Single duckling questions..

[DaSouthernYankee]

Okay so you guys may know I have almost 4 week old ducks. A Pekin and a KC. They’re growing fast and I’ve finally got their house and pond built outside. I’m in Louisiana so it’s warm and I feel confident about transitioning them outside this weekend. (They have spent supervised days exploring happily!)

However just as I’m deciding to move them out I received a message from my friend who says her dog has killed one of her two ducklings and she is too scared to keep the single baby. I am going to adopt the underduck but she is much younger than my pair and think it will be best to keep her inside in the brooder...
Will this be an issue as long as she was plenty of attention from me and eventually will be introduced to my pair outside? Should I have any concerns?

I just can’t leave this little duckling to be sent off or not well cared for.

 

[happy duck]

How often will you be able to be with the duck?

 

[MillersFarm]

I highly would suggest looking for a friend or two to keep with the Lonely duckling.. the duckling is going to be very stressed even with all the attention you give it. Craigslist is a good place to go look for unwanted ducklings..

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

How often will you be able to be with the duck?

I mean I guess I wouldn’t have nearly as much as I would like. Probably mornings before class then the evenings.

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

I highly would suggest looking for a friend or two to keep with the Lonely duckling.. the duckling is going to be very stressed even with all the attention you give it. Craigslist is a good place to go look for unwanted ducklings..

Would it be a bad idea to intergrate her in with my 4week olds?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’d work on integration over a weekend so you can supervise how old is this duckling ?

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

I’d work on integration over a weekend so you can supervise how old is this duckling ?

I’m guessing about two weeks. My plan was to let them play with supervision inside during the evenings this week, then put the new duckling router next to the old one so they can talk and see each other during the day while I’m gone… And hopefully by the weekend everybody will be friendly. The new duckling is very people friendly likes to be handled my other ducks are a little more skittish and just like treats, do you think the new duckling will learn to dislike me?):

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

Brooder not router!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s a great plan. Just like I’d do. 4 weeks and 2 weeks is a pretty big gap but it can work. As for whether this new little one will learn to be afraid of you I think it’s just part of being a duck just spend as much time as you can with this new one and the others they really do prefer their own kind ..

 

[DaSouthernYankee]

So i just got the duckling home... cleaned the 4weeks pairs cage and let them run around. Showed them the little one and it didn’t go well. My KC seemed totally uninterested but my Pekin charged the duckling who I named Bonbon. I separated them immediately and put Bonbon in a clear tote so they could see her and my Pekin continued to try and peck at her through the plastic. I now have their brooders side by side but I think I’m going to need another duckling...