***URGENT*** advice on 2 ducklings please

[mummydoc]

were i am working we have a small pond and every year a duck hatchs out her ducklings on it then takes them through the town to the river usually on day 2-3. this year she has left 2 behind . they have been on our tiny ornamental pond for 2 days now and mummy duck has not come back for them...it is now friday and no one will be baout till monday - i have a broody hen at home ( sitting on nothing) can i take the ducklings home and put them under her in the hope she will adopt them ???

Can you scoop them up in a net or something and take them to her on the river?

we have been to the river and cannot see any mummy ducks with babies on our stretch so htink she has hoofed it

don't know then. Ducks do tend to adopt chicks quite easily, so maybe take them where there are more ducks?

Broody hens will accept other chicks, dunno about ducklings though. But when I've had a broody hen and no fertile eggs I have got day old chicks and given them to her and its been a success, even though she'd only been broody for a few days.

You can raise them yourselves using a heat lamp - we used to do it years ago just a quick google search came up with this site which shows the set up if you're interested

Call the RSPB for advice...

Some RSPB info on ducklings

I seem to remember from Springwatch last year ( love that programme ) that there was a nest of ducklings and the mother came back at night to see them when no-one else was around.

Is that right? Did anyone else watch it?

thankyou everyone, our 2 ducklings has survived the hatching and i think are probably about 4-5 days old now and have been fine outdoors all this time , and swimming confidently on our ornamental pond - so if i can get them into a box i will take them home and if hen doesn't like them they willprobably survive on thier own.

That's good. They're really not hard to hand rear - although I would recommend a heat lamp set up while their small if you can

you know nothing - do you think i could keep them indoors , say in a large roomy box in the conservatory ? as it is the warmest room in the house if i don't have a heat lamp ?

I would worry a bit about them overheating in the sun and then being too cold in the dark.

Have you tried your broody hen?

Have just had a quick google at some articles that say they need a heat source for the first 5 weeks or so. Have a look here, it's also got advice on giving them to chickens

haven't actually caught them yet , need to finish afternoon surgery first - but awfully distracted by ducklings first, i see what you mean about heat source , but do wonder how htey survived so far ?

I was just wondering that - they can be pretty resilient, and the weather's been good, but without food they'll be struggling soon. Hopefully your hen will love them and take them on - which will solve all your problems

thanks will post on monday with a "duckling report"

Excellent

I shall await the next installment with much anticipation!

well went otu after afternoon surgery and couldn't find them, so went in this evening and WOW there was mummy duck ....i am not sure wether she has flown in as our surgery was all locked up over the weekend, so i have left them, and hoping tomorrow mummy duck will take them throught the building to the river.. will let you know,

That's the best outcome, glad to hear it.