Hi, I need some advice...
One of my muscovy ducks has been brooding on a nest of eggs, but because of the extreme heat (I think), only 2 eggs hatched. both were welsh harlequins. Only one of those survived, that duckling is now a week old. She got up with the ducklings and left the other eggs. One of those eggs seemed to be moving and alive, so I hatched it out in my incubator - it hatched very late and looks different, I am assuming this one is a muscovy.
When the duckling was dried and rested, I tried slipping it under the mother duck at night. She let him sleep under her, so I thought it was OK. I have been keeping an eye on them today, though, and she does not seem to be fully accepting him. Whenever he gets too close to the other duckling, she pushes him away from them with her bill. He is running after them, though, and has learned how to eat and drink.
I am debating what to do. I don't want this duckling to grow up by himself in our house (although my children would be more than happy for him to come back) - I have a drake who grew up like that and he is a nightmare. But I also don't want him to die if the mother doesn't let him sleep under her tonight. It is still very warm here, around 30-35 C during the day and at night it cools down to about 25 C I think. I prefer him to grow up in the cage with them, even if she doesn't really accept him. At least she doesn't seem to be aggressive to him.
I am worried, though. What would you do..?
One of my muscovy ducks has been brooding on a nest of eggs, but because of the extreme heat (I think), only 2 eggs hatched. both were welsh harlequins. Only one of those survived, that duckling is now a week old. She got up with the ducklings and left the other eggs. One of those eggs seemed to be moving and alive, so I hatched it out in my incubator - it hatched very late and looks different, I am assuming this one is a muscovy.
When the duckling was dried and rested, I tried slipping it under the mother duck at night. She let him sleep under her, so I thought it was OK. I have been keeping an eye on them today, though, and she does not seem to be fully accepting him. Whenever he gets too close to the other duckling, she pushes him away from them with her bill. He is running after them, though, and has learned how to eat and drink.
I am debating what to do. I don't want this duckling to grow up by himself in our house (although my children would be more than happy for him to come back) - I have a drake who grew up like that and he is a nightmare. But I also don't want him to die if the mother doesn't let him sleep under her tonight. It is still very warm here, around 30-35 C during the day and at night it cools down to about 25 C I think. I prefer him to grow up in the cage with them, even if she doesn't really accept him. At least she doesn't seem to be aggressive to him.
I am worried, though. What would you do..?
