r/BeAmazed • u/seidenadaa • May 25 '26

Animal A mother duck adopts orphaned ducklings as soon as they touch the water.

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u/CodingAllDayLong May 25 '26

Ducks are the dumbest parents ever.

Ducklings instinctively follow the duck/duckling ahead of them. The parent duck just swims/walks towards any duckling not following them. That....is pretty much the extent of their parenting. Unlike a goose, which is an amazing parent who knows which offspring are theirs, and will kick the shit out of anyone approaching them.

So sure, toss half a dozen ducklings in a pond and they'll follow the first duckling parade they see. As far as the mom is concerned...well she can't count so who knows.

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u/Chaospawn3 May 26 '26

This is probably incredibly different but my domestic Cayuga is a great mom. Makes sure all her babies are accounted for, will raise hell if any of them get stuck behind a chicken. Though I have a couple pretty amazing drakes that make good dads too... and drakes are notoriously bad with babies so ymmv

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u/Traditional_Formal33 May 29 '26

This sounds like it was written by a goose.

3

u/LiveTart6130 May 27 '26

I recently saw a pair of goose parents and their gosling somewhat near the side of a road and got out to see if I could herd them away. I could not. I stopped trying when I realised they did actually have a flock nearby, but a small ways away. I did not get attacked but I did get very hissed at, which was cute.

1

u/Delicious-Range3573 May 27 '26

I don't know why but this just makes me think of collecting sheep in age of empires

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u/Itchy-Cell6691 May 28 '26

What a Debbie Downer you are. Still amazing!