lone muscovy duckling..can it live with chicks?

[spish]

well for its own saftey ive taken the little lone muscovy off 'mum'. its just 2 days old and already had it rough
i thought it was mums sister that had killed the others upon emerging from the nest, but seems it was mum herself that had 'pecked' them to death..so i saved the last little one. but now have the problem of..do i bring it up alone, or can i let it live with the day old chicks i have ...(taking it out alone for swim lessons obviously!)

 

[ejctm]

It should be fine with the chicks and they will be nice company, entertainment and warmth together. Just make sure that you have a waterer that the duckling can put its head into (to wash its eyes) but that the chicks cannot get into and get too wet and cold. Swimming is not really important at the moment.

I have ducks and chickens together and the ducks were brooded and raised by one of my chickens. There was no confusion over what they thought they were, the ducks learned to forage from their mum (just like they would from a duck mum), but she did get a bit worried when they got into the shallow water tray at first, then just gave up clucking for them to get out as they just ignored her pleas!

The alternative would be a very lonely duckling, or one that required a lot of intensive human attention, and which might not integrate back into the flock very well.

Good luck with your little ducky!

 

[ilovemuscovy]

never bring a duck up alone
worst idea ever
i had a drake that i brought up alone and then released with the rest of the population.
all the other drakes and ducks would fight him and he spent his whole life hiding in a corner.