Putting a day old chick with newborn ducklings?

[MiaLila]

Hi,

We keep both chickens and ducks and one of our chickens recently abandoned her newborn chicks. Most of them died, but we managed to save one of them and she is now in a home-made brooder in our living room.

We have a duck who is due to hatch her brood any time now and I wondered if we could put the chick in with the newborn ducklings. Would the mother duck accept the chick? Has anyone here tried this?

We would be grateful for any advice. We don't want to put the chick in danger, but we really don't want to keep it in the brooder on its own for the next few weeks.

Many thanks

 

[Duck Lover88]

I would try it… just watch her for a few hours.
And do it at night.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Hi,

We keep both chickens and ducks and one of our chickens recently abandoned her newborn chicks. Most of them died, but we managed to save one of them and she is now in a home-made brooder in our living room.

We have a duck who is due to hatch her brood any time now and I wondered if we could put the chick in with the newborn ducklings. Would the mother duck accept the chick? Has anyone here tried this?

We would be grateful for any advice. We don't want to put the chick in danger, but we really don't want to keep it in the brooder on its own for the next few weeks.

Many thanks

I don't think mother ducks are as accepting of chicks as chickens are accepting of ducklings.
Your best bet might be to find more chicks to keep the other chick company. I would look on CL if you don't have other options.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Also, mother ducks teach ducklings to swim and to enjoy water. You don't want a chick getting wet.

 

[MiaLila]

Good point about the water. I have no idea where we would get other chicks from here in France though. Still pondering the dilemma.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have something there similar to craigs list, it's an online thing where you can find all kinds of services plus all kinds of things to buy even give a ways. Farm and garden also.

 

[MiaLila]

We do have a local selling site. It might be worth having a look on there. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

or feed stores. My muscovy hen ate a chick she was hatching. I wish I read that they eat baby birds. Maybe other duck breeds don't eat baby chicks but yes the water thing would be an issue. Even if the ducks arent given water to swim in they like to take water and mix it with food and if the chick gets wet from the food it can die

 

[MiaLila]

Ours are Muscovey ducks, so I guess that would be a definite no-no. I have put a post on our local 'sale and wanted' board asking for either a couple more chicks or someone who has chicks in a brooder who will re-home her. I will keep you all posted...

 

[Miss Lydia]

A non breakable mirror and a stuffed animal will help for now. So adorable