ducks left on front porch

[kat1928]

one stripe on eye so I'm thinking mallards. the note left with them said they got them three to five weeks ago. I think i would remember, but here's the thing, they have very few feathers, they have small tail feathers and a few starting on the wings. the birds are pretty large, and they love swimming and diving in the tub, for a few minutes, a couple times a day. also I've read not to feed them chick starter food, or they could develope angel wing, don't know what that looks like, if i switch their food at a month of age will it help at all. any help on ducks will be a big help, i researched for my new chickens, but wasn't expecting ducks, i have no clue, except that OMG the mess they make.

 

[ozark hen]

Do not give them medicate chicken feed, please. Go get some wild game bird feed for them. I would give them some bread with a bit of olive oil on it since they are that old. Not a lot but some. Next...get them out of the house. LOL do you have a safe and secure place for them? I have had mallards but they tended to fly away with the wild mallards. Loved them and their pool antics. Keep us posted and post pics please.

 

[duckgirl_19]

feedin them bread is bad for them and not healthy go to the sticky messages and they will help you and tell you what you need

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
I always use a small amount of bread to my flocks to get the olive oil in them. Nothing is written in stone but I would not use a steady diet of bread, I agree. But after usinga bit of bread to deliver the oil for many years..............all are healthy here.

 

[kat1928]

I bought wild game bird food today they are loving it, I tried bread in small peices yesterday, I thought they would have a heart attack to get away from it. they came with 5 chicken chicks and a half empty bag of chick starter food, not medicated. still crossing my fingers they will be fine, my chicken coop is half finished so as soon as it's done they are going out.

 

[duckgirl_19]

what does the olive oil do for the ducks? never heard of it.

 

[PlumTuckered]

I have 4 Mallards, a 4 week old Drake (he's quite big with lots of feathers), and 3 gals that are 11 days old. I feed my ducklings chick starter, fresh cut greens (I cup 'em up in bite size pieces with the scissors) and give them plain cheerios and frozen peas in their play water as a treat. My drake has been outside in the grown duck pen for over a week, however when I got the 3 gals yesterday I brought him in to be with them so they are all in the guest bath tub on puppy pee pads. He snuggles all of the little gals and he looks so huge compared to them, hard to believe he was this small just a few weeks ago LOL He even stands back and lets them eat before he goes to the food. He's such a prince. He lays on my chest every evening for an hour while I watch t.v...he's a real snuggler of a duck!

Michelle