Will my duck get broody?

[WVduckchick]

My gracious, that is so stinkin precious.

 

[Ducktown]

They really enjoy swimming. The healthy one - which seems to be drake, is the first one I had that is practicing water running. So far I've had divers and fast swimmers, but this one is running on water all the time. The one with crippled leg started using it in the water. It seems to be able to paddle with it, at least to some extent. The leg knee joint has enlarged quite a bit now. It also tries to dive under the surface, but it's hard and he usually swims right below the water line and emerges only a few centimeters away.

 

[Ducktown]

An update about the duckling's socialization process with other three adult ducks.
Two of the ducks seem to be mean to the duckling with deformed leg. The surprising thing is - it's not he who is afraid of them, the healthy duckling is terrified when they are close. Two ducks charge at them but they do not seem to want to hurt them, just want to scare them. Once I've seen one pulling the injured duckling's head feathers, but she stopped immediately when I opened the duck house.

I am trying to get them start living in harmony, but so far they didn't bond. For around a week or so, I'm keeping them closed together in their duck house. They are aggressive at first, but they calm in a couple of minutes. I expected the aggressive behavior of the older ducks will fade out with time, but it seems it's getting worst.

This morning, I have noticed they all jumped out at the same time (usually the old ducks were first and the ducklings were waiting in a corner). I think they did not act terrified like they did last few days too. Perhaps they finally did start to bond.

I'm now away for a couple of days, I hope when I get back, they will still be willing to go into their house. I fight them like 20 minutes to get them all in, but at least they are willing to go in - there were times when they would just jump into their pond and laugh at me.

 

[Ducktown]

The last update

Two ducklings are now mature ladies. I have found an egg that was soft, rubbery and seemed like a white baloon. I suspect one of the new ones started laying. I have yet to see which one dropped it next to their pond. It broke on impact

The injured one is doing ok, considering it only has one working leg. It's a jumper and sadly, she doesn't help herself using wings enough - I hope she masters that technique and starts foraging with the others.
The healthy one has joined the flock and walks around with them - especially she bonded with the light brown duck which is completely tamed and is the only one that is never bothered by my presence. They are like best friends now.

Each duck has it's own personality and the new ducks are both tame but scared of everything. Most likely the crow attack made them that way. They trust me a lot and are usually scared of other people. The healthy duck is the only one that can not be herded. I use left and right hand to make them go into direction I'd like, but that little bugger just doesn't get it. It doesn't work on her, because she trusts me and knows I wouldn't hurt any of them, and she just goes into the wrong direction. Only when I almost touch her, she jumps away and goes after her flock.

She has her own way of flirting (or whatever she is doing). Other ducks bob their heads up and down to greet me, usually not moving much. This little fellow is running around me, doing her head moves wile circling around me. She does that every time I sit, or lower myself down to the floor near her. Hilarious.

This time she didn't move her head, because it was her 10th or more circle already.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She's beautiful she is excited.