Lost Duckling

[~Wingnut~]

Hi!
If a duckling looses his Mum and family would another duck family adopt him if they never managed to get reunited?

Thanx :o)

[sparkyrover]

i think that the duckling would find any animal or human to attach to and follow them. if the fox doesnt get him. aw.

[~Wingnut~]

Hi sparky :o)

I hope your right about the first part but would the new family allow the duckling to attach itself to them? I am just wondering if ducks work like that or are they quite territorial when it comes to their own brood and allowing new ones to enter?

I know I'm a bit pathetic but there was a little duckling lost today and we got him near the water before he was killed by a car or dog and waited but his family never came to him. I wonder if they were killed by a fox but he managed to get away and now he is alone. I am just really hoping that another duck family would adopt him. I know we gave him a better chance by removing him from the road but I can't stop thinking about the poor wee fella :o(
Where he swam off to & settled a fox wouldn't be able to get him thankfully I just hope he stays there until a new family take him on or he manages to get reunited with his own family.

Thanx for your answer.

[wildwood]

It is a bit late in the season but if there is another duck in the vicinity that has young of about the same age it will respond to the cries your little fellow will emit when it gets cold. Duck are pretty much like chickens - they will appear to adopt waifs as long as they are roughly the same age as their own young - actually, Mrs Duck doesn't even realise that the newcomer is not theirs.

You've done the right thingby taking it back to the where it will have the best chance of salvation.

[~Wingnut~]

Thanx wildwood :o)

We waited ages and there were lots of other ducks about but no small ducklings. Further down the river there were some larger ducklings and I just hope they swam further along and he cut in and joined the line.

Thanx again :o)

[burnhal]

A mallard WILL NOT generally accept interlopers- she knows who her tribe are - any stranger duckling gets short shrift and is at the least liable to be chased away, if not attacked and killed. Its not all sweetness and light out in the big bad world, I am afraid.

[lankeela]

Ducklings are able to fend for themselves and can eat normal food at a day old, and don't actually need their mum to survive.

[~Wingnut~]

Oh I hope so Lankeela! I just wish he could have been reunited with his family.
I appreciate that Burnhal :o) and I am the first to admit I am a softy when it comes to animals and just felt guilty that there wasn't anymore I could have done for him and hated to think he didn't stand at least a little chance.

Thanx all for your replies :o)