Can you feed 2day old baby ducklings baby bird food with water and a syringe? It wasn't eating or drinking.

Question

The duckling became very lathargic in the first 20hrs and couldn't stay awake or lift its head for long and would not take anything I gave it except a few drops of water on the end of its beak. I tried: Wet bread, cream of rice baby cereal, minced kale, spinach, lettuce, watercress, broccoli, so I tried the watery baby bird food in a small drop and then he/she became more lathargic and glassy-eyed and couldn't lift it's head for more than a second. He/she was breathing normally for 15 min. before dying with eyes open. What happened?

Also,The air temp was 85 degrees so I thought I should raise the temp slightly with a 50w lamp. In 5 min the temp was at 100 degrees and the little ducky wasn't breathing at all. Was that too hot for just for 2 min?

I noticed a dark red dried protrusion where a belly button would be. Is that normal or do you think it was injured?

Answer 1

well i can only tell u wat to feed them . because there young there is something spical called "mash" its just beatten corn and stuff

Answer 2

100 degrees is way too hot man!

Answer 3

There was obviously something wrong to begin with.  Nothing you could have done to harm her yourself.  It was too hot but sounds like she was already on her way out.

I am sorry that you lost her.  I know you don't give baby birds water as it can give them pneumonia but I am not certain of ducks.  I would think it was the same way.

Next time instead of giving all those other foods just give it baby bird food.

Nancy