Duck Eats Everything!

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

Hello I have a 7 weeks old duckling and I have noticed everything and anything he happens to see he will pick up most of it he will eat other things he’ll drop out of his mouth. But he will eat MOST things. I keep his bowl full of food and leave it out free of choice and he does eat a lot of his normal duck feed and grit. When we get him out to play he runs around and picks up anything and everything he sees. Most of it is stuff we didn’t even notice was there. This stuff includes but isn’t limited to dog hair, pine shavings, small parts of bark that fell off a tree and even the small stones In the driveway. If he is inside running around he’ll pick at the furniture and carpet. We have also noticed he’ll come up to us and peck at our phone, hands, feet, face and even our hair! I was just wondering if this is normal duck behavior? I’m afraid he’ll end up eating something that will hurt him considering we don’t have any vets that can see poultry within 100 miles of my area. Thank you.

 

[Aapomp831]

First off all, the duck shouldn’t be in the house. This is exactly one of the reasons why. Second, it’s your responsibility to have a secure run for him - whether it’s predator proof or free of debris. All poultry are attracted to shiny / new / different things. They don’t have hands and fingers so they explore these new and exciting things with their mouths. They are like toddlers - they need to be properly supervised or properly secured to make sure they don’t do this. And especially since there are no avian vets nearby, you should be even more vigilant.

 

[fatty and friends]

First off all, the duck shouldn’t be in the house. This is exactly one of the reasons why. Second, it’s your responsibility to have a secure run for him - whether it’s predator proof or free of debris. All poultry are attracted to shiny / new / different things. They don’t have hands and fingers so they explore these new and exciting things with their mouths. They are like toddlers - they need to be properly supervised or properly secured to make sure they don’t do this. And especially since there are no avian vets nearby, you should be even more vigilant.

they said he’s 7 weeks old, meaning not fully feathered, ducklings don’t need to be outdoors 24/7.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

First off all, the duck shouldn’t be in the house. This is exactly one of the reasons why. Second, it’s your responsibility to have a secure run for him - whether it’s predator proof or free of debris. All poultry are attracted to shiny / new / different things. They don’t have hands and fingers so they explore these new and exciting things with their mouths. They are like toddlers - they need to be properly supervised or properly secured to make sure they don’t do this. And especially since there are no avian vets nearby, you should be even more vigilant.

He does have a secure run with a house that he stays In when we aren’t around. He is a lone duck because he was the only one left and I was told he’d be fine with our chickens. Since he’s a lone duck we give him as much as our attention as we can which is why he’ll be let out of the run to run around the yard with us or in the house. Thank you for the advice and info though!

 

[fatty and friends]

hi! as long as they don’t eat anything toxic they should be fine. please have atleast two ducks since one is never okay (unless the duck has a disablity that makes being with other ducks dangerous)

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

they said he’s 7 weeks old, meaning not fully feathered, ducklings don’t need to be outdoors 24/7.

Ya he’s not fully feathered and we have been having nights above freezing. He does come in the house in his brooder without a heat lamp at night though because I live in Indiana and it’s still early enough for the weather to snap back into the low 30s or even 20s at night.

 

[neo71665]

Signs of most fowl learning what is edible. They can't pick it up with their hands and feel it.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

hi! as long as they don’t eat anything toxic they should be fine. please have atleast two ducks since one is never okay (unless the duck has a disablity that makes being with other ducks dangerous)

Will he be aggressive with a younger duckling? We have wanted to get another, but haven’t been able to find one his age and don’t want any issues with aggression. We wanted to get him a friend since we got him he was the only one left and by the time they got more he was already a lot bigger than the others.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

Will he be aggressive with a younger duckling? We have wanted to get another, but haven’t been able to find one his age and don’t want any issues with aggression. We wanted to get him a friend since we got him he was the only one left and by the time they got more he was already a lot bigger than the others.

He’s not aggressive with our chickens but our chickens are older than him. The chickens are scared of him and run the other direction any time he walks towards them though so he hasn’t really been close enough to another bird to show aggression.

 

[ChickCrazyWorryWort]

Thank you everyone for the info!