Temporary Buddy for Injured Duck

[AdorkableMom]

So this morning when I went to check on my ducks I only counted 5 (should have 6). I looked everywhere and couldn't find the 6th one. Heard a faint peeping that sounded like it was coming from under the shed. I crawled around everywhere (in my work clothes in the pouring rain) looking for the baby. I go back in the coop for one last check and found the poor thing. I have a full length mirror (cheap plastic one) up against the wall on the floor of the coop - there is less than an inch of space at the bottom from the wall and none at the top. Somehow it had wedged itself way up in the middle of it and apparently injured its wing and leg and was stuck there I'm guessing all night. It ran over to the others and immediately started drinking water, now a few hours later its leg seems better but its wing is hanging so after work I plan on wrapping its wing and separating it from the others. However I don't want to traumatize it by separating it. They are about 6 weeks old. It's pretty hot here (90s) so I was going to bring him inside for a few days to let the wing start to heal before I let him back with the others.

My question - my "hospital" brooder (aka storage tub) is probably too small for 2 ducks of this age if I brought a buddy in - especially since the ducks are super active (their coop is a 7x10 till they are ready to free range - and they get play time in a baby pool and supervised foraging time). All I have inside are some 3 week old chicks. Can a chick be good company (since there will only be drinking water, not playing water in the duck hospital due to the bandage) or should i just do a stuffed animal? I hate to use a mirror since that's what caused the issue to begin with - not that a plastic hand mirror will cause damage (I hope). I'm hoping that if I just get him separated a few days to start the healing process I can return him outside and just keep wrapping the wing - but I don't want to traumatize him. If I can use a chick I will remove the chick a couple times a day to put the niacin in the food for the duck. Any thoughts?

 

[nchls school]

I don't think a chick would make a buddy for your duckling; consider using a low wattage bulb and something that makes noise and the stuffed toy. A soft toy that makes noise would be an option-a ticking clock-a radio-TV, etc. Do you have something that makes duck noises-a CD-tape? The slight warmth of the bulb and the sound wold be more comforting to the duckling than the chick. You, when you have the time, are a better choice. Even an untame duckling would, given a bit of time, be comforted by being held,

 

[AdorkableMom]

I don't think a chick would make a buddy for your duckling; consider using a low wattage bulb and something that makes noise and the stuffed toy. A soft toy that makes noise would be an option-a ticking clock-a radio-TV, etc. Do you have something that makes duck noises-a CD-tape? The slight warmth of the bulb and the sound wold be more comforting to the duckling than the chick. You, when you have the time, are a better choice. Even an untame duckling would, given a bit of time, be comforted by being held,

Thank you! I found him a buddy. He’s still a little sad but I think will be ok. I’ll give him some supervised time with the others one at a time during the day so they don’t forget about him.