Snowy Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I had a call the other day from a friend who works as a vet nurse. They had had a duckling, freshly hatched they thought, brought in - it was found running along a road and had been injured. They treated it's injuries and 3 days later tried to send it to the local wildlife refuge, but they wouldn't take it because it is a white duck, so not wild! So I got the call, and Chuck the midget duck is now living with me. Trouble is, he is too tiny to go out with the big ducks, so he is living in a guinea pig cage in the lounge! He has a fluffy tigger to cuddle up to, chick crumb and water. But I am worried that he is bored! He does get lots of attention, he has obviously imprinted on people so just wants to be on my knee all the time, even in the lounge he doesn't like being in his cage. Has anyone else had this? Is there anything I can put in his cage that he will find entertaining, or have we created a rod for our own backs here and we now have a duck who thinks he is human! (to be fair the vets started it, he was already a people duck when we got him). He is currently sat on my sons knee watching video games Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 We've had two Mallards under similar circumstances Snowy. The first, 'Lucky Duck' was imprinted on us. Fortunately I was home all day, but she used to scream to be picked up and then fell asleep in my pocket. At 10 weeks she was shown other ducks and then the penny dropped. She flew away at 12 weeks and returned a few months later with her 'husband' up the steps to the kitchen door. Unfortunately a maniac speeding neighbour frightened her away and we never saw her again. The second, 'Pluto' was put with newly hatched chicks. His beak terrified them and he made a real mess filtering food in the drinker. When he went out and was able to fly we tried to move him into the wild. The last time it took him 4 days to get back. He was exhausted and hungry so we decided to keep him. However he turned nasty with the chickens and decided one night he wasn't going to share his coop with anyone. Very tasty Sunday lunch he made. Annoyingly we found him a new home a week later, the existing drake having been taken by a fox the night before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 I hatched a lone duckling this year, not by choice, and got a day old chick to keep her company but it was hard work as the duckling made such a mess. At six weeks she joined her parents who had abandoned the eggs but she still prefers the company of the chickens which all seem to tolerate her even when she nuzzles into them. The chick was a Sicilian flower bird, turned out to be a cockerel but I was lucky and found him a lovely home where is is very tame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 20, 2014 Author Share Posted September 20, 2014 Thats good, thanks. Hopefully then, once he's big enough to hold his own he can go with the other ducks. In the meantime he can stay a pocket duck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted September 20, 2014 Share Posted September 20, 2014 Meant to say as well there were no problems with intros with the ducks, it was as if little Tilly had always been around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
