What's it like having a single duckling? - Part 2

What's it actually like having a single duckling? How do I prepare for ducklings?

What nobody tells you about ducklings

If you're incubating 5 to 10, you run the risk of being left with only one duckling (or chick). I found myself in this position with Bob (you can read up on as to why in Part 1) after only incubating 5 eggs.

You know that thing about ducklings imprinting on the first thing they see? Yeah, it's true. So unless you plan on having a minimum of 2 or 3 hatch around the same time, I recommend you don't incubate eggs without a mother duck.

How I have managed to look after Bob

Bob was born on the 21st of April, meaning that by the time this is published he is going to be around a month old.

It's not been the easiest month, but we have managed to create a routine. And that routine is law, he makes sure of it. It took a while to get him into one, but we finally managed it!

Week 1

The first week, there was A LOT of crying.  Whenever I left Bob's line of vision, or he couldn't hear me talking, he cried. I was lucky enough to have a friend staying with us at the time, so when I needed to do things or go out, I had someone I could leave him with. He didn't like it, but he put up with it.

At first  he didn't swim. He would dabble in the water, but he didn't fully swim until he was around 6 days old. While I'm on this subject, I wouldn't leave water deeper than a few mm deep uncovered while no one is watching them. You run the risk of them drowning while unsupervised. Yes, it it like having children.

Week 2

Bob started to swim a little, but found out he was scared of deep water. If he couldn't put his feet on the bottom, he wasn't happy. We stopped swimming lessons for a few days, as it seems to just be stressful for him.

We started adding a little straw to Bob's box at night, before we went to bed. He learnt that this was a sign for bed-time and quiet-time. He did really well having something that told him what part of the day it was.

Week 3

By this time, Bob weighed over half a KG. Considering he weighed 65 grams when he hatched, he had gained 10 times his weight. They grow FAST.

I started taking him out of his box, and letting him walk around while I was in the bathroom getting ready in the mornings. I normally ended up with him sat in the bathroom watching me.

Now

Bob has grown to over a KG now, and has calmed down a lot. He is happy to sit on the sofa or in his box while I do other things, and he had made his first friend! We had a chick hatch on Sunday 15th of May, so they now have a box beside each other. Bing, the chick named by L, likes to play a lot and pecks at Bob. Bob really isn't a fan of this, so they can't be left alone together. They also have over 900 grams of difference in weight between them, so it's best that they are supervised.

Bob has his routine down to a T now, and will cry if it's not the way he expects it to be. In two to three weeks he will be able to go outside with the chickens. I am currently looking for a duck to buy around the same age as him, so he has a friend to swim with.

How do I prepare for ducklings of chicks?

Other than preparing yourself mentally for the responsibility, I would make sure you have these things:

• a large, deep box. it keeps them in the box and any other pets out. Though do keep them out of reach of other pets if possible.
• small food and water containers
• a heat lamp (please read instructions thoroughly before putting them under the lamp)
• Broody eggs. They are rubber eggs that are usually to help make hens go broody, but they work wonders for chicks and duckling who spent their first night sleeping on their siblings eggs.

Bob is from my first hatch, and I have learnt a lot. No matter how much information you look up, you'll learn more and more as you go along. I recommend you look up what others have done with their ducklings, and what their experience was.

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you again soon! If you have any questions about ducklings or chicks, please ask :)

Bella