Mallard Orphan

Broodica

Chirping
9 Years
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
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Location
Cascade Foothills, WA
Only 1 of my 2 mallards made it through the shipping process...
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The surviving one is doing great thank goodness, but she is sooooooo lonely. A guy near me has Cayuga chicks the same age. I am thinking of getting one so they can be buddies. I am thinking of ordering 2 additional mallards, but they won't be here for a week. Would it be OK to introduce the 2 day old mallards to the 10 day old mallard and cayuga?

New to this duckling/chick raising thing, but I am already addicted. They are sooooooooooooooooo sweet and too danged cute.

Thanks for any advice you can give.
 
I know this doesnt help you out what so ever but...Thats is the sole reason I never get anything in 2's..if 1 dies you have to about turn and go get another to keep it company.
Sorry for your loss
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Do forget once they get all there adult feathers to clip the mallards wings. I had one and we were putting them away and it was pitch dark so he decided to escape and fly away in the dark. We found him that night but it was soooo hard to catch them.
 
Yes! I had the same problem. The older ducklings kind of gave the newborns an odd look for a couple of seconds when we introduced them ("whoa! who are you?"), the younger ducklings ran over to them, and then they were all best buddies. Be prepared that the younger ducks will bond much more strongly to the older ducklings, however. My older guys are much more comfortable around me than the younger one. That's just my experiences though, you may get something different.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks for the replies. I think I have learned my lesson about ordering in 2's. We just lost 1 chick out of 5 today as well. She was the runt and just died despite superhuman efforts involving Pedialyte, vitamins, Gro-Gel and lot's of hope. My 13yo son is beside himself.

Anyway, it makes sense that the 2 younger ducks will bond to the older ducks. At least if we get the Cayuga as well, he'll have two ducks comfortable with us. I might even brood them separately and then get them all together later....would that work? The other problem is, while we ordered all hens from the hatchery, I won't know what the Cayuga is...might end up with a drake. But could end up with a drake anyway, I guess, from the hatchery ducklings, but chance is less.

What have I got myself into???? But we love them all already....
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I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that the younger ducks wouldn't be comfortable around you. It's just that there is a difference. For instance, whenever I feed them by hand, she'll stand away initially while the other two will run up and eat whatever from my hand, and then she'll come up and do the same (though if she is hungry enough, she'll run up and eat the pellets from me long before the others...she's not a very good forager). She isn't terrified with me or anything, just slightly more wary. I don't think you would have to keep them separate, just try to spend more time with the younger ones.
 
No problem. I understood what you were saying....my son has already determined that he will pay special attention to the new little ones when they come in next week.
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We put the new duckling in with our baby mallard. It's a Rouen who is a tiny bit bigger at this point, but they are the same age and look exactly alike....little mallard is in for a BIG surprise as they get older
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Especially since she spent the best part of an hour chasing the new guy/girl around and pecking at him/her. Anyway, they are best of buds now.....no problems. New duckling is eating and drinking and both are trying to sit in their waterer. We're kind of hoping he/she ends up being a drake as the other two mallards we ordered are also female. The drakes are magnificent!!!! Well the females are pretty hot too. Is it true that Rouens are domesticated Mallard? They look exactly alike to my eye, just a lot BIGGER!

One more question. The new Rouen (4 days old) had already been hanging outside with a mixed brood of about 10 other ducklings and had been swimming. Our little girl has been in her brooder. Is it safe to put her outside for a bit (it's 80 degrees and sunny here today) and put them in a shallow tub at 90F for a bit? Both under strict supervision of course!

Waddya think?
 

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