FOUND BABY DUCK

[horselover58]

OK duck people, I need some answers please! My husband and I found a baby duck near the chicken coup. He/she was starving or just eating very ravenously. It looks to be maybe a mallard duck? Cutest little thing I ever seen. So....we looked all over trying to maybe find the "parents", no luck at all. So I guess he stays since he is very attached to my husband now. Any clues on ducks: What they should eat etc., would be greatly appreciated. He loves the chicken feed of course.

He is soooo friendly that I almost believe someone just dumped him/her off. By the way, how DO I tell whether its a boy or girl? Thanks!

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Don't let it eat the chick starter unless it is unmedicated. Ducks can't seem to handle medicated feed. If you have a TSC by you, their chick starter is not medicated. You will have to wait a while to tell the sex. Good luck, hope everything works out OK.

 

[Cetawin]

aaawwww well according to the information I received from Holderread Farms, unmedicated chick starter mixed equally with turkey.wild game bird starter is best if you cannot find duck/goose starter. chick started does not have enough niacin alone and turkey starter has too much protein so mix them equally.

they love lettuce, tomatoes, spinach and peas...just make sure it is cut into piece 1/4" long. they need lots of water and deep enough to get there head in so they can clean their bills.

other than that, treat like a chicken.

Pics?


EDIT: females quack males sound like they have a sore throat...hoarse whisper. Also when they get older they will have a curled feather on the tip of their tail...Drakes are much quieter USUALLY. LOL

 

[Duck Keeper]

Quote:
And get ready for a LOT of spilled water!

I think somebody must have dropped the little guy off too... How horrible!

But it's not uncommon for a duck/duckling to scarf their feed down insanely fast; just make sure they have water to wash it down with, to prevent choking.

 

[horselover58]

Thanks!!! You guys/gals have been great. Think I am going to name the duck "The Wanderer" unless someone can come up with a better name for him/her?????

 

[satay]

Love the name. We have a chicken called gypsy cause she used to get out all the time and go wandering. She would always come back.

 

[LilbitChicken]

Well, how cute is that- LOVE the name!

Amazing how the little one had picked you as his/her new family!

 

[horselover58]

Thanks! Since you like the name I'll keep it.

 

[ticks]

Cetawin, that seems like too much. It could cause Angel Wing down the road. My ducklings were fed 20% and one still got Angel wing.

 

[Wifezilla]

Think I am going to name the duck "The Wanderer"

Or how about Ranger?

Angel wing is more an issue of a lack of greens and too many carbohydrates (in my opinion) than too much protein.

Think about it. What do young wild waterfowl eat? Bugs, weeds and fish. They do NOT eat corn wheat and soy. Their natural diet is high in protein with lots of greens and low in sugars. Angel wing is very prevalent in duck populations where people are feeding ducks in park ponds. People are not feeding these ducks protein. They are giving them bread, pretzels, crackers and other carby garbage.

I feed my ducks game bird feed and they also get greens in their water bowl every morning as well as forage time in the yard each day.​