Feed question! (And updated pics of our duckling!)

[BlakeRyan]

Our duckling is about a month old now! He's doing so well! I've included some updated pics below. we can't believe how fast he has grown and how big he has gotten! He's doing well in the rabbit cage and we use puppy pads for the dropping pan for easier clean up. The wires on the cage haven't bothered him this far and he's very very content and interactive with us and our 4 kiddos. He's such a sweetheart! We still don't know if he's actually a he for sure, but we've taken to referring to him as that right now, until we know for 100%.

I did have a couple questions. His poop can be straight watery diarrhea at times, is this normal? And when can we start giving him lettuce and things? He ears small like grain food right now, like general poultry feed that his first owner had him on since birth, and he's done fine with and enjoys, but I wonder will lettuce and such help make his poop a little more solid or is this just how their poop is no matter what? Also, we still use the heat lamp pretty much all day and all night. Sometimes when we are home during the day or evenings we shut it off and he doesn't mind but one night we tried leaving it off and he was peeping at us like crazy until we turned it back on...I wonder if he doesn't like the dark? Maybe I'm just crazy thinking that lol! But does he still need it at this point?

Thanks everyone!

-Blake

 

[Amiga]

Einz was afraid of the dark for her first four years, then she calmed down. But she would shriek if there was not at least a night light.

If the little is getting a tiny bit (quarter teaspoon or less) of chick sized grit every day, then it's good to start offering a few treats. If grit is not part of the routine yet, then wait till he has had it for a week or so then try some treats.

There is a sticky on treats that are okay for ducks and ducklings - the Sticky link is in blue at the top of the Duck Forum index.

Watery treats will make poop more water, protein treats will make poop more aromatic. Try thawed frozen peas. Just a couple of teaspoons at first. Some ducklings demand so many peas they end up hucking them back up. ew.

 

[BlakeRyan]

Thanks for the advice! I was thinking a night light when we were done with the heat lamp if he still seemed freaked out.

We fill the large chick feeder we have with 2 or 3 small Dixie cup sizes of the poultry dry grit food a couple times a day because he goes through it at least that much. I just worry about him choking still on "real food" treats but I think he would be fine? I read somewhere about some lettuce pieces in some water so it's easier for them to eat, but wasn't sure if we could just give it to him dry or not? I didn't know about thawed frozen peas...I'll try that! Thanks!

 

[BlakeRyan]

I can't find that sticky about duck treats..

 

[BlakeRyan]

Oh! Another question...how do you guys cut down on the splashing from their water dishes? Sometimes it's not bad but other times the pads in his dropping pan under the cage are drenched.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I can't find that sticky about duck treats..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

make something like this it does help with splashing. put a rock in the bottom to keep it from turning over.
adorable duckling!!