Rejected Muscovy Duckling - Help!

[Nott]

My Muscovy hen laid 12 eggs and hatched out 10 ducklings on Thursday. I let mama and ducklings out to explore this morning and went to discard the two unhatched eggs, and one was peeping and had a leg sticking out. Duckling was trying to emerge from the side of the egg instead of the bottom and just did not have the strength. Poor thing was worn out. I helped the duckling hatch and put it back on the nest. I shooed mama and ducklings back in the brooder coop. She touched the duckling with her bill and then walked with her other ducklings to the far side of the coop and sat down with them. I knew if the duckling could not get warm and dry, it would die. I took it and put it under a heat lamp. I've been talking to and touching it, gave it water with a little sugar.

Duckling seems to be doing well. Seems to do much better when I am holding it and interacting with it. It's active and vocal.

My question is, will mama kill this duckling if I try to give it back to her once it becomes vigorous enough to keep up with it's siblings?

 

[ccassidy18]

I think personally what I would do is try to put it under the mother,and wait with the duck family for a few minutes to see if she does anything to it. If the mother takes it in,then,all should be fine,I would just monitor them for a while. But,if the mother tries to reject it again,then I would just keep it separated until it is old enough to be outside on its own. But,if I were you,I would continue to look for more advice because I don't raise duck,I am a chicken person.

 

[Nott]

Thank you for the advice! I had considered that, but I don't know if I would be able to intervene fast enough if she grabbed it up and thrashed it. I've grown attached to it, haha, and do not want it to die. I can raise it myself, but I would prefer it to grow up with it's mother and siblings.

 

[ccassidy18]

I agree,I would feel the same way,but like I said,keep looking around for more advice,because I don't know much about ducks,especially Muscovy's. They are different from other ducks. I raised pekin ducks,and coons and eagles got them. But,I wish you good luck with your duck family,and hope you can get this situation figured out.GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Best thing you can do since she has so many ducklings is wait till she and them are out and active then slip this lil one right in among them, as long as it's strong and running around like the rest she'll be none the wiser. If you don't feel comfortable doing that then why not borrow one from mama and put with the one your brooding so it has some company till able to be outside. if you do decide to try the first idea then be close by so you can intervene if necessary. But I have heard of others putting lone late hatcher in with the group and it working. Let us know what you decide.

 

[Nott]

Thank you! Mama will NOT let me anywhere near her ducklings, so I took the plunge and stuck the late bloomer in the coop while the others were running around. Mama definitely knew the little one was different, but after eyeballing it and nudging it a bit she accepted the duckling. Late bloomer seems to be getting along fine, although a little behind in muscle development. Can't quite keep up with the others yet, but hopefully soon. The other ducklings are preening it and encouraging it to stay active, so that reassures me some. I'll keep monitoring to ensure that the duckling is progressing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you! Mama will NOT let me anywhere near her ducklings, so I took the plunge and stuck the late bloomer in the coop while the others were running around. Mama definitely knew the little one was different, but after eyeballing it and nudging it a bit she accepted the duckling. Late bloomer seems to be getting along fine, although a little behind in muscle development. Can't quite keep up with the others yet, but hopefully soon. The other ducklings are preening it and encouraging it to stay active, so that reassures me some. I'll keep monitoring to ensure that the duckling is progressing.

You put them up for the night? keep an eye and make sure it can snuggle with the rest. probably a good nights sleep and you'll never know which one was the late Bloomer

 

[Nott]

Yeah, Mama took the other ducklings back into the coop earlier, so I shut her in so I could let the drakes and chickens out. Looks like they're all snuggling together under Mama. Thank you so much for helping me!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah, Mama took the other ducklings back into the coop earlier, so I shut her in so I could let the drakes and chickens out. Looks like they're all snuggling together under Mama.

Thank you so much for helping me!

Great news!!! Congrats on your helping this lil one get a good start. Keep us updated and don't forget pics!!

 

[Nott]

Late Bloomer is doing well, I'm happy to say. Still behind his siblings, but improving daily. As of this afternoon, he was only sitting down to catch his breath every 10 minutes or so, and was standing while idle instead of sitting. He actively seeks food and water on his own, as well. Hopefully his improvement will continue steadily as the days pass.

This is me helping him hatch:

This is him sleeping in my shirt after hatching and drying some:

This is him staring at me with adoration, seemingly:

And this is Mama duck with the rest of her brood:

We had a nasty, rainy day today, so I'll post some pictures of him running with Mama and his siblings when I am able.

He is the lightest duckling that she produced. She and the drake are black and white pied. All of the ducklings are black and yellow except for one chocolate and yellow and this light taupe little guy who couldn't hatch on his own. I wonder if they will grow up to be chocolate and white pied?