We had ducklings hatch today! One very exhausted - advice appreciated! :)

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks @Miss Lydia

My new main concern is that I've now watched mum du luck push the new baby away several times. If it approaches her from the front, she pushes it quite hard so the little one falls over. If it gets around the back of her she allows it to get under her though. At the moment both babies are snuggled under her.

I'm terrified she's going to push the new one away in the night though. It's summer here and warm, but it's only one day old so might not make it if that happened

I'm wondering if she's stressed because of the other mumma duck quacking constantly at her. I don't know what to do, I don't have a brooder set up so I'm reluctant to bring the ducklings inside... And of I bought both of them in I don't know if the older one would pick on the little one anyway. I considered bringing the ducklings and the mum in but I don't know if that would disrupt them again and she'd reject him anyway!

It's dark here now and all ducks have quietened down...I'm worried about the morning before I get up and tomorrow when I'm at work though.

I don't know what to to and I'm so scared that once again I'm going to make the wrong decision and cost a duckling it's life

It is very hard when you see mum duck acting that way but if you feel it's best to take them in then by all means do. Maybe check several times during the night with a flash light to make sure the new one is tucked under mum. They are very fragile for the first 3 days especially. If you could just get a good look over the rest of those eggs, then if non are viable she could get on with mothering. you have no where else to put the one you kicked out with the remaining eggs so this one still sitting could take care of her ducklings that hatched, that could be one course of action. if you see mum still not connecting with new duckling. It's a hard call I know I've been there, almost lost one duckling because mum didn't want it I had to take it in left the last viable egg and poor thing died in the shell. Go by your gut instinct.

 

[Jen1979]

Thanks I wish I could give the one I've kicked out the eggs, but I don't have a seconds secure enclosure (from rats etc) for her to brood in

I'll check on them a few times in the night, hopefully she was just stressed out and has calmed down now that they're not all quacking at her :/ I'll get up early in the morning and watch them for a little while. If she's still pushing him out I'll have to come up with a solution for him to be inside. Should I bring both ducklings in if that's the case? Or just the young one? Will I be able to integrate it back into the flock later?

Hoping upon hopes that nothing happens to him in the middle of the night :/

 

[Jen1979]

I'll also check her eggs tomorrow, I'm so afraid to class them as not viable unless they're really clearly off, I'm not very experienced at candling yet so I'm not sure I know what I'm looking at!

 

[Jen1979]

I went out and watched them closely for an hour. Mum duck didn't show any more signs of pushing him away at this stage. Had him tucked under her except when she got up for a drink. I picked him up, put him in a box and she freaked out, so then I put him down infront of her and she didn't push him away, he just tucked himself under her.

So I made the decision to leave them be for the night. Now I'll pray all night he will be ok in the morning. :/

I'll reassess in the morning again and watch to see what she does. So frustrating I have to go to work tomorrow, I've got 4 days off after that and can watch them all day to see if there's problems! I'm too worried to take him tomorrow and put him inside for the day incase she won't accept him back afterwards... :/

 

[Miss Lydia]

I went out and watched them closely for an hour. Mum duck didn't show any more signs of pushing him away at this stage. Had him tucked under her except when she got up for a drink. I picked him up, put him in a box and she freaked out, so then I put him down infront of her and she didn't push him away, he just tucked himself under her.

So I made the decision to leave them be for the night. Now I'll pray all night he will be ok in the morning.

I'll reassess in the morning again and watch to see what she does. So frustrating I have to go to work tomorrow, I've got 4 days off after that and can watch them all day to see if there's problems! I'm too worried to take him tomorrow and put him inside for the day incase she won't accept him back afterwards...

I'd leave things alone now as long as the duckling is allowed to get under her it should be fine, if at all possible it is always best to leave the ducklings with mum unless you feel the littles life is in danger so keep watchful. you dif need to check those eggs though maybe this will help
http://wildliferehabber.com/candling-eggs

 

[Jen1979]

The little one is ok this morning! I couldn't find him for a few minutes (panicked completely haha) then I realised he was tucked right up underneath mums wing

I watched them again for an hour this morning and she seemed good with him. He came out and had something to eat and drink, then she tucked him back underneath her.

She's probably still a bit stressed though, I've tried making it so the other mumma can't see in, but she continues standing right there quacking at her. I hope she calms down soon!

I managed to grab 3 out of the 5 eggs under her (while I was in there the littlies were tucked under her wings so I couldn't pick her up) but I'll get the other 2 eggs to look at tonight. All 3 of those eggs smelled, 2 were completely cold so she must have pushed those out, and there was no movement or internal pips in any. By the marks I put on them when they were laid I know these ones were 7 or 8 days overdue too. I took them away and didn't give them back.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The little one is ok this morning! I couldn't find him for a few minutes (panicked completely haha) then I realised he was tucked right up underneath mums wing

I watched them again for an hour this morning and she seemed good with him. He came out and had something to eat and drink, then she tucked him back underneath her.

She's probably still a bit stressed though, I've tried making it so the other mumma can't see in, but she continues standing right there quacking at her. I hope she calms down soon!

I managed to grab 3 out of the 5 eggs under her (while I was in there the littlies were tucked under her wings so I couldn't pick her up) but I'll get the other 2 eggs to look at tonight. All 3 of those eggs smelled, 2 were completely cold so she must have pushed those out, and there was no movement or internal pips in any. By the marks I put on them when they were laid I know these ones were 7 or 8 days overdue too. I took them away and didn't give them back.

Sounds like she has settled down with having a new baby now that is good, I hope you can get those other 2 eggs out before Bam that would be nasty, and this will give mom a chance to be mom and start training her babies. I know you are relieved she is doing good with them. And now you have 2 to keep each other company.

 

[Lyss]

Poor other mumma duck, at least she'll get a chance next time . Great news that's she's now accepted the new comer I guess your ducks are learning how to be mums as well.

 

[Jen1979]

Phew, I hope she's learning how to be a good mum! I get the impression she's not very keen to bother sitting on the rest of the eggs anyway, she's kind of kicking them around and getting up more often to walk around. I'll definitely grab the other 2 when I get home tonight. It's going to be super hot again this weekend so I don't want them sitting in there if they're bad then!

I forgot to mention one thing last night - when she was pushing him around and looking really stressed (even fluffing herself up), I had given the other ducks a snack. Their favourite snack. Which she could see them eating.... I didn't even think! I gave her a few peas in her water bowl which she gobbled up, but she then went ballistic at the other ducks. Maybe the real source of her stress was that THERE WERE PEAS AND SHE WASN'T GETTING ANY! I'm an idiot, I did it because I thought it would calm the other mum down, but I probably just made things worse at the time!

Well, hopefully she's happy with her two babies now. Yesterday the older duckling gave the new one a few prods and tried to steal food from him, but this morning they're quite happy to feed and drink together. The little one is following the older one around

I'll still be a bit nervous until I get home tonight, but at least I'll be home for the next 4 days due to the weekend, a public holiday and my usual day off!


I can't thank you all enough for all the advice you are giving me! I would have gone insane if it wasn't for you guys. Even my local vet, who does specialise in birds, admits he's not had all that much experience with duck hatching, so you are all my lifeline! Hopefully one day I'll be able to become experienced enough to help other newbies like me!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Phew, I hope she's learning how to be a good mum! I get the impression she's not very keen to bother sitting on the rest of the eggs anyway, she's kind of kicking them around and getting up more often to walk around. I'll definitely grab the other 2 when I get home tonight. It's going to be super hot again this weekend so I don't want them sitting in there if they're bad then!

I forgot to mention one thing last night - when she was pushing him around and looking really stressed (even fluffing herself up), I had given the other ducks a snack. Their favourite snack. Which she could see them eating.... I didn't even think! I gave her a few peas in her water bowl which she gobbled up, but she then went ballistic at the other ducks. Maybe the real source of her stress was that THERE WERE PEAS AND SHE WASN'T GETTING ANY! I'm an idiot, I did it because I thought it would calm the other mum down, but I probably just made things worse at the time!

Well, hopefully she's happy with her two babies now. Yesterday the older duckling gave the new one a few prods and tried to steal food from him, but this morning they're quite happy to feed and drink together. The little one is following the older one around

I'll still be a bit nervous until I get home tonight, but at least I'll be home for the next 4 days due to the weekend, a public holiday and my usual day off!


I can't thank you all enough for all the advice you are giving me! I would have gone insane if it wasn't for you guys. Even my local vet, who does specialise in birds, admits he's not had all that much experience with duck hatching, so you are all my lifeline! Hopefully one day I'll be able to become experienced enough to help other newbies like me!

You will be it's all in the experience and support. Sounds like you figured it out about what was going on with her and gave her some peas bless her heart. lol also sounds like she maybe done. Which is a good thing now the training begins. She has to teach these lil ones the ropes of life.

Look forward to hearing about the left over eggs and how the lil ones are doing. Sounds like big bro or sis is liking having wee one follow it around.

Have fun and enjoy them all.