Duckling help! Newbie & I inherited one.

[SimoneG]

Hi! I have inherited a duckling. (The rest of his family got squished on the highway) people knew I had keets & asked if I can take him. They are the same size & seem to be getting along fine. He's drinking & eating ok. (I've got regular chic starter) Wondering in that's ok for him? Does he need a pool now. He is the same size as my 4 day old guineas so maybe a few day old. I'm adding a picture of him. I'm guessing mallard.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Chic starter is ok for duckling to eat, however it does not contain enough niacin for ducks so you will need to supplement with some form of vitamin b either brewers or nutritional yeast mixed in the feed, or you can buy a liquid form from the pharmacy.
You won't want to have swimming water for it unless you are supervising and make sure it can get warm and dry after. Ducklings without mamas oil on them can get saturated and drown pretty easily.
I know nothing about keets, but beware ducklings make a wet mess of your brood r so that may not be too great for the other birds before long.
It would also be good if you could be able to get him a buddy.
*one more thing. . if it is a wild mallard it's actually against the law to keep it (Just so you know .)
Not that you shouldn't have saved it. . just fyi.

 

[SimoneG]

Ok. Thank you. I planned to move the keets to the bigger brooder hutch it has hardware cloth floor. Will he be ok on that?
I did wonder about keeping him but I wanted to give him a chance at life. I have a friend with a few adult ducks that said she would take him when he's older. If he doesn't fly off with the other ducks in the fall.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Ok. Thank you. I planned to move the keets to the bigger brooder hutch it has hardware cloth floor. Will he be ok on that?
I did wonder about keeping him but I wanted to give him a chance at life. I have a friend with a few adult ducks that said she would take him when he's older. If he doesn't fly off with the other ducks in the fall.

That should be ok. hardware cloth is pretty hard on any birds feet if it's long term, but for brooding purposes it should be fine temporarily.
Here is some reading material for ya that should answer a lot of questions.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings.750869/#post-10611711