Hi everyone! A friend recommended I reach out here for tips. Yesterday, a dog that had slipped its leash savaged a wild Muscovy hen. She fled, maybe mortally wounded, and has not come back for her five ducklings. I’m not in a situation where I can keep them, and have reached out to a local duck sanctuary that I hope might take them in.
There are five ducklings, and they hatched about 10 days ago (the mother had brought them by before while she snacked on seed fallen from my bird feeders). While I wait to hear back from the sanctuary, I fed them mashed banana yesterday, kept them watered, and as soon as the local feed store opened this morning, acquired duckling feed and a waterer and chick feeder. They’re currently supplied with duckling feed mixed with water, atop which I put more mashed banana (to induce them to use the chick feeder). They’re outside in a bin in the shade (as in the picture), just in case their mother comes back.
Yesterday their stool was fairly compact, tubelike, and dark, but today it is the color of milk chocolate and blobby like diarrhea. I imagine this is partly fruit and partly fear, but:
What can I do to keep them healthy (in this temp situation)? I’m particularly concerned about the loose stool issue.
What kind of bedding is best? Right now they’re on paper towels, and they dirty them with great rapidity. Should I get pine shavings or something else for the bottom of the bin I have them in?
Their waterer has a low rim, and dispenses water from a mason jar in the center (it’s in the picture). They’ve definitely used it, but I also read somewhere (in a burst of emergency reading yesterday) that ducklings need to be able to dunk their heads to prevent “sticky eye” but not immerse their bodies (they’re not yet producing oil for their down/feathers). I think this feeder is too shallow for head dunking. Should I supply them with a different waterer?
Their underbellies are damp and maybe flecked with diarrhea. Should I try to wash them? Should I give them water enough to fit themselves in, even if they’re not producing oil? Should I oil up my hands with baby oil or something else and handle them gently, just to transfer over some oil? I terrify them, so I have mostly left them alone except when supplying them with food and water, and changing the paper towels.
Tips very much appreciated to help me deliver them on in as good shape as possible!
There are five ducklings, and they hatched about 10 days ago (the mother had brought them by before while she snacked on seed fallen from my bird feeders). While I wait to hear back from the sanctuary, I fed them mashed banana yesterday, kept them watered, and as soon as the local feed store opened this morning, acquired duckling feed and a waterer and chick feeder. They’re currently supplied with duckling feed mixed with water, atop which I put more mashed banana (to induce them to use the chick feeder). They’re outside in a bin in the shade (as in the picture), just in case their mother comes back.
Yesterday their stool was fairly compact, tubelike, and dark, but today it is the color of milk chocolate and blobby like diarrhea. I imagine this is partly fruit and partly fear, but:
What can I do to keep them healthy (in this temp situation)? I’m particularly concerned about the loose stool issue.
What kind of bedding is best? Right now they’re on paper towels, and they dirty them with great rapidity. Should I get pine shavings or something else for the bottom of the bin I have them in?
Their waterer has a low rim, and dispenses water from a mason jar in the center (it’s in the picture). They’ve definitely used it, but I also read somewhere (in a burst of emergency reading yesterday) that ducklings need to be able to dunk their heads to prevent “sticky eye” but not immerse their bodies (they’re not yet producing oil for their down/feathers). I think this feeder is too shallow for head dunking. Should I supply them with a different waterer?
Their underbellies are damp and maybe flecked with diarrhea. Should I try to wash them? Should I give them water enough to fit themselves in, even if they’re not producing oil? Should I oil up my hands with baby oil or something else and handle them gently, just to transfer over some oil? I terrify them, so I have mostly left them alone except when supplying them with food and water, and changing the paper towels.
Tips very much appreciated to help me deliver them on in as good shape as possible!
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