I watched a beautiful video of a beautiful bird carrying her babies and swimming with them in the water. It is truly an amazing and beautiful sight.
The babies struggled to climb onto their mother’s back and cling to their mother’s feathers one by one! I’ll include a video demonstration of exactly what the ducks were doing later.
And since I am very passionate about what is related to ducks, I sat thinking about the ability of mother ducks to pick up their babies!
In fact, I have never seen ducks picking their young, although I have seen videos of some birds carrying their young. It intrigued me and I kept looking into it.
Since we are partners in breeding ducks and poultry, I wanted to share with you what I found regarding my research on the ability of ducks to carry their young so that you are aware of everything related to maternal behavior in ducks, being diligent duck breeders.
In the coming lines, we will address the answer to all the questions that you have in mind about the ability of ducks to carry their young. But first, here is the video I told you about:
Can Ducks Carry Their Babies?
Usually, ducks do not carry their babies, as their bodies are not prepared for carrying young. They do not have the muscle strength to raise their young. Ducks have very weak beaks and claws and will not be able to lift any ducklings from the ground.
Instead of a duck carrying her ducklings, their babies are the ones who follow their mother anywhere after they hatch.
Whether in green spaces or near a water source, whether the pond, lake, river, or otherwise, the ducklings are right behind them wherever they walk or swim. But sometimes you may see a duck carrying its young on its back while swimming in the water only.
But the duck does not carry the ducklings and puts them on her back, Rather the ducklings must be able to climb and jump on the mother’s back in order to carry them. The ducklings then need to hold on to their parents’ feathers to prevent themselves from falling into the water, meaning that the responsibility rests with the ducklings.
How Long Do Ducks Carry Their Babies?
There is no specific period during which the ducklings ride on the back of the duck, but in any case, the time will not be long, as the duck cannot continue swimming for a long time while carrying its young on its back.
Ducklings can swim in the water from their first day after hatching, and therefore they will follow their mother comfortably while swimming in the water without the need for their mother to carry them.
Do Ducks Move Their Babies?
Ducks usually cannot move their babies unless they are carrying them on their backs as they swim across a stream. You rarely find a duck moving its young from one place to another.
This may happen in very small proportions in the event of a predatory danger, or it may move sick or dead ducklings from the nest to avoid attracting predators or spreading disease to other ducklings.
Mothers remove the smallest and weakest ducklings to ensure the survival of her siblings! When these weak and sick chicks die in the nest, they will decompose in the nest, which attracts scavengers or spreads the disease.
Can Baby Ducks Survive On Their Own?
Ducklings often cannot survive on their own. Since ducklings need about 6 to 8 weeks so that they can rely on themselves. Ducklings in their first weeks need intensive care, as they are more affected by cold and lack of food and water. It is also at risk of drowning even in low water heights.
The Importance Of Maternal Relationship
Ducks live in the nest for at least 10 hours before leaving to dry their feathers and get used to using their legs. But then they are hungry and thirsty and need a safe source of water and food.
They often follow their mother until she informs them of the sources of water and food, then they eat their food and rush to go to their mother to warm and protect them.
The duck’s physical connection with its mother is not just an emotional relationship, as it seems to us. But the duck’s physical contact with her ducklings bears other important aspects. Where it gains the duckling’s immunity and enhances its ability to withstand the cold.
The Insulation Oil Production
Ducklings don’t just produce a natural oil that helps insulate their bodies from cold and water. But it produces it later after it grows and reaches puberty or before.
When the ducklings communicate with their mother physically, they have the opportunity to obtain natural oil from their mother that helps warm and insulate their body and allows them to swim in the water without the risk of drowning as a result of waterlogging.
This oil acts as a consolidator and a lifting factor that allows the duck to float above the water without the cold water reaching its body by a large percentage.
How To Take Care Of Orphaned Ducklings?
If the ducklings lose their mother for any reason, you must take the initiative and take care of them so that they do not lose their lives. Gently move them to a safe place away from predators and provide them with a warm environment and comfortable bedding.
You can use a heat lamp to warm the atmosphere around them and provide them with a source of clean water.
Ducks need an abundant source of water as they go through the day on the water a lot. But the most important thing is that the water source is shallow so as not to scoop up the ducklings. As for their food, you can offer them any untreated feed.
