Muscovy Duck Pecking and Chasing Smallest Duckling

[Eden Star]

My female Muscovy is a first time mum and hatched out 15 ducklings over a week ago. Yesterday when I went to feed them one duckling was missing. My children found it hiding well away from its mum and siblings. When we took it back the mother started pecking it and chasing it away. It took refuge next to my son who stopped the mum from attacking it. We brought it inside and tried to reintroduce it several hours later but the duck reacted the same way, honing in on the duckling and acting aggressively towards it and it ran away. We kept it inside over night and my kids have been giving it lots of tlc. I considered placing the duckling back under her during the night but didn’t want to risk her hurting it when she noticed it the next morning. She reacted the same way today when I took it back outside for some supervised foraging. I’ve had numerous Muscovy ducks over the years but have never witnessed this behaviour, any ideas on what’s causing it?

 

[Isadora]

Sometimes mothers instinctively will weed out any babies that are weak and not likely to survive. For whatever reason, she's targeting this duckling. I don't think it's safe to put it back with her.

 

[BelovedBirds]

My female Muscovy is a first time mum and hatched out 15 ducklings over a week ago. Yesterday when I went to feed them one duckling was missing. My children found it hiding well away from its mum and siblings. When we took it back the mother started pecking it and chasing it away. It took refuge next to my son who stopped the mum from attacking it. We brought it inside and tried to reintroduce it several hours later but the duck reacted the same way, honing in on the duckling and acting aggressively towards it and it ran away. We kept it inside over night and my kids have been giving it lots of tlc. I considered placing the duckling back under her during the night but didn’t want to risk her hurting it when she noticed it the next morning. She reacted the same way today when I took it back outside for some supervised foraging. I’ve had numerous Muscovy ducks over the years but have never witnessed this behaviour, any ideas on what’s causing it?

Do you have a brooder? I agree with @Isadora , and would personally try hand raising it rather than risk her harming it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's really hard to know exactly what is going on in these mamas minds but I have a Muscovy female that attacked her ducklings when they were hatching. I was able to save 1 the first time it happened and 2 the next she'll never be able to brood again. I don't know what her problem is because all my other Muscovy mamas are great moms. I agree with raising this duckling inside and taking it out on nice days so it can still be around all the other birds[it will be accepted better] but always supervise when it's outside.

 

[ruthhope]

Please bring a second or even a third into the brooder with the one that is being attacked. It needs ducky company even if the Mama doesn't want it

 

[RebinNH]

Ruth has a great point! If the duckling will ever be accepted back with the other birds it will need a pal to stick up for it and help it be accepted as just another duck.