How long!?

[PetDuck]

I was wondering how long ducklings follow their mother in the wild before leaving?
And how long until my duckling becomes indepindent from me his "Mommy"?

 

[70%cocoa]

I don't know how long they stay with their parents in the wild but I have hand-raised ducklings and have also had a chicken raise a duckling. With the hand-rasied ones they went outside into a heated coop at 2 weeks of age. They were very keen on human company till they were about 5 or 6 weeks old, and then they stopped yelling out for me everytime they caught a glimpse of me going out the back door. They became more independent after that.

With the duckling that was raised by a chicken, he hung around with her till he was about 8 weeks old and then started to look longingly at the adult ducks. I think he suddenly realised that he was more like them than his foster mother. At that point he went to his new home where he now happily lives with a ducky girlfriend and an adoring family of humans.

But if you have only 1 duckling it will never stop being depenedent on you for company and affection. Do you just have the one? If so, is there any chance of getting a ducky friend?

 

[desertdarlene]

It varies depending on the amount of food, predators, and type of weather in the area. The youngest I've seen wild ducklings leave their mom is 4-5 weeks, but the vast majority stay around their mom until they are, at least 3 months old and sometimes older. I have one duckling at the lake who has been basically, on his own since he was 2.5 weeks old because his mom was a bad mother. He was lucky because it was warm out and when he couldn't see his mom, he would hide really good.

I've seen some ducklings remain on good terms with their mom throughout their entire lives and even follow her around to new places.

 

[PetDuck]

I don't know how long they stay with their parents in the wild but I have hand-raised ducklings and have also had a chicken raise a duckling. With the hand-rasied ones they went outside into a heated coop at 2 weeks of age. They were very keen on human company till they were about 5 or 6 weeks old, and then they stopped yelling out for me everytime they caught a glimpse of me going out the back door. They became more independent after that.

With the duckling that was raised by a chicken, he hung around with her till he was about 8 weeks old and then started to look longingly at the adult ducks. I think he suddenly realised that he was more like them than his foster mother. At that point he went to his new home where he now happily lives with a ducky girlfriend and an adoring family of humans.

But if you have only 1 duckling it will never stop being depenedent on you for company and affection. Do you just have the one? If so, is there any chance of getting a ducky friend?

Yes I only have one.
And sorry I can't get it a girlfriend.
One of the reasons being that my duckling is she duck

 

[PetDuck]

It varies depending on the amount of food, predators, and type of weather in the area. The youngest I've seen wild ducklings leave their mom is 4-5 weeks, but the vast majority stay around their mom until they are, at least 3 months old and sometimes older. I have one duckling at the lake who has been basically, on his own since he was 2.5 weeks old because his mom was a bad mother. He was lucky because it was warm out and when he couldn't see his mom, he would hide really good.
I've seen some ducklings remain on good terms with their mom throughout their entire lives and even follow her around to new places.

Thanks.
Mine is 18 days old today!
She is GETTING SOOOO BIG

I hope she doesn't become indepindent very soon.