Traumatized Ducks

[NomadMik]

I have 4 week old chicks and ducklings. One of the baby chicks drowned in the duck pool. Now my 2 ducks refuse to go back in the pool. Are they afraid after seeing their friend drown? The baby chicks and ducklings were brought up together and all very close. The temp is at 100 degrees Fahrenheit here in Phoenix in April. I have tried picking up the ducks and putting them in the water but they refuse to stay in. Before the chick drowned they loved the water.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope you have moved your chicks away from the pool now. I’d start them off on something smaller and once they are back to playing in water they may have forgotten the drowning. And make sure once they are back in the pool that they have a safe way in an out . Chicks and pools are a sad accident waiting to happen.

 

[Isaac 0]

Welcome to BYC!, Could you post a picture of the pool?

 

[NomadMik]

Now the chicks all stay locked up in the coop unless I am out there to supervise. The ducks never had any problem getting in and out of the pool. It is a kiddie pool. I change the water every other day.

 

[Isaac 0]

Do you have some sort of ramp for the ducks to use when they need to get out, I agree with @Miss Lydia you'll have to give them something small to start off with and slowly get them used to the water again, throwing some treats in there may help.

 

[NomadMik]

I’ve been throwing dried bugs in there for them. They lean in and eat them but won’t go in the pool. There is a rock in there for them to stand on when they want to get out but like I said, getting out isn’t a problem for them.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Give them time. I recently redid one of my pools and it took the ducks 11 days to dare get in it.

 

[Isaac 0]

I’ve been throwing dried bugs in there for them. The lean in and eat them but won’t go in the pool. There is a rock in there for them to stand on when they want to get out but like I said, getting out isn’t a problem for them.

They need a large ramp.

 

[NomadMik]

I will install a ramp. Next week I am installing misters. They also have a fan. I sit inside the run with them so misters will help me out too. It just hit 100 in Phoenix so I hope it doesn’t take 11 days for them to get back in the water.