10 wild baby ducks dumped on door step

[ondrea19]

Good for you. Since they're wild you can let ducks be ducks.

thank you!

 

[ondrea19]

Okay the babies are doing great but I noticed they do a lot of scratching and they are loosing feathers right now and growing new ones but on some of their necks they have dry skin with no feathers. Any suggestions? They get 20-30 of water time everyday and are getting chick starter all day and they get fresh water every chance I get but this dry skin is weird

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay the babies are doing great but I noticed they do a lot of scratching and they are loosing feathers right now and growing new ones but on some of their necks they have dry skin with no feathers. Any suggestions? They get 20-30 of water time everyday and are getting chick starter all day and they get fresh water every chance I get but this dry skin is weird

losing down and growing new feather is itchy business, maybe add a little protein to their diet to help with feather development grind up some good quality cat or dog kibble into their feed or dreid meal worms is another good source of protein. also some poultry vitamins may help with dry skin. can you post a pic? heat can dry out skin too are they still under a heat lamp? if you have coconut oil you could rub some on their dry skin or even put a small amount over their feed.

 

[ondrea19]

They don't have a heat lamp. I'll try the portein and I'll post pics when they dry off they are getting bath time now

 

[Miss Lydia]

They don't have a heat lamp. I'll try the portein and I'll post pics when they dry off they are getting bath time now

Look forward to seeing them.

I just reread your thread and have to say I am very proud of you for keeping these ducklings and not letting them release them to a fate I wouldn't even want to think about. so they are getting towards 3 weeks old? what is the plan now?

 

[ondrea19]

The pictures will have to wait tilly boyfriend can help they are just too wiggly.

I want them to have a normal life and fly away like they would when they would leave their mom. I know some people may not agree with this but they would be much happier that way and 10 of them is way too many to keep plus my 6 other Ducks and two eggs about to hatch. When they get too big for predators I'm going to take them to my grandpa private pond if there is still water in it so they can learn how to hunt bugs and eat whatever wild ducks eat. I just want them to be happy and they imprinted on their mom before she disappeared so living in captivity won't work they are afraid of me and I don't see them being happy having their wings clipped and living in my barn all winter. And it's just way too many mouths to feed. I know most won't survive after they take off but right now they are all beating the odds. Wild duckling survival rate around here can be less than 10% some years and if they grow up and have their own young I'll call it success it's the circle of life

 

[ondrea19]

 

[ondrea19]

That's the worst one I think I'm just worried it's mites or something like that

 

[drumstick diva]

Is the dry skin mainly on their necks? I wonder if they are allergic to their water or feeders - metal or plastic. When they bend to eat/drink the rim of the feeder would touch their necks.

 

[ondrea19]

Just on their necks. That makes sences! I just changed the feeder a day or two ago it's mainly the smallest one and of the bigger ones.