New But Need Help

[OhNos]

Every year, a lot of Moscovy ducklings are born in our neighborhood. And every year, we slowly watch them disappear to the cats around here, or to stupid drivers.

But this year, the two female Moscovy ducks had their litter, but when I checked on them this week, they only had one each.

Yesterday, one of the mother ducks came to my house and I started to feed it and it's duckling. Everything was fine, went back inside, and then my boyfriend went to go see them. He them came back in telling me that there is another duckling outside.

I went to check, and sure enough, he was hiding underneath the bushes we have. I walked around the whole yard, didn't see another duck. Then tried to encourage it to go to the mother, which when it would try, the mother would attack it, raise it's wings and start yelling at it while chasing it around. Even if I tried to feed him separately, that mom would kick it out of the way and then start attacking it again, to where the baby started to bleed.

Finally, I picked up the baby and put it into a box. The other mother still had it's duckling and wouldn't take it either. All the ducks keep treating him like he is a threat (these ducks are very domesticated and let me pet them/feed them by hand.)

So right now, I have this duckling, constantly trying to burrow into my skin, who constantly cries for his mom, but gets happy with water/food.

What should I do? My boyfriend and I both have experience on a ranch raising farm birds, so we can take care of it, but it breaks my heart to see him so unhappy.

 

[Chubby Chicken]

Get him a little stuffed duck, like a beanie baby.

 

[veronicasmom]

My first recommendation is obviously find another duckling that is around the same age that it can live with. In the meantime, a soft stuffed animal, hang a feather duster in its cage so it can snuggle under the feathers, and get it a mirror are all things I have heard others recommend.
Poor little thing, glad you can help it.

 

[OhNos]

I had a Geico figure and tons of mirrors that he is content just talking too. I would like to get another duckling for him, but I don't have transportation to drive out to a place that has one. He seems to be more happy though.

 

[Amiga]

Please keep us posted, and feel free to ask basic questions about care.

 

[OhNos]

He is doing a lot better now. Not freaked out by me and loves to cuddle, but does freak out if I leave him in a room with my boyfriend. His wounds have healed and his bill is now transforming. I talked to a friend and he said that he has a duck sanctuary on his property, all of the ducks being mostly rescued victims, so when he gets old enough, I'll probably take him to the pond.

 

[country_girl011]

He is doing a lot better now. Not freaked out by me and loves to cuddle, but does freak out if I leave him in a room with my boyfriend. His wounds have healed and his bill is now transforming. I talked to a friend and he said that he has a duck sanctuary on his property, all of the ducks being mostly rescued victims, so when he gets old enough, I'll probably take him to the pond.

if you raise him you cant just take him somehwere and dump him.
someting will eat him and it is illegal

 

[OhNos]

if you raise him you cant just take him somehwere and dump him.
someting will eat him and it is illegal

Um, I wouldn't just be dumping him. Like I said, my friend has a duck sanctuary for rescued ducks. It's not like I'd be going to the nearest pond and just leaving him there to fend for himself. He'd be with someone who is more experienced than I would be. Besides, I have a baby on the way, and from what I understand, Muscovies become mean if raised by themselves, unless they have constant attention. And even then, they are sweet to the one they love. I don't know if I would want to risk that type of behavior with my newborn.

Another part, it's already illegal for me to have him right now. I would call the wildlife center around here, but over the course of the year, I have handed over several birds to them, all of which was reported to have died later (within the month, when I gave the birds over to them in a pretty healthy condition.) And they won't really take him, anyway, because he is a common duck species here.

Besides, he'd live a very unhappy life with me. I live in a HOA neighborhood, which doesn't allow ducks (or any "farm animals") and has very nosy neighbors and annoying code enforcement (who feel they can just waltz right into my backyard whenever they want.) Unfortunately, that means living inside and swimming in a bath tub. So for right now, I try to take him out and have him exposed to the outside as much as possible, but for right now he just screams for me and won't move in his place. But then when I pick him up, he is perfectly fine again.

So yeah, unless there is a better idea, I'd rather not make a wildlife animal live in a tiny little home, that is soon going to be crammed with humans, letting him having his swimming time in a bathtub, while still being afraid of outside and other ducks because he has never really been exposed except for that crazy mother.

 

[country_girl011]

Um, I wouldn't just be dumping him. Like I said, my friend has a duck sanctuary for rescued ducks. It's not like I'd be going to the nearest pond and just leaving him there to fend for himself. He'd be with someone who is more experienced than I would be. Besides, I have a baby on the way, and from what I understand, Muscovies become mean if raised by themselves, unless they have constant attention. And even then, they are sweet to the one they love. I don't know if I would want to risk that type of behavior with my newborn.

Another part, it's already illegal for me to have him right now. I would call the wildlife center around here, but over the course of the year, I have handed over several birds to them, all of which was reported to have died later (within the month, when I gave the birds over to them in a pretty healthy condition.) And they won't really take him, anyway, because he is a common duck species here.

Besides, he'd live a very unhappy life with me. I live in a HOA neighborhood, which doesn't allow ducks (or any "farm animals") and has very nosy neighbors and annoying code enforcement (who feel they can just waltz right into my backyard whenever they want.) Unfortunately, that means living inside and swimming in a bath tub. So for right now, I try to take him out and have him exposed to the outside as much as possible, but for right now he just screams for me and won't move in his place. But then when I pick him up, he is perfectly fine again.

So yeah, unless there is a better idea, I'd rather not make a wildlife animal live in a tiny little home, that is soon going to be crammed with humans, letting him having his swimming time in a bathtub, while still being afraid of outside and other ducks because he has never really been exposed except for that crazy mother.

sorry i missed that part
i just seen that you were going to take him to a pond and drop him off.
my bad.

 

[OhNos]

sorry i missed that part
i just seen that you were going to take him to a pond and drop him off.
my bad.

It's cool. Plans have changed anyway. My boyfriend is upset at the thought of giving him away when he gets older. He has gotten very attached.. despite me saying not too. Not trying to sound heartless, because I also am attached to him, but he has convinced me that we somehow keep him. I told him that if he wants him, then he'll have to help with half of the duties (i.e. feeding, cleaning, entertaining.)

Anyway, his name is "Your Highness", and no the sex is still not determined. I have a couple of questions now, though...

1.) How do I hide him from the home owner's association?

2.) Since he is growing up by himself, but seems to love us, will he be a threat to my baby when he is born in November?

3.) ... He won't stop crying if left alone, unless I give him my dirty shirt (Martin's scent doesn't work.) What do I do??? I don't mind cleaning up, and he has a towel and stuff... but come on man, I don't like poop on my shirt, despite was species you are.