Introducing ducklings

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motherduckling

motherduckling

Songster
Sep 1, 2020
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Hi I am new here but have found this to be a very interesting and knowledgeable forum.

I am hoping I may get some advice.

the story is. I live on a marina and one day found an egg abandoned.

Rather than it just get kicked into the river or left to rot (which I would never had forgiven myself it i had left it) I took the egg up to the stables where I keep my horse as the owner has chicken and incubators. so we put the egg in the incubator and low and behold. 28 days later we saw life.!!. I have now taken the duckling to my boat (i on a very big boat by the way) anyway little "crispy" is now 5 weeks old and a very playful mischievous little fellow (well I think it is a drake I have no idea yet, but that is a surprise i am waiting for). I have been thinking that he will now need a friend as I hate leaving him all day while I am at work, it pulls on my heart strings , so we have decided to introduce another rescue duckling to him. (another duckling who was a single hatch and the lady wants to re house it.) I have now made a huge run on the top deck of our boat and will introduce them to the river soon so they have a free range river to play in. but m,y question is. how do i introduce a single duckling to another of the same age that have both never seen another duck before. Crispy has a mirror he bobs up and down to but this is not the same as a real friend. I cannot seem to find anything about introducing a single duckling to another will this work.? will crispy become all territorial and want to fight the new duckling? Crispy is very spoilt and has our whole boat to run around in and out, A big fluffy bed with loads of teddies, and he has a play pen with lots of bells and string toys and also a tambourine that he loves to sit in a play he also has his own paddling pool on top deck. he has not been off the boat yet. Sorry for the waffling just trying to give you the picture of his home.. but anyway any help or advise on introducing crispy a new friend would be great.
 
First of all, kudos to you for picking up that egg and giving Crispy a life! And, a pretty good life at that! Secondly, it's good that you are giving two little ducks a chance to have each other as friends.

When I'm introducing new ducks, I let them see each other without being able to touch, and gauge their reactions. Once I think they are okay with each other I give them some supervised time together.

Good luck with your babies! And welcome to BYC!!
 
thanks very much for your advise I will see what we can do. i will try and add some pictures.
although i want to keep my options open as would not want to make the wrong decision. Crispy has only been on top deck to run around and for a swim once twice a day the rest of the time he runs around inside, he has not been off the boat yet, as I have been worried incase he jumped in the river and the tide was too strong. but I have thought of another option of maybe when i introduce him to the outside permanently when he goes and plops in the river for a swim he will be surrounded by ten to twenty other ducks all swimming around , wild they may be but would he eventually interact with them or would he be an outcast? so would getting him a friend not be such a hasty move when he has access to loads of ducky friends eventually
 

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