Help! Duckling off to a bad start and now stuck in egg

[kendradillon]

Defiantly soak food! I just read the part they r coughing up crumbles! Not good they don't eat like chickes. Fill half the dish w foo the rest w water! I sugest also electro lights!! U can get them cheap at feed stores I've run into so many problems the past few weeks being a fort time duckling owner lol. Have had big ducks all my life! I hope this helps u! I have had so much help on this site it's ridiculous! This brand also has great probiotics!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Vitamins in the water will make huge diff in their perky -ness.

 

[michellemcfeely]

Very helpful info. I've got call duck eggs in the incubator and am asking and absorbing as much info as possible

 

[Eika]

Ok, forget what I said about not eating much! They're hungry little things now, are very active and already alert to people entering the room. Always running around chasing each other and they sprint with their tiny wings sticking out if I put them out of their box and onto the carpet. I'm in love We're getting proper duckling starter in the morning so they should be fine, thanks for the info I'll have a go mixing more water in - should have thought of that before really as it's how I feed their parents! I tried vent sexing them and they *seem* to be 3 girls but we'll see how that goes. I don't think they need the electrolytes/sugar etc for now as they are so full of energy, but when can I start giving them veggies/mealworms etc?

 

[kendradillon]

I gave puddles worms in the first week. I give him lettuice n what not at the same time. Eat to purée it untill thy get bigger. W the veggies start out w verry little! No big salads right off the bat lol

 

[Rosie42892]

Adorable babies! Congrats on helping to hatch them. Good luck!

 

[Eika]

Thank you! Now a bit more help please....I put them onto pine shavings today as they're really getting too poopy to keep sacrificing bath towels, but immediately they just started eating them. With gusto too Any advice? I've got them in their cleaning box while I mix together a fresh batch of feed, hopefully that will distract them and then they'll forget about how tasty wood shavings apparently are. Any other ideas? I thought 1 week was ok but evidently not; what age do you usually put them onto shavings?

 

[kendradillon]

Yes, take the shavings away!! They can ingest them, drink water, and they can swell. I use puppy training pads. Easy to swop out, u can get them about .25 ech at Walmart

 

[Eika]

Ahhhh puppy training pads = genius, thank you very much! I knew the shavings were bad for young ducklings but was told they'd be fine around this age. Another one with mixed reviews is hay; some say it's great, some say it is terrible due to mould/bacteria/mites etc. Ok, will get some training pads from work tomorrow (the boss must wonder how I'm going through so much stuff ) and keep them on towels for another night. Took them out yesterday for their first walk, it was nice and sunny and they LOVED going through the grass

 

[kendradillon]

Haha I did shavings for the first few days I had no idea.. Just so much easier w pads even w water! The towels would drop n smell n the pads absorb n don't smell so bad. We r both learning!! Your lil baby is soooooo cute! My Puddles is so spoiled! He now has to be tucker in his bed to go night night... Lol what have I done lol