2 smaller ducklings arent thriving. updated with pic!!

[bantymum]

Hi all ,
with regard to the little ducklings which I have separated from the rest, they still are totally undersize. their siblings are now huge. The littlies are still at the same size of a few weeks ago. I wonder if they will be midget banty ducks!!
Anyhow im trying to beef them up, I put them in with their siblings today for a little run around and they got picked on.
Shame, I hope they both pull through, they are so funny when they grab my lip, ouch!!!no, im not worried about a zoonosis!!!my resistance is tough!
any suggestions for a bodybuilding diet!!!!

 

[DuckLady]

I would just keep on with what you are doing. Giving them the starter feed maybe a couple weeks longer than you normally would to make up for lost time. They might catch up. Are they active and bright eyed? If so, they might be fine.
Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[mlheran]

From what you've said, your ducklings sound somewhat similar to a runty duckling I had -I got some good information about it on this post. In my case the Polyvisol helped. Within a few days she was active and starting to grow. Bitsy is now grown and slightly smaller than the other ducks her age, but I do have concerns about her rough development impacting her laying (that she may be prone to egg-binding or be an internal layer). But in my case, the vitamins were the difference between a duckling that wasted away and one that thrived.

Oh and no, you can't get a banty from a regular duck -just a runt.

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou, Ill keep up what im doing, yes i think they will both end up undersized.
They were waiting to be brought inside last night at dusk.
They are in their own run during the day.
I went out and locked up the chooks then came in to answer the phone and the littlies started cheeping madly, when i came back they settled right down and happily came in and settled into bed!
I have no feathers for their bed so I used pillow stuffing which is in little balls of fluff, they love snuggling into it under the red lamp!
Their little faces are so sweet, I have the cage covered with a blanket with a peep hole at one end for me to spy on them.
Awwww they are soo cute when they snuggle each other.

 

[DuckLady]

Great idea mlheran! I totally spaced it on the Polyvisol!
Bantymum, if you can get Polyvisol (liquid children's vitamins) you can try giving each baby 2 drops twice a day for a week or 2 and see if that doesn't give them a boost.

 

[xke4]

When I fostered some ducklings this summer for our local wildlife rehab centre, I found that chopped up mealworms and chopped crickets were a good boost for the ones that were not doing very well.

 

[bantymum]

Thankyou very much, I was going to ask about the polyvsol, thanks mlheran.
And thankyou xke4 for your advice too.
I have some avian cage bird vitamin drops which i have been putting in their water which i dip grainy bread pieces into. I guess bread isnt really what they should have? they only get it for medicine.
I have stopped wetting their turkey starter with cracked corn and they prefer it dry.
I get paid tommorrow and ill go straight to chemist (drugtore) and buy some childrens vitamin drops.
Thankyou.

 

[justusnak]

Bantymum.....these little ducklings are very lucky to have you as a mum. Sounds like they have a great bed! Is it big enough for me too!?? LOL Soft...warm...ahhhhhhh. I just know you will be able to pull them through this...and they will be the friendliest of the bunch!

 

[bantymum]

Thanks Deb, Yes they will be tame if they pull thru!
Heres the latest pic:

 

[Chatychick]

Some are just stronger and more agressive than others but with them separate from the others and not having to fight for their food they should grow really well for you and you should see a difference hopefully soon. Also I have found that dry cat food crushed is high in protien also and my chicks loved it. My big girls love cat food too and have to watch them when they get in the feed room they head straight for it... I have a goose we can hand feed and she loves to get grass pieces all the time. They sound like they had a rough start but they should be good soon...Good Luck