10 Baby Wood Ducks (1st thought they were Mallards)

[ThreeOfSeven]

Here's the pond and duckweed where I'm collecting water for the babies.

Taking our pond water home. Fortunately, it's a short drive, down the road and around the corner sort of thing.

Babies were frolicking and loving the fresh pond water and duckweed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Looks great wish I had a pond close I’d love to have some duck weed.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Looks great wish I had a pond close I’d love to have some duck weed.

I'm so thankful that my friend found it. The babies go crazy over it. Hopefully, it is helping them get a good balanced diet. Looks like it can be high in protein depending on conditions.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am sure it is beneficial I had some given to me some years ago I have a small 100 gal pond with goldfish in it my fish ate it all.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

I am sure it is beneficial I had some given to me some years ago I have a small 100 gal pond with goldfish in it my fish ate it all.

I miss my small pond. Maybe when I really get some ducks I can convince my DH to start digging.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

New video from this morning. Babies are with me for 1 week plus 1 day. Still eating their egg/meal worm/oat mix, but I'm now adding duckling starter mash. Hoping to wean them off the egg/meal worm/oat mix. Appetites are good. Last night's food was completely gone this morning, not a morsel remaining. I'll leave more food tonight.

I now have an appropriate-sized x-pen for the babies. We're going to put screening along the bottom, to keep them from escaping, and I have white garden fabric for the top. The garden fabric is to keep large birds from swooping down for a light snack. I'll also drape a corner with fabric so they have dark shade. And, of course, they'll have their *swimming pools*.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are so adorable.

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Need to pick brains ... if anyone is active on this thread.

It's hot today. 85-degrees in the shade. I rigged up the new x-pen for the baby ducklings. I attached screening to the inside to keep the babies scooting through the big holes. I have white garden cloth over the top to protect them from baby-eating birds. I also have a heavy fabric on the top to give them shade.

Here's the problem. I set the whole thing up, and my instant-read thermometer says that it's 90-degrees in the shade inside the x-pen. I'm concerned that it's too hot for them. They have the little pools, but that water doesn't stay cool. If the water is in direct sun, it can get very hot.

Am I being overly concerned? If they were in the wild, the water is cooler and shade under trees, etc. would be cooler than this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are they panting and acting distressed? maybe just keep a close eye on them and see how they are acting?

 

[Cailyn12]

How are the babies doing now ?