Got my mandies!!!...finally (Pictures)

[SundownWaterfowl]

You need live mealworms to teach them how to eat. They move and the ducklings go after them. Freeze dried mealworms dont work.

I put my newly hatched mandarin ducklings in with a week older call duckling. It teaches the little ones how to eat and drink.

 

[chickenlisa]

Quote:
I'm in NJ and we come over Rt 17 (Southern Tier Expressway) from east to west NY.

I'll look for live mealworms...but if any babies hatch, their parents and 2 Australian Spotted older ducklings are in that pen. Hoping they all teach any babies how to eat.

 

[1lpoock]

I picked up some meal worms and put them in, but the ducks wont even eat or drink with me watching them. So I walked away and when I came back, all the mealworms were gone!

I just hope they will eat their feed now.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Thats great.

How old did they say the ducklings were? I have been told not to move the ducklings around the first week or so.

 

[1lpoock]

He didn't really say...he had some that just hatched yesterday, a brooder full of the ones I got, and a brooder full of ones a bit older than mine. I'm guessing about a couple days old...can you tell from the pictures?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
I'm in NJ and we come over Rt 17 (Southern Tier Expressway) from east to west NY.

I'll look for live mealworms...but if any babies hatch, their parents and 2 Australian Spotted older ducklings are in that pen. Hoping they all teach any babies how to eat.

Yes, if they are being incubated and hatched by their mother, the mother will teach the ducklings how to eat.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Quote:
Probably around 4-7 days old. Both do look like mandarin ducklings.

 

[cawooduck]

They are both mandarin ducklings, a lot more yellowing on the down as opposed to more whitish with wood ducklings.

As far as eating goes, i sprinkle the dry crumble on the paper towel on the bottom of the brooder, then when they walk around it bounces which in turn they go after it and eat it.

As far as the water, just dip their bills like you would chicks, they figure it out after that.

You want them to have some fun, get some small crickets from the pet store and turn them loose in the container, its good exercise for them also!!

PS- Remember, they dont eat a lot at this age, so it may be hard to tell if they are eating. In my brooder i have 3 wood ducklings and a ring teal duckling and you can barely tell that they are eating until its all gone!! But they are healthy and wild little critters! I have never had a problem getting ducklings to eat, and once one starts to eat, they all do.

Congrats on the ducklings!!!............Jason

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Ive been using an upside down frisbee for a feeder.

It works great.

 

[1lpoock]

I'll be making an aviary soon...do you think I can use knotted nylon netting for the whole thing. I was also going to put a few strands of electric fence around the perimeter...can racoons tear through the nylon netting?