Help! Duckling won’t eat.

[Amber1918]

Is he the only duckling? My single hatched baby needed to be “shown” how to do it, but she slowly got the hang of it. Is his bill normal? Has he pooped at all? Have you offered dry crumble? Lots of questions!

Yeah he’s the only one. I’ve had to wipe the food on his bill and the he’ll eat a little or he shakes his head like he doesn’t like it. Yep his bill is normal! Nope I haven’t seen any poop. Yes he’s been offered both.

 

[Amber1918]

Try putting the duckling into some warm water usually sitting them in water get them to poop. Just make sure to pat him stay and right back under heat. How does it tummy feel?

I’ll have to try that thank you!! His tummy seems normal, doesn’t feel hard.

 

[Trisseh]

Did you purchase or hatch this guy?

Do you have any other type of poultry feed you could offer? Not for long term, but to get him started.

With ruminants, sometimes it helps to have an individual that already knows how to eat starter, for example, to demonstrate to another individual that does not. They seem to pick it up quicker. Not sure if that would help with birds at all.

 

[Amber1918]

Did you purchase or hatch this guy?

Do you have any other type of poultry feed you could offer? Not for long term, but to get him started.

With ruminants, sometimes it helps to have an individual that already knows how to eat starter, for example, to demonstrate to another individual that does not. They seem to pick it up quicker. Not sure if that would help with birds at all.

We hatched him, our adult ducks started laying and we decided to incubate the eggs. Not on hand I don’t no. Yeah unfortunately I don't have any other baby’s at the moment.

 

[Sand creek Ameraucanas]

You’ll put some on your finger and he’ll eat a little bit of it. Same with the eggs. But he won’t go to the dish and eat. Yeah he’s moving around and very vocal. He haven’t pooped yet. I was rubbing a warm cloth on his butt to see maybe if he was clogged up and that’s why he didn’t want to eat.

Get him some honey sugar water for electrolytes
See if there is anything else he’ll eat like bananas that are mashed or some sugar free Cheerios that’s what some people do or just anything high cal

 

[Miss Lydia]

First off how old is this duckling? You know they can go 2-3 days just living off the yolk they absorbed.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Also, since he's alone put a little stuffed animal and a mirror in the brooder with him so he doesn't feel so alone.