A wild duck will normally fly when it is aged between five and six weeks, or approximately 35 to 45 days old. Domesticated ducks, which can be identified as they have been bred to be larger, will not fly in the true sense of the word but will rather approximate something like flying. They remain low and fly in a straight line.
A duckling will become truly independent after between forty five and sixty five days of hatching. The first few hours of a duckling’s life (generally around the first ten) are spent close to their mother and in the nest. This is so they can recover from the shock of being born (understandably enough) and also get used to their environment; the light, sounds and smells; as well as to moving around and interacting.
After these first few hours it is absolutely vital that the mother takes the ducklings to water. Although this may be delayed by adverse weather conditions or the presence of predators or other dangers, this must happen as soon as possible, as it increases the duckling’s chances of survival. In fact they cannot survive without their mother until they are fully fledged and become independent, which happens after around seven to nine weeks. This first trip to water is an incredibly important stage in the ducklings lives as it introduces them to the habitat which they will primarily occupy for the rest of their lives. It is important not to interfere when the mother is attempting to introduce her young to water, as if she abandons them she may never return and as mentioned above, they have many more weeks left in which they will depend on her for survival. If they make it to water securely and are introduced to it by the mother then around seven weeks after hatching they will begin to fly and very shortly after that will become independent and leave their mother altogether.
A duckling will become truly independent after between forty five and sixty five days of hatching. The first few hours of a duckling’s life (generally around the first ten) are spent close to their mother and in the nest. This is so they can recover from the shock of being born (understandably enough) and also get used to their environment; the light, sounds and smells; as well as to moving around and interacting.
After these first few hours it is absolutely vital that the mother takes the ducklings to water. Although this may be delayed by adverse weather conditions or the presence of predators or other dangers, this must happen as soon as possible, as it increases the duckling’s chances of survival. In fact they cannot survive without their mother until they are fully fledged and become independent, which happens after around seven to nine weeks. This first trip to water is an incredibly important stage in the ducklings lives as it introduces them to the habitat which they will primarily occupy for the rest of their lives. It is important not to interfere when the mother is attempting to introduce her young to water, as if she abandons them she may never return and as mentioned above, they have many more weeks left in which they will depend on her for survival. If they make it to water securely and are introduced to it by the mother then around seven weeks after hatching they will begin to fly and very shortly after that will become independent and leave their mother altogether.
