Ducklings 7 weeks old - what to do???

LukeH · #1 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 07:54 AM

Hi,

We have helped a wild mallard duck raise her 11 ducklings in our back garden. The ducklings are about 7 weeks old now but not yet able to fly. The mother is able to come & go, but when she disappears off (15 minutes a time once or twice a day), the ducklings quack and peep noisily. Our neighbours may not like this a 6am!

We know we should let them all go, but we also know there is a fox close by.

Does anyone have any suggestions? eg, a nearby large park with a pond or a wildlife centre? It would be unfair to relocate the mother but is it fair to separate her from the ducklings?

The ducklings could easily be slaughtered by a fox as they are unable to fly. Once they can fly, they are better off, but we are worried that the mother may have abandoned the ducklings before they can fly.

Any suggestions?

Many thanks

Luke, Derbyshire - about 8 miles north of Derby

Dogghound · #2 (**permalink**) 09-06-2009, 04:58 PM

Has the duck nested in your garden naturally? if not then I would suggest you release them near a lake or pond. Ducklings are potential food to foxes, pike and mustelids etc which is all part of nature. If they are on a lake they are not at large risk from foxes, also remember these are wild animals that have evolved around predators so know what they are doing.

LukeH · #3 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 12:02 PM

Hi Dogghound,

Thanks for your reply. We'll get them down to the river and let nature take its course.

Cheers, LukeH

Kayleigh · #4 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LukeH

Hi Dogghound,

Thanks for your reply. We'll get them down to the river and let nature take its course.

Cheers, LukeH

Are you going to release them all parents as well.as in your other thread you implied you would release the ducklings on their own I don't think that would be a good idea. Would they survive on their own...

galanthus · #5 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 09:02 PM

They wld surely need mum at this stage I think

ellen h · #6 (**permalink**) 10-06-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galanthus

They wld surely need mum at this stage I think

Most certainly!!
I do hope you have read your other thread on this subject!
ellen

LukeH · #7 (**permalink**) 11-06-2009, 05:26 PM

Hi, We'll let them go with their mum (who is free to come & go as she pleases). Thanks for all the help. Luke

dampflippers · #8 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 05:17 PM

I think you'll find it very difficult to catch the parents as well as the ducklings.

I wouldn't worry about your neighbours unless they have complained. Even if they do complain, if they arrived by themselves you aren't to blame.

Personally I would leave them alone until they can fly away with Mum, but make sure there is warer for them. You could even put out a wash up bowl for them to swim in.

Alternatively, leave the gate open and mum can take them elsewhere on foot.

LukeH · #9 (**permalink**) 15-06-2009, 12:25 AM

Hi,

yes - they have lots of water and it's fun to watch. One of my girls loves spraying them with water and they love it too, though the duck's mum doesn't join in.

The ducklings are just starting to fly (flapping & short flights/hops).

When they can fly, they are free to go! Before then, we are not letting them go as they may get eaten by the local fox who loves duck meat. A fox could slaughter the whole batch of 11 virtually adult ducks in a few minutes because they'd only be able to run a short distance and not fly.

They stand a better chance of escape/evasion when they can fly.

Thanks,

Luke

EDIT: My plan is a bit different now from the start of this thread as someone with experience told me not to let the ducks go until they could fly. If the mother abondons them beforehand, take them to a lake. If she is still around, let her fly off with them. Either way, they need to fly before they go otherwise they are a midnight snack for the hungry fox.

LukeH · #10 (**permalink**) 22-06-2009, 09:29 PM

Hi,

A quack update:

We let the mother duck and 11 ducklings (aged ~60 days) go down to the river last Saturday morning and it's been a success.

The ducklings had been doing short flights in the garden and the mum had been spending more time away, so we thought that they were big enough and that we needed to let them go before the mum abandoned them.

Now they are now all on the river. They seem happy and have managed two nights without getting eaten. They haven't been back to our house, though (it's about 20m from the river). I hope they are getting enough to eat - they have been so well fed by us that they are about 1/8th bigger than the mum!

Thanks for all the words of advice. We are now trying to restore our lawn

cheers, Luke