two duck hens - one died - what do I do?

[cathygeha]

We have had chickens and ducks for awhile and while I was away and hubby was taking care of the (now old) ducks it seems that one must have had some sort of trouble with crop or other issues and became unable to walk and eventually died...that left her partner (also female) alone and hubby has been trying to console her with extra vegetables, visits and other things.

I am wondering if it would be advisable when I go home at the end of the week to try and find another duck or two to make friends with this duck hen or to leave her on her own or put her with the single chicken hen that is alone in one of the pens. My husband says that the duck hen that remains is calling the hen that died...they were together for a number of years after a massacre one night of 14 other ducks where they stayed and both were injured at that time.

Any comments you have will be taken into consideration and applied if possible when I return home to Lebanon from the USA.


Thank you in advance.
Cathy Geha
[email protected]

 

[duckyfromoz]

Poor lonely duckie.... She would be happier with other duckie company..but putting her with the single chicken until you can get her some new friends might get her mind off her lost friend. Nice that your hubby is being so nice to her while you are away. If your duck is old it might be worth considering getting more than one...as if you get a young duck, it too may be on its own if you older duck dies.

 

[cathygeha]

Ducky from Oz,

Thank you for your response. Even though the chicken is more dominant than the duck (having that sharp beak) it is something I will mention - opening the door between the two single fowl, to see if they spend time together. If they do not bond then perhaps I will buy a few more ducks (young ones but not babies probably) when I get back home again.

 

[Wifezilla]

Ducks need buddies. A chicken buddy might work. Like you said, just watch them closely.

 

[cathygeha]

Thank you...hubby says the duck is calling for her lost friend...I feel badly but am away from home so can't monitor the chicken and duck if the door is opened between them. One way or another I will do something next week when home again.

At one point I did have two hatchlings, one each male duck and chicken, and they bonded and became best of friends. The chicken had a bum foot and the duck had one wing that did not close all the way. Perhaps these older fowl might make friends as the males did in the past.