raising orphaned duckling with chicks?

[rbingaman]

I just got my 2nd batch of chicks yesterday.... my sister also happened to find an orphaned duckling last night.

They brought the duckling over and it's in the brooder with the chicks. As far as I can tell it's eating and drinking and it's definitely active and loud. It's a little smaller than my chicks (they were hatched friday) and doesn't seem to have any regular feathers.

I'm not having any success finding a new home for it with any of my friends who raise ducks and from what I've read I can't raise it by itself, right?

Any suggestions? If I can't find it a new home can I raise it with the chickens? Will it be miserable? Will it fight with the the chickens?

I know I'm going to do something stupid and kill the little thing... what do I need to know to keep that from happening?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I just got my 2nd batch of chicks yesterday.... my sister also happened to find an orphaned duckling last night.

They brought the duckling over and it's in the brooder with the chicks. As far as I can tell it's eating and drinking and it's definitely active and loud. It's a little smaller than my chicks (they were hatched friday) and doesn't seem to have any regular feathers.

I'm not having any success finding a new home for it with any of my friends who raise ducks and from what I've read I can't raise it by itself, right?

Any suggestions? If I can't find it a new home can I raise it with the chickens? Will it be miserable? Will it fight with the the chickens?

I know I'm going to do something stupid and kill the little thing... what do I need to know to keep that from happening?

you can raise this duckling with your chicks but you'll have to watch that the chicks don't peck at it. here is a link to caring for ducklings not that much different than chicks except for water, is there anyway you might find another duckling to go with this one? they do so much better if they have one of their own. duckling don't feather as fast as chicks either.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711