Whats best for the duck and ducklings welfare?

[CrazyWildDuckLady]

Hello,

Sorry this is going to be a really long question! I live in the UK, so I know things may be different here than in the US.

I have a wild duck that chooses to nest in my garden every year (for the past 3 years). It's large but has no pond.

The first 2 years, I knew nothing about ducks and just saw mother duck with all of her ducklings and thought how lovely it was. I tried to help with water and food, but each time within 2 days every duckling was gone - I came to realise it was crows, magpies and seagulls.

So when she turned up this year I was determined to help her. I knocked up a shelter, which they were free to go in and out of to get food and water, without being attacked - but they'd only go in there to eat and drink, and otherwise they'd wander all round the garden and so I literally got up at 4.30am every day and sat out in my garden till 9pm at night to keep magpies and such like away. All 13 ducklings survived. At 2 weeks old, I caught mum duck and her 13 ducklings and took them to the nearest water source (a park with a lake) - mum duck had started flying off from my garden each day (leaving me babysitting - I think she was going to a lake or lond somewhere, so I knew they needed to go).

The ducklings are now 9 weeks old and appear to be thriving - BUT! mum duck left them at 5 weeks old and came back to my garden and she has nested again!

I do not know what to do this time. I cant go through sitting out in my garden for 14 days solid again. Mentally it was horrific!

I dont want to catch them on day 1 either, as I know the majority will get eaten my herons and crows if I released them at the park when they are so small.

So my idea was to knock up a massive shelter, covered top etc- predator proof
Lots of space to move around and explore - make it as natural as I can - Bushes to hide in, a place that is sheltered to bed down etc, and just provide food and water everyday. But have them shut in this enclosure, so that I dont have to sit out and watch them as i know it will be safe.

When they are 2 or even 3 weeks old, then allow them and mummy duck out to have the freedom of all of my garden again. They would eventually fledge and go wherever they choose. Or I could at 2/3 weeks old take them to my local park again. I am a little worried about taking them to the park, as she left her last lot of ducklings there so Im thinking does she really want to be there? But is it cruel to restrict mummy duck for 2 weeks to an enclosure with her ducklings?

Any advice on what might be best for all of the ducks welfare would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

First off bless you for caring so much about these ducks that you’d be willing to create a safe area for them. And going all that way the last time to protect them. No wonder mom has come back to nest again. All I can say is if you want to go to all this for them I commend you. Your not planning on keeping them for ever which here is against the law but just until they are ready fledge. Have you asked if their are any water fowl rehabbers around your area that might take them in when time for them to leave you?

 

[CrazyWildDuckLady]

First off bless you for caring so much about these ducks that you’d be willing to create a safe area for them. And going all that way the last time to protect them. No wonder mom has come back to nest again. All I can say is if you want to go to all this for them I commend you. Your not planning on keeping them for ever which here is against the law but just until they are ready fledge. Have you asked if their are any water fowl rehabbers around your area that might take them in when time for them to leave you?

Thanks for your reply -
Yes that is something i was thinking of. There is a farm house a mile from me, and I know they have ducks, but Ive no idea if they are wild, or what the set up is. I was wondering if thats where the mummy duck has come from, as there is no other water source around me, and my local park and lake is 2 miles away. I think I would approach them to see the set up snd see if they could all be rehomed there. In the mean time when they first appear, is it ok to put them in an enclosure (very large) for their own protection and my sanity!, or is that cruel to mummy duck who is used to being able to come and go wherever she pleases. Shd happily went in the shelter I knocked up.last time of her own free will to eat and drink....the difference this time though, is that id make it far larger and just shut the door once there all in so that they can just potter round that part of the garden till theyre bigger and i can move them on.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If she’s flying she may just still come an go as she pleases unless you cover the top which you should do if you have flying predators which sounds like they are your worst preds. If mum is already use to you and the setup you had all you can do is try and see how she reacts. Mallards if this is her breed nest away from water and will walk their ducklings over highways etc to get them to water. So her usual hang out maybe 2 miles away.stop at the farm house and talk to them maybe she is theirs or they maybe they can take her and ducklings. Keep us updated.

 

[TomCahalan]

That duck does not have the right instincts to successfully raise ducklings. Her ducklings will inherit a portion of her idiocy. I would let nature take its course.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Not many of us can sit by an watch heron and other predators eat ducklings. Especially if it’s right out our back door.

 

[Flockincrazy]

Hello,

Sorry this is going to be a really long question! I live in the UK, so I know things may be different here than in the US.

I have a wild duck that chooses to nest in my garden every year (for the past 3 years). It's large but has no pond.

The first 2 years, I knew nothing about ducks and just saw mother duck with all of her ducklings and thought how lovely it was. I tried to help with water and food, but each time within 2 days every duckling was gone - I came to realise it was crows, magpies and seagulls.

So when she turned up this year I was determined to help her. I knocked up a shelter, which they were free to go in and out of to get food and water, without being attacked - but they'd only go in there to eat and drink, and otherwise they'd wander all round the garden and so I literally got up at 4.30am every day and sat out in my garden till 9pm at night to keep magpies and such like away. All 13 ducklings survived. At 2 weeks old, I caught mum duck and her 13 ducklings and took them to the nearest water source (a park with a lake) - mum duck had started flying off from my garden each day (leaving me babysitting - I think she was going to a lake or lond somewhere, so I knew they needed to go).

The ducklings are now 9 weeks old and appear to be thriving - BUT! mum duck left them at 5 weeks old and came back to my garden and she has nested again!

I do not know what to do this time. I cant go through sitting out in my garden for 14 days solid again. Mentally it was horrific!

I dont want to catch them on day 1 either, as I know the majority will get eaten my herons and crows if I released them at the park when they are so small.

So my idea was to knock up a massive shelter, covered top etc- predator proof
Lots of space to move around and explore - make it as natural as I can - Bushes to hide in, a place that is sheltered to bed down etc, and just provide food and water everyday. But have them shut in this enclosure, so that I dont have to sit out and watch them as i know it will be safe.

When they are 2 or even 3 weeks old, then allow them and mummy duck out to have the freedom of all of my garden again. They would eventually fledge and go wherever they choose. Or I could at 2/3 weeks old take them to my local park again. I am a little worried about taking them to the park, as she left her last lot of ducklings there so Im thinking does she really want to be there? But is it cruel to restrict mummy duck for 2 weeks to an enclosure with her ducklings?

Any advice on what might be best for all of the ducks welfare would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I would hang bird net up over your garden it will keep them from being taken off with do it 6ft off the ground then when they get bigger you can take them to the pond and not have to worry about them dying or sleeping in your garden

 

[Ratchnick]

Sure You can make a big run for them if that's what you want to do. But in the end everything has to eat. If your going to relocate i think it should be done before she has ducklings.

 

[Isaac 0]

It’s easy to say leave the ducklings be over the internet, but I’m sure the situation would be different if you were in their shoes, so please “put yourself in their shoes” before saying to leave them be to likely die.

 

[Ratchnick]

Just trying to provide some perspective.