness.

 

[MrsClucky]

good news! (sort of) I found them in my neighbor's pond. It's about 1/2 mile away and very overgrown and secluded - the neighbor would never know they're there if I don't tell her. I'm sure they'll be very happy there. I'm going to leave a trail of food leading back to our property but I doubt they can be enticed away. If I were a duck, I'd want to live on that pond.

 

[maybejoey]

congrats.

 

[dumb_cluck]

If they are non migratory (non flying) ducks, they will not survive the winter nor any night predator activity that is more active now in the "fall".

If you know where they are, go to them and try to coral them up. Net, if you have to. Good Luck!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

They are still babies, you need to get them and provide a safe home for them. They won't last against the predators at all.

 

[veronicasmom]

There was another thread on this forum where someone went in a pond with a kayak to herd them to shore then get them home. Maybe this would work?
I would try my best to get them out of there. Good luck.

 

[MrsClucky]

I have left a trail of food from my neighbor's property to mine. I don't think I can catch them. When I saw them, they immediately went into the overgrowth around the pond. It's impenetrable. Is there any way to lure them into a crate? I can't think of anything more enticing to them than that pond.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

At 7 weeks old and since you just brought them home they wouldn't bonded to you as mom yet. They will become scared though as sun goes down, and won't live through the night once a predator finds them. Sounds like you need additional help in herding them into a catch pen.