Question.....Help Please

[melster28]

So my niece got a duckling for Easter. Parent hated it (big shocker). They were going to take it to their neighborhood lake needless to say I took the duck. It was 5 days old and of course I fell in
love with it. Anyway it has bonded to me and won't go out of sight from me. Is there a way to transition him to go outside during the day with out me? I've tried but he just cries and paces my glass door and I can't handle it so I let him in. I desperate!!!

 

[Magepalm]

Bless your heart! I know how that is, I think it would really depend on age, you might just have to stay with him when he's outside for now, he'll naturally "leave the nest" so to speak when he's older - ducks DO become more independent down the road. One thing if you are going nuts because of the poop, there are duck diaper harnesses but read up on it because when they are under a certain age they can't be left in one for more than a half hour to an hour because they just grow so stinkin' quick. Also, you didn't really say if you've raised birds before or not, but if their are owls, hawks, falcons, vultures etc native to your area or you even think it's possible, you want some kind of protection over him or else he could be killed also if there are people nearby with dogs or anything, and especially if there are raccoons and such, you want to really put the time and money into predator proofing his outside area to keep him safe. Sometimes you just gotta work with what you have laying around and it doesn't look pretty until you can afford the proper fencing and such but it's so preferable to finding your sweet thing has died Best of luck to you hope all works out! Oh and when I take mine out during the day I made like a cylinder shaped pen with no top or bottom out of chicken wire and I just put a blanket on top, that's just to get them used to being outside, allowing them to forage and whatnot while I'm less than 10 feet away working in my garden, that way when I'm finished predator proofing my chain link fenced in yard and their house it wont be too much of a shock when they go out. He WILL become more independent though so don't worry too much

 

[Magepalm]

Also as a ducky lover, thank you for rescuing the baby You're an awesome person for that!