Rescue duck outside at night for the first time is quacking for me

[Happyflower]

I put some solar lights so she wouldn't be in total darkness and she has her stuffy, but she still keeps crying for her human mommy.


I didn't think I would feel bad, but I do.

For an update, she is doing wonderful now, she is all feathered out and nearly adult sized. She still stumbles over once in a while and has trouble getting up, but she has come a LONG way. But she will get up on her own if she is scared, like by the long net pole we have near our pond, she hates that. (all my ducks do) She has fallen over so much since a little duckling, that she is almost comfortable laying back lounging.

Any advice on introducing her to the mated pair of Rouens I have? She is much smaller (a mallard) and the rouens keeps going after her. A guy at my husband's work said to put hotsauce on her neck, so when the ducks go after her and attach her, they will not do it again. Does anyone have any other advice?

I know she will either fly off when the time is right or she will stay in our backyard. Either is fine with me. I am so relived all my hard work is paying off.

 

[Olive Hill]

Total darkness would actually be better for the duck, they sleep when it is dark.

 

[Happyflower]

I thought about that but she isn't used to total darkness. I have a cockatiel at home, and they need a small light at night so they don't get spooked, so my duck is used to some light. She does sleep when the sun goes down at night when she was in the house. Now I am not sure what to do. She has quieted down finally.

 

[Red Maple Farms]

Happyflower, it's normal for duck farms to use night lights, otherwise flighty birds such as pekins will stampede if frightened.

From http://www.duckhealth.com/housmngt.html

It is also beneficial to provide dim light by means of low wattage bulbs during dark periods to help prevent stampeding if the flock is disturbed and to discourage feather pecking.

 

[katharinad]

I have solar lights on the side of my duck house, and a baby night light inside of the duck house. They are quite happy with it. I remember they had a fit when the night light broke when they were still in their brooder. I don't dare to take any light source away from them.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

Quote:
Is she totally alone? She needs "live" company. Another duck chicken something.

 

[Happyflower]

Well she is a rescue duck and the only one to survive, a friend found it outside the nest when it was only a couple of days old, the mother duck abandoned all the other chicks and they died. But this one, because of my, lets say it, intense therapy, is striving now. lol

She did quiet down finally after about an hour. But is sure seems like she is mad or something, she is ignoring me now. lol Tough love is so hard.

She does have a pair of Roens outside the cage, but they keep attaching her when I let her out.