22_Shooter 1,560 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 OK, so at work the other day, while having a cigarette with a co-worker, we saw a mother duck followed by about 10ish babies walking along the sidewalk. The mother was on the sidewalk, and the babies were on the street, following along the curb. They were headed right for a sewer drain (we've seen the babies fall into them before, and we have to get our maintenance department to get them out with a pole and scoop ), so we walked over, and picked up the babies one by one and placed them on the sidewalk, while the mother sat and watched. She just quacked a few times, but didn't seem pissed. Then, as soon as they were all up, she started to walk away with all the babies following her. So we thought we did our good deed for the day, but now a few people at work are telling us that the mother is gonna kill the babies because we touched them. Now, I'm not some PETA whack-job, and I'm not against hunting at all, but I'd rather not be a part of the killing of 10 baby ducks, when we were just helping them, lol. So anyone know if this is true? I've looked online, and could only find references to Robins and whatnot, not ducks. As far as the Robins were concerned, the info I found said the mother would not kill/abandon the babies after a human touched them. We see these ducks all the time, eventhough I work in the dead center of downtown. But we have a "pond" (small man-made fountain) in the back of the hotel that ducks come to every year, and float around in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Juggernaut 11,054 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
getitat 609 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Hello, 22_Shooter Not to worry...I think that's kind of an "old wife's tale" kind of urban legend. I've put many a young bird back in the nest when they had more ambition than ability, I've yet to see one shunned. Be even less likely with ducks, heck, they likely pick up all kind of odors and stuff. Goodon'ya, they need all the help they can get! Respectfully posted, guido2 in Houston Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 The ducks will be fine. she wont kill them. I have handled chicks many times without any problems from mothers. The mother killing them is really just about an old "urban legend" that may have some small grain of truth to it in some instances of some species of avian... but for the most part... handling a chick is NOT A DEATH SENTENCE!!! NO WORRIES!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Damnit Guido... beat me to it by a minute! bastage! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MD_Willington 11 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 The mother duck has more to worry about, like the bastard drakes pulling all the feathers off her back while they jump her... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bender 1 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Good job. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rangerdavid 6 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Nice work there!! The chicks should be fine. I have a cardinal sitting on a nest over my deck, and yesterday I found an egg that had fallen out. Well, I picked it up and put it back in the nest and Mom has been sitting on it ever since. It may be scrambled, but she hasn't given up on it, and the mother duck will probably be fine with the babies. I think its really cool what wildlife turns up in New York, especially the city, hawks, eagles, deer, etc....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waltham_41 52 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Have owned ducks, no worries with touching the young ones. Anybody ever see a duck breed a chicken? Roosters do not have a penis , duck does, so the hen is not expecting something to polk up her............ well you know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Koliadko 207 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 This is what I found: http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/babybird.asp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rangerdavid 6 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 thanks racegal, nice article. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
6x6pinz 4 Posted May 6, 2008 Report Share Posted May 6, 2008 Well I for one appreciate the good deed. Now if you could just send them out west as the season opens in 156 days 8 hours and 23 minutes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MD_Willington 11 Posted May 7, 2008 Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 eh a cockless cock huh... hmm.. weird how all through time the Rooster is a male symbol yet he is lacking... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
22_Shooter 1,560 Posted May 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2008 OK, cool. Thanks for the info guys. Good to know I'm not serial baby duck killer . I think its really cool what wildlife turns up in New York, especially the city, hawks, eagles, deer, etc....... Yeah, we had a deer some how end up downtown. It freaked out, jumped through a coffee shop window, and trashed the place. Then proceeded to run, and jump over a wall onto the river's edge about 30 feet below, and died. It was crazy. Well I for one appreciate the good deed. Now if you could just send them out west as the season opens in 156 days 8 hours and 23 minutes. One guy at work said the same thing; "Awesome, I'll be seeing those babies in the future when I'm out hunting". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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