Caring for an abandoned duckling?

Question

There was a mother duck and her ducklings swimming in my pool. Her last baby was the runt and smaller than the rest. he got really tired out and got caught in our pool skimmer. I saved him and took him out of the water for a bit because he was shivering like crazy. Then the mother duck left him and we don't know where his family is. We live by a pond so we're checking there. Meanwhile, we need to take care of it. We have it in a cage thing with towels and a lamp. We feed it peices of apple because we couldn't find duckling food at the pet store. He is really active and energetic so he is much better now, we just need to find the mama. Can you give my advice for feeding him, and any other advice for care.

Answer 1

The fact that the duckling has now been away from it's mother is going to make it hard to reintroduce it to the mother and other ducklings now. . . not because you have touched it but because the mother will more than likely see it as a duckling that does not belong to her and she is likely to hurt it should you try to return it.

   I keep my ducklings in a large plastic container with a suspended light bulb to keep them warm.

   I use newspaper or straw to line the bottom of the container.

   I use a small heavy bowl for water and a small bowl for feed that I buy at a Feed Store. . .  Duck Starter Feed.

   I clean the container every 3-4 days as ducklings (Ducks)p**p ALOT! ! ! !

   When I clean out my container I allow the duckling to swim in the bathtub with room temp water.  I NEVER leave the duckling unattended as they can get tired and drown if I am not there to rescue them.

    I dry the majority of the water off of them and put them back in the container to "preen" (groom themselves)

   During good weather I have a make shift chicken wire pen in my backyard to allow the duckling to play outside and peck at the grass and bugs.

    ONLY after the duckling is totally feathered out can it be put outside in my pen where they have nesting boxes for laying eggs and getting out of bad weather. . . . they rarely ever go into the henhouse to get out of bad weather.

   Once I put them outside I change their feed to Scratch (mixed grains),Layer Crumbles and Oyster Shell. . . they eat what my chickens eat.   I supplement their feed with treats of diced veggies/fruits.  In the winter time when grass is no longer fresh and green I supplement their feed with some alfalfa hay. . . . . greenery helps to make their egg yolks more yellow.

    In my pens I have dug holes and dropped a kiddie wading pool and a small stock tank filled with water for swimming. . . . it is very hard to keep clean cuz ducks p**p wherever and whenever they feel like it. . . even in their swimming water. . . YUCK!

    I would suspect that as soon as your duckling is all feathered out you could release it back into the wild without a hitch.

    Should you want to keep it as a pet you will either need to keep it in a covered cage or clip it's wings on a regular basis.

Answer 2

u may feed it chick starter or duck starter but only feed ur duckling chick starter if it is high in protien. u need to build a pen. depending on how old it is u can determin if u can keep it outside at night. u have to make a brooder first. u just have to get a plastic bin, a heat lamp, an old towel, and a food and water dish. u put the towel at the bottom of the bin and then put in the food and water dish. also, u may want to consider geting another duckling for urs because ducks are verry social creatures. if u cant get another duckling then put in an old stuft animal (one that u dont want) so it can snugle up with it at night. u will keep ur duck in the brooder until it is about 1 1/2- 2 weeks old. u will have to have a place for it to stay out side and inside (for night time and if it rains) also ur duck has to be inside at night so u may want to have a place in ur laundry room for it to stay. at 4 or 5 weeks old u can leave ur duck outside at night. be sure to provide a shelter in cane of rain. u probaly want ur ducks inside if it rains even at this age. u can sprinkle some food on the ground as much as u want during the day. leave out a heavy bowel with water in it for them to drink from. the bowel has to be heavy or ur duck will nock it over. also if u dont live on a pond/lake u will want a baby pool so it can swim. keeping ducks is a big resposibility, u can do anything if u set ur mind to it. good luck... hope i helped =)

Answer 3

Ducks are easy to take care of. If you let it walk behind you it'll most likely follow you! They're adorable. We've hatched several out in incubators. All you need is chick starter [which can be found at feed stores] if you can't find that I find they eat plain oatmeal [just don't feed it a lot because it expands in their tummys] until you find something else. They also eat bugs so you could let it outside for a bit and just let it wonder around. They're adorable aren't they!? I love ducks, they're probably my favorite bird. :) They grow fast so you'll be able to let it go in the pond soon if you don't want it as a pet.

Answer 4

Don't touch the baby!

If you or your family has, use gloves or wash your hands very thoroughly. The duckling may be carrying something harmful.

It's great that you gave him the lamp and towels...just be sure the sides of the cage are high enough so he can't jump out.

For the meantime, you can buy duck food at a local general store or pet supply store- even cracked corn and seedlings work well, like for bird food.

I suggest that you call your local Wild Animal Rescue Center- There's plenty of branches in most districts, and failing that, an ASPCA. I think the mother duckling abandoned her baby for whatever reason, but if you keep him warm and cozy and fed, the animal 'feds can do the rest and rehabilitate the poor little guy.

Best of luck!

Answer 5

you really should have left it .... and left nature to it ... even though sometimes thats the hardest it's the best for the animal .. i mean you have to think of the ong term future of the animal ... survival, feeding etc

Do not give the duckling apple it will choke and apple is not a natural food for them ..  you do not get duckling food .. that's not what's called .. chickcrumb is what you give you

The best thing yu can  do is try and put it back onto the pond with its mummy and let nature do its thing ....and The family wont be far away just hiding keep lookiing and oyu'll find them .. They will never be far away from the water at this age cos the water is the place where they are safest and besides they are only little thay won't have gone far .

In the mean time keep him warm

but try and get him back asap!

Answer 6

duckings don't eat apples.  I know you tried to find food for it and were unsuccessful.  if you cannot find the mother, please find a wildlife rehabber in your area to care for the duckling. thank you for caring for it.