Help needed

[TheEnigmaticOne]

Before I get to my questions, I need to share a little story. Last night my parents came over to visit when I showed them the 7 baby cottontail bunnies I rescued. They are all doing very well and eatting great. My parents joking said something about having a petting zoo, as I have a large Iguana, 6 cats, and a wolfdog. I said I had always wanted a baby duck, well guess what they showed up with this morning. A freaking cute duck, from what I have read I beleive it to be a Pekin, and was told it hatched last friday. I love the little thing, problem is , I know nothing about ducks and need some serious help lol. I have looked online for ebooks and things of that type, which is how I found this website. I was given a 8 pound bag a crack corn to feed it, and have it in a 120 gallon fish tank I had empty. Is newspaper ok for bedding or do I need somethng special. Is there anything else, other than crack corn I can feed it, and things I cant? I was told that bread is actually bad for ducklings. I had a extra clamp light for my iguana than I am using on it now, but is there a special bulb needed for heat, like other animals. Right now I have a regular 60 w bulb in it about 2 feet above its head on one side of the tank. Will this be ok? Does the light need to be on 24 hours a day or just at night? When can I let them swinm in the tub? Is water ok, or is there somethng I need to add to the water before letting the duck swim in it? Im sorry for all the questions, and I am sure I will think of more, but that is a start. If anyone knows of any ebooks I can read that would help, please let me know. Just want to make sure I dont do anything wrong that would hurt the little thing. Thanks in advance!!!!!!

 

[Wifezilla]

Cracked corn is not what you want to feed the baby duck.

Either chick starter or waterfowl starter is what you want. Some places actually have DUCK starter, but most of us have to improvise. If you end up with chick starter, you will need to give the duck a little extra niacin. You can easy do that by getting brewer's yeast tablets in the vitamin section of your local Walmart. Just crash a tablet and sprinkle some over the feed.

The fish tank is fine, but newspaper is a little slippery and can give your duckling "spraddle leg". You can use layers of paper towels or pine bedding (not cedar) instead.

Bread IS bad for ducklings. If you want to give them a treat, give them greens floated on some water. At first they play with it more than anything, but it doesn't take them long to figure out it is really food. I give mine thawed out frozen french cut green beans, chopped romaine lettuce, etc... Don't bother trying to give it carrots. All my ducks hate carrots...and alfalfa sprouts for some reason.

Heat doesn't have to be a ceramic heat bulb. Go by temperature. Start at 90º and go down 5º each week until you are at room temp. It needs to be warm 24/7.

They can swim in the tub at only a couple of days IF you supervise. Ducks don't develop the little oil gland that helps them water proof their feathers until they are a week old. Before then they can get water logged. You don't have to add anything to the water. If you start letting it swim right away, make sure the water is warm, only let it swim for short intervals, and dry it off and put it back in the warm brooder right away.

In return for the advice, I demand to see a photo!!

 

[TheEnigmaticOne]

Great, thanks for the advise! Will get a pic up as soon as I figure out what I did with my SD adaptor for my camera lol. Is there anything I can sub for chick starter for a few days if I have to, moneys tight until Friday lol. I gae her some finally chopped green beans, she wasnt impressed lol. Read on yahoo answers that they like cricketts too, any advise on that, yah or nah

 

[Wifezilla]

Maybe when it gets older. Can you get a hold of some worms?

As for other foods until payday....

Oatmeal? (slow cooked kind...not instant)
Yogurt?

 

[TheEnigmaticOne]

yogart? really? wow, never would have thought. Worms shouldnt be a problem, it is raining hard outside, should be easy to find some. Thanks again. Does the oatmeal need to be cooked, or just in water or dry?

 

[Wifezilla]

I would cook it since the duck is only a few days old. And the corn isn't totally useless, just not the ideal thing to only feed a duck.