Need help! What do i do!!!!????

Question

my baby duck just hatched....what should i do???

i saved the egg from outside a couple days ago. But i cant take it to a place right now so what should i do?????

Answer 1

You could be looking at a lot of work, and a lot of money for one duck.  In our area there is no place to take unwanted birds. I would give it away soon if you don't want it. Call a vet to help find a home (preferably a large animal Vet they would know people familiar with farm animals) The local extension service office will know all the 4-H leaders and it would be adored by a child.  The others are right UNMEDIATED FEED (this is a 50lb bag) the duck will need water to drink but it will play in its water and and is the leading cause of death of our baby ducks they get cold and wet and like they have said they have no oils yet.  You need to dip the bills in the feed and the water so they know to eat and drink.  Ducks in my opinion are the smelliest, and messiest of all birds to start and need more time and care than any other. I wouldn't start one in the house under any circumstance ever.

Answer 2

Keep it very warm- a cardboard box is sufficent or something similar, with a heating lamp focused to keep the duckling warm. Use straw or hay for the bottom of the box, NOT newspaper, wood chips, or grass from outside. Newspaper can make splay legs- wood chips can suffocate them or cause infection if they eat, and grass can have pestisides in it. Wet and mouldy bedding needs to be removed instantly. The heating lamp should be keeping the box approx 98 degrees for approx the first 10 days. The temperature is then decreased 5F each week by raising the lamp or turning it down if you have a setting. This decrease continues until the temperature reaches 70F, usually at 6 weeks. The baby does not need to eat for the first 3 days as they have the nutrients from the egg, but you will need to introduce food soon. use unmedicated chick starter (MUST MUST be unmedicated!!) or duck starter.

Baby ducks can also be given fruits and vegetable, but chopped really fine as baby ducks do not have teeth.

They also enjoy small insects and worms.

DO NOT FEED them whole grains, onions, dry bread, wild birdseed or caged birdseed. DO NOT use cracked corn in high dosage. You can get the duck starter or UNMEDICATED chick starter and farm and feed supply stores. They will also sell feeders and waterers, which are really good to buy, because ducklings are MESSY. You either need to make feeders, or buy them, but dont just give them food and water in bowls because they will tip them over and spread the mess around and possibly drown in the water. You can make your own by taking tuperware containers and zip tying wire grid over the top so that the duckling can stand and dip their beak through the grid but not their head or body, or you can just buy the feeders. Baby ducklings do not have oil on their feathers yet, so remember that they CAN NOT swim just yet. Do not place the duckling in open water or a water bowl because they will try to swim and will soak up the water and drown. Baby ducklings are the best! Good luck!

Answer 3

okay, you need a box or something closed off to keep it in.

You will need a warm light above the box.

If the baby huddle sunder the light its too cold and you will need you get another light. if the baby tries to get away from the light ts too warm and you need ot heighten the buld.

For food go out to a petco and buy Kaytee Baby bird formula. i use this with all my duckling when they hatch.

Make sure not to use newspaper under the ducklings. i sugest using paper towels or a regular towel. saw dust and wood chips are alright but i dont recomend it, might hurt they're feet.

The duckling DOES NOT NEED water to swim in.

Ducklings WILL drown if un attended or if they dont have a way to get out on they're own..

AND CONGRATS ON YOUR NEW DUCKLING ^w^