How To Make a Duckling Follow You | Busting Myths
Follow a few simple rules and you can become a mother duck :) Not every bird will just follow you around, not even after they hatched in your hands, there's a bit more to it... In this video I explain you why.
First a duckling from an egg in my incubator. Second a duckling that was brought to me because her eyes were infected and third a tiny one that was the lone surviver after a heron had eaten all of her siblings.
The duckling hatching is an Eider Duck. The Eider Ducks is a shy species, like many other birds. They are very difficult to make tame. Since all of them will be released back into Nature, this is not a bad thing at all. Over the years I have learned that being shy increases their chance of survival in the wild.
The second and third duckling are of a domesticated species, the first one originating from the American Black Duck (most likely) and the second one of the Mallard or Wild Duck, like almost all domesticated species. They are a Cayuga Duck and a Caller Duck, both created by people a long time ago.
NOTE:
Never take a baby duck away from their mother just because they are cute. Beside that it is against the law, it is very disturbing for the whole duck family.
If you find an abandoned or injured duckling, please take it to a wildlife sanctuary where they have the proper knowledge to give the little one what it needs to survive.
And if you decide to keep it, make sure you know what you are doing.
Music in this video:
Shimmering Starlight by Patrick Hawes
Ever The Optimist by Matt Nasir
Hidden Secrets by Terry Devine-King
Duck Soup by David O'Brien & Johnny Lithium
Licensing through Audionetwork
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Man I am so glad that you put the myth in here. My wife have argued this for years. She was the type to believe that they imprint on the first body the baby sees after coming out of an egg. We had to take care of a clutch of ducklings that are native to where we live. I tried explaining to my wife just how hard it is to raise baby birds. To see that you can do it is beyond me. Baby birds have to eat all the time and around the clock. These ducklings we had ate what seemed to be so often at times we didn't sleep. Even after hand raising them, they were still afraid of us. The only times they weren't afraid was when we had food and then they were all over us. The hardest thing for my wife. It was that time for a duckling to become a duck. We had a perfect spot for them where there were other ducks were the same kind. It was on private property and the owner said that she'd be happy to take them. So I loaded them into a dog kennel and brought them to their new home. My wife made sure to ask if we could come by and visit them and she said yes, anytime. We'd go out there from time to time and they would come to us but not to close so that we could touch them. They would follow us around like a lost dog which made it tougher for my wife when it was time to go. She begged me to keep 1 duck and I said it was unfair to it. Besides, the mess that they can make in a bathtub is unreal. I also wanted my bathroom back too. It's hard to sit on a toilet with 5 ducks watching you use the bathroom, trust me I tried a couple of times. Now ducks have a natural fear of people and I don't know if you could tame them down to be great pets. I've seen chickens make better pets then a duck. Anyway I've gone on and on enough now. Take care and I wish you and all the birds the best.
Hi Jason (and wife) Thank you for sharing this and also thank you for caring and taking the time and effort to care for those ducklings. I loved reading about it and I enjoyed you describing the bathroom :) Only if you have lived it you can know how spot on your description is about the "unreal mess" they can make in a bathtub. I never show this in a video because it looks like I havent cleaned them for a week, where in fact it has more been like an hour. Taking care of baby waterfowl is 2 percent enjoying them, really enjoying their sweetness and company and the wonder... but the other 98 percent is feeding and cleaning shit As to the myth you and your wife have been arguing about... as so often with arguments :) you are both right. There is in fact a period after hatching called the 'sensitive or critical period', a little bit depending on the species, of about 12 to 48 hours after hatching. During this time a duckling or gosling is most sensitive to so called 'imprinting', basically learning to recognise mom (and also dad, for example with swans). During this time it is most easy to have precocial birds learn to follow something else than their mother (Precocial: species in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching - we humans are clearly not a precocial species :) I have learned that this period can be stretched to about ten days. The yellow duckling from the video was five days when I got her for example. And still then there are many variations depending the species, the age and the way they are kept. In my experience, a singel lone baby bird will get much tamer (is that English?) compared to when I am raising a little flock; in a group they also attach to each other it seems. And then there are the variations within a species... if you pay attention you can see that with mallard ducks for example, some mothers raise their babies is a way that the young are following her very loosely where the ducklings are sometimes more that 10 meters or yards away from her, while other mothers have follow the kids in a tight compact group following her at less then a foot ( about 30 cm). So when I have to take care of a duckling it also depends a lot how its mom was. For me it is always wonderful to see the similarities to us humans, it is equal to how we as parents are more or less protective with the kids. So yes, the species matters, the mom matters, and then there is even the individual duckling: In the flock of shy Eider Ducklings (the first duckling in the video) there is one individual that is not shy at all and that is in fact seeking my presence. Like your wife I am tempted to keep that one with me...because oh I know how attached I also get... But I know have to let them go, all of them Again this is like with us humans: It is so nice to have the children near, but in the end they have to leave the nest. See the wonder, Alwyn
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@@0banai_Igur0 😍
@@AChickCalledAlbert AWESOME AND AMAZING
My mind can't understand this either 🤔I have raised Rouen ducks for several years and had to help some hatch a couple months ago and they all act like I'm a scary monster every time I go near them...Yet I watch videos and those girls from Australia pet their ducks and hold them and the ducks follow them everywhere and actually want to be held and pet... Animals usually love me but ducks are the hardest animals to make friends with in my opinion 🦆🦆🦆
When I was a kid, we had a duck mother who had shoved one egg aside. It was caught between the nest and the nesting box. It was ready to hatch but was struggling and was taken inside. He hatched and was raised inside. he was so used to human speech we had to leave a radio on for him at night so he didn't think he was alone. He eventually integrated back with the other ducks but stayed very friendly towards people.
What a lovely story ❤️
♥🙏
Beautiful story!
My gay mind thought u said 'shoved one egg inside me
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I like how you didn’t try and fight the nature of the “wild” duckling and allowed it to follow it’s natural instincts. I think a lot of us are into babying wild animals to domesticate them for ourselves. You’re a good guy
I love those small tippy-tappy footsteps! 😍 You're doing a marvellous job, saving all the tiny birdies! 🐤
It sounds like the sound effect from the Flinstones cartoons, when they "drove" their cars!
Wasn't it just so choochy?! So cute 🥰 🦆
I about died! So funny.
Exactly, the tippy-tappy footsteps are the cutest, most adorable thing!😍😊
@@HeartFeelings.Sharing yeah I'm agree with you💟💟💟😘
I absolutely love the sound of duckies running on a hard surface. It's adorable!
We've been incubating a lot of ducklings (and chickens, and Guinea fowl) this year, and had one clutch of eggs that had only one baby hatch. My fiancé adores her, he calls her Lovie. Lovie likes to sit on a pillow, on the sofa between us and watch TV. I call it her "Princess Pillow". She's one spoiled duck!
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I'm picturing this right now - so cute!
Oh my gosh that is soooo precious
Not only is this a great educational video, but the footage of these lovely Duckings, is beautiful. I'm glad you were able to save so many this year, with help from a friend. They would never have made it. The things you do - Its just wonderful!
Hi ShortOrderCook, nice to see you’re still around, thanks for the nice comment and your continued support!
Yes, your vids are just wonderful ❤
@@phoenixrising33❤
Canard. Too gamey
@@AChickCalledAlbert I’m still missing Albert hope your still flying 🙏🕊️🐔
The yellow little duckling following you is absolutely utterly adorable!
I love the idea that people all over the world will now be trying to get a duckling to follow them. 🐤🐤🐤
The skittle-skattle sound of those little feet is fantastic! So adorable 🥰 I’m so glad you were able to help all those wild babies to be born instead of being destroyed as an egg.
I'm convinced this is the most positive channel on KZhead. Watching these vids is a bonafide mental health boost.
It's absolutely therapy for me. Every time I watch Alwyn care for an animal, I feel cared for. I feel like I am that animal that is being helped. It's amazing! After a lifetime of being treated badly and feeling like the world is full of horrible, insensitive, uncaring people, seeing a loving human being in action is a precious oasis for me.
Absolutely!!
BABIES!!!!!! The sound of those little feet running on the floor was so cute!
The style of this video is like watching a small movie! Like little stories of ducklings! So cute
This is lovely! My girlfriend and I rescued our duck during lock down as a duckling. We planned to find a shelter for her but she grew attached to us over night! Now here we are three years later and she follows us when we go hiking. It never gets old.
The sound of the pitter patter of feet was absolutely adorable!! 😄 The love you have for all creatures is so immense. I recommend your channel to anyone I know who loves animals, you do such beautiful work, Alwyn. 👍👍💜
So kind of you to save all these beautiful birds from certain death! Really appreciate all you do, and it's always nice to see you.
This is my Wobbles, he follows me everywhere! I love hearing his fwappity stompers on the hardwood floor 🦆💜
I'm sitting here watching this video with you and the babies and I quite literally have tears in my eyes. You make my heart sing!
Absolutely beautiful video 📹 . Loved watching the fluffy ducklings 🐥 being cared for . You give them so much love and encouragement. Really beautiful to watch. Bless you my friend 🙏
Stupendo lavoro❤
I raise Cayuga’s! They are my favorite duck 🥰 Absolutely beautiful ducks when the sun hits their feathers! All the greens, blues, and purples really shine in the sun. 💕
giving life is a blessing ❤
I recently hatched 4 ducklings from an incubator that I ended up having to help them out of their eggs, they were completely twisted around in the wrong position which i only noticed after one passed away after pipping. Thanks to what I learned from your videos I was able to safely and carefully help the other 4, and today I have 4 beautiful healthy baby duckies 🐤
Please give your Instagram id or any other links where we can find that cuties
This just helps me understand, that the wild duckling I rescued following me, when I tried to release it, was a special case. We had only spent about 8 hours together, where I warmed it up, fed it, and kept a constant eye on it. It's mother had abandoned it. I ended up giving it to someone who had experience with wild ducks, because it clearly refused to go back to it's family and wanted to follow me around instead.
Hearing the cute lil peeps and the slappy feet running on the floor reminded me so much of my own duck. She sadly passed away about a month ago and I still miss her so much. But it brings me so much joy to see you saving and caring for all these lil feather babies
I love this video. All those little precious duckies 🐣. We need more people like you. I can't imagine that lady destroying all those eggs. POOR BABIES! Good thing she gave them to you to raise them. Thank you for having a big heart ❤.
I couldn't do that job. I'd have 100s of ducks and geese everywhere otherwise.
You are are the most kind hearted man I have ever seen you take care of animals that are someone else's animals you are so kind to show that how to take care of animals God bless you and your family and animals❤❤❤❤❤❤
Agreed!
Oh, if only there were more loving people like you in this world … it would be a more loving place. I absolutely love your videos 🙃🫶🏼‼️ Thank you so very much 🙃‼️🫶🏼
It's so cute to see its little legs chasing after you ❤
As a child I had a pet day old duck, I called him Daffy (of course) and he would come with me every where. He was amazing. He grew into a beautiful white Aylesbury. He would follow me everywhere and I even taught him a trick…I’d say “danger” and he would run around the garden quacking 😂😂😂 after he hit the hormonal stage of his life he went to live on a local farm where he lived a very fulfilled life becoming a daddy duck. One night a fox got into the enclosure and unfortunately Daffy was killed. That was my first traumatic experience of owning a pet 😢 That little duckling was my very first pet, and now that I’m 60 years old my memories of him have not faded, nor has my love for my Daffy Duck 🤍 I love all your compassion for these gorgeous little birds ❤
The manic flip flap of a duckling following you through the house must be one of the best sounds in the world.
I just love your intuitive and heartfelt connection with animals, especially birds, what a brilliant passion and gift-- thank you!!!
Just seeing putting so much love and care into these birds bring tears to my eyes
Oh i love this channel so much, i once had a little chick too she was very brave and listened to my little commands lately she passed away but im happy to see you have a new chick too! 💓💓
This was very informative and funny 😂 The wild duckling running directly to his own kind haha
The little eye blinks and beak movements when just hatched🤗🥰🙈💞💋💞 Unbelievable cuteness!
When i was a child we too had a duck which had given two eggs. After 10 days of care the eggs hatched and two cute ducklings took step into the world. I was very happy to see them and I was not able to control my eyes from them. I tried to feed them everyday. They grew up and were sent back to a fresh pond to live. I am grown up now but they are still alive. I am very happy.😊😊😊😊😊😊❤❤❤
Your message is reaching all the way to Allen, TX. Thank you for your compassion for all living things and proving big impacts can come from small kindnesses. ❤
Thanks for your support Midori! Yeah it's still pretty incomprehensible to imagine all the many places from where people watch the channel. Yet apparently, we all feel kind of the same thing when we look at animals :)
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I hope all of the little ones can grow up healthy and happy!
'How to make a duckling follow you?' Duckling: 'MOMMY!' 🥰🦆 I'm glad all of them are in good care!
When i was a kid i used to pet ducks and goose, they will follow me wherever i go even though they already adult. They came to me when i called them 😊
More fantastic work all round, I only hope your channel continues to grow to allow you to make more videos saving animals 👍
This, is a lovely strong bond.
Absolutly wonderful - brilliant to watch, understanding the many hours of commitment it takes. 🙂
This is the most wonderful, heart-warmth video of all! Every time I thumb up first then watch, I never missed a single video, so sweet these little babies and this kind-hearted man! You are amazing!
OMG, The sound of those tiny webbed feet furiously running across the wooden floor kills me! It's just so hilarious! 🐤🤣
Hello sweet Alwyn, My goodness, you and your helpers sure have your work cut out for you. 😅 Feeding time must take quite awhile, plus all the wonderful care you give, is Amazing! 😊 That sweet little duckling, following you just as fast as she can, filled my heart with pure joy and had me laughing loudly! I love it! ❤ Alwyn... you do such wonderful work with any critter that needs a helping hand. Thank you so much! 🥰😍
This is so beautiful! Thank you so much for all that you do! 🐣💕✨
I am absolutely amazed at the instantaneous instinct that duckling had to immediately run to the flock despite not being hatched "with" them at 4:08, nature is incredible
My good sir, you have so much patience and care for the animals. I love your videos.
thank you for saving and raising all of those precious babies!
God bless you for saving these young chicks!!! They deserve to live too and you made it happen❤❤
This KZhead channel should have 100 million subscribers.
I absolutely love what you do!! You are the bird savior! Thank you for saving and taking care of all those precious birds! ❤️
HAPPY Belated FATHERS DAY! Your love for animals is beyond words. There’s a bunch of birds, Crows+ we talk everyday. You are a beautiful being😺
It is so beautiful to be able to see your stories of life… past the time for caring of babies, picking up poop, all that. Thank’ you.
How is it legal to remove and destroy these eggs?? Here in Germany, it is illegal to move or destroy eggs of wild birds. Apparently it's even illegal to move pigeons after they are hatched (before hatched is legal). How positively sad. It's nice to see some people deciding something is not right and taking matters into their own hands. A credit to you and your friend. That is also just about the best use of a tart pan i have seen. Lol! I just discovered this channel and am quite enjoying these stories. Thank you for sharing them!
How to make a duckling follow you Step 1. Have a duckling
Step 2. Ask it to follow you
Step 3. Hope it listens
All your videos, the beautiful music, and your kind spirit is so uplifting to watch in these days of a world that has a lot of “Dark”. Thank you for being such a good, grounded soul and sharing it with us all. Very inspiring and joyous!
Whenever I want to see the little good that's left in the world, I come watch your videos.
I followed this guide and now have an army of battle ducks. Thx
After watching this video i can really say love comes from the bottom of the heart. Mad respect & love for this guy & for Albert ❤
Those lil feet running after you, has to be the sweetest thing I've ever heard or seen! What a charmed life you have...
I love the little pitter patter when she runs after you^^
The way that 1st little duck ran to her flock was precious.
7:56 I love how excited she got when she saw the water and couldn't wait to get in. So precious!
Flip flappin' happy feet! Peeping away! TFS!
The bird whisperer! Thank you for sharing!
You are such a beautiful soul, Alwyn. I am so grateful for having discovered your channel. Much love. 🙏💕
So cute and adorable ❤❤❤ thank you for taking care of this baby 😊
I think the most magical part of my entire childhood was raising a duckling lol. Followed me every where I went and for a little girl that is just cuteness overload lol.
Oh my God, the sound those tiny, speedy feet, I'm either gonna melt or explode. This is THE MOST adorable sound and visual combo ever.
You must be the real life Dr.Dolittle! I love your content man,keep up the animal videos :)
Dude keep it up I love these videos💛🐣🐥
Ik ben nog steeds blij dat ik al die jaren geleden dit KZhead kanaal heb gevonden! Bijzonder mooie video's.
You have the best channel on KZhead. Its the most wholesome, heartwarming content out there. Thank you for sharing your journeys with us.
The way the black duckling (the wild one) instantly merged with the flock when he set him down! Like a magnet.
Absolutely Adorable!! And the duck 🦆 is cute too. 🤭
Oh my goodness! I just watched you caring for 3 little orphaned squirrels and loved it. There you are again. Can't wait to see what you do.
It's a window of opportunity for birds to imprint I'm realizing. My cockatiels were the same way. They younger the better just as rearing them to eat different food. I had to rely on my cockatiel-s counterpart to imprint off of to eat different and not always a seed diet . Now they eat with me at my table lol. Spoiled. Avians rule! Gorgeous duckling! Ducks are beautiful and elegant and tough! This guy is my hero! I love his passion, care, knowledge and nurturing disposition!
Your videos make my day! God bless you and your lovely friends!!
Hey, a little Information, usually the time in which a duckling or little bird picks its mother is between 6 and 24 hours after getting out of the egg! Also it often checks on sound aswell!
I love the care that this gentleman gives to all the wonderful animals ❤️
Omgosh, you have won my heart. I love birds and ducks in particular. We had a Pekin Duck that follower both my daughter and me around EVERYWHERE. My daughter was around 7 yrs old. Peeper had a particular peep for her. Sarah got annoyed that she was always under foot and bobbed on the head once ( not hard but enough to sink in) and her call for Sarah changed from a peep to a honk/peep. I always knew when she was home from school because I would hear that distinctive peep/honk. I loved that duck more than any pet I have ever had, she was so playful and smart. I miss her so much.
Oh no~ my heart is melting by the cuteness!!! ❤❤❤
Adorable. ❤
This is truly wondrous and magical to watch 😍
This guy is a legend for saving the chicks that would have otherwise never been born of abandoned.
❤So much love that you give those lucky small creatures ❤
man, this guy is just so full of love, its heartwarming to watch
just want to comment that your yt videos are my ultimate go to video when i have a long and stressful day. seeing you taking care of those eggs warms my heart everytime. it makes me focus on the egg and forget my rough day.
There is so much idiocy in the world, that I come here to balance my brain and have my faith in humanity restored!!! With guys like this around there is hope for the world, an absolute angel.
love this man
I could never get tired of their peeps
I have been watching you for a cpl of years now and I think you are wonderful ❤️ you just love and care for all the animals, you are a joy to watch!! 💖
The sound of those paddling feet is ADORABLE!!
Loving the tap-tap-tapping on the floor. Thank you ACCA.
I am just in love with the sound she makes when running! 😊
Your video always made my day. Really enjoyed this one too.
I have never had to care for a duckling. But this adorable, and very well made, video makes me want to do so!
Het is echt zo’n herfstachtig weekend dat we wel weer een video van het dierenleven kunnen gebruiken 🥰
Great things you are doing!