Duckling wing development

[Mamasaurusrex2]

Take them off of oatmeal unless your wetting or cooking first. Oatmeal is the biggest problem in waterfowl as they need water to swallow in the first place and rolled oatmeal absorbs every bit of water in crop which causes impaction. Same for chickens. If you want to weaken food then find wheat millings. It is used to fortify fodder. I use omega plus chicken feed for my adults and wheat because they love it. As day olds to 4 weeks we feed 24% protein and buy mana pro non medicated chick starter.

Their leg/feet damage is most likely turtles in the creek as duck feet is their favorite and if small enough the entire chick. They should be on about 16% protein to avoid angel wing which can show up later in adulthood as well.

They are beautiful. It is terrible they lost their mom and I would call game and fish to see if you are allowed to keep them. I know in my state, we are not allowed to keep wild ducks without a farm permit.

If I were to wet the oatmeal before giving it would tap water be ok or should I use the standing water by my house that they like to swim in? (It's a man made ditch next to the street to catch water run off and the sprinklers keeping full. This is where I first saw the ducks)

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

No they don't get it..It's a man made infliction..

Wild ducks do get it, but only if fed by humans. Usually when fed bread. I hate seeing people feed them bread.

 

[casportpony]

If I were to wet the oatmeal before giving it would tap water be ok or should I use the standing water by my house that they like to swim in? (It's a man made ditch next to the street to catch water run off and the sprinklers keeping full. This is where I first saw the ducks)

You can feed birds and ducks uncooked dry oatmeal, no need to wet it.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

You can feed birds and ducks uncooked dry oatmeal, no need to wet it.

Thank you! The other comment said not to feed dry so I was confused! I do notice it makes them super thirsty and they go back to the creek to get a drink and sometimes come back for more lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe put a small bucket of water out for them?

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

Maybe put a small bucket of water out for them?

I got a pet dish for them today lol so I can give water with their food and I can leave some food on my patio without just leaving it in a pile. Sometimes if I'm going to be gone for a bit I'll leave some food on my patio and they eat it lol

Is tap water ok?

 

[katiebrock]

Thanks everyone for the help!!

Here are all 5 babies when they first came to my door 2 weeks ago.

Sweet babies! I love when they start getting their “dinosaur claw” quills. When I first saw them on my ducks, I thought something was wrong with them! I am new to ducks as well.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I got a pet dish for them today lol so I can give water with their food and I can leave some food on my patio without just leaving it in a pile. Sometimes if I'm going to be gone for a bit I'll leave some food on my patio and they eat it lol

Is tap water ok?

That’s what most have so yes.

 

[Mamasaurusrex2]

Sweet babies! I love when they start getting their “dinosaur claw” quills. When I first saw them on my ducks, I thought something was wrong with them! I am new to ducks as well.

Lol! They look so strange, they had me worried a bit too! I kept trying to look up pictures on feather development and couldn't find any that looked like them. I'm so glad to know they are normal lol. They are just so cute.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Like little prehistoric birds.