how to care for a wild duckling

[NorthernChick1]

ok so i brought her outside tonight as it was really nice out and she automatically started eating little bugs and small ants! she even ate a huge black one even though it took her 5 minutes to kill it! would anyone say this is enough for her diet? could she mainly live off of backyard bugs? Im having a hard time feeding her... ill get a better syringe tomorrow and try more.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

Did you ever purchase waterfowl feed?

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

i dont see her drinking either... she doesnt touch the waterer but she dunks her head in the dog bowl when shes swimming in it. i figure she must gulp some up while bathing in the water?

Do not let her swim. She could get waterlogged. She doesn’t have her mother to spread oil on her to prevent it.

 

[The Phantom]

Do not let her swim. She could get waterlogged. She doesn’t have her mother to spread oil on her to prevent it.

It’s fine to let them swim. Just watch them. I swim mine for usually a half hour 1-2x a day depending on how excited they are. They float fine. Eventually they get waterlogged but then I take them out and let them dry.

 

[The Phantom]

ok so i brought her outside tonight as it was really nice out and she automatically started eating little bugs and small ants! she even ate a huge black one even though it took her 5 minutes to kill it! would anyone say this is enough for her diet? could she mainly live off of backyard bugs? Im having a hard time feeding her... ill get a better syringe tomorrow and try more.

Well she’s eating something. Maybe take the ants and put them in her food.

 

[Wolfefarmyard]

It’s fine to let them swim. Just watch them. I swim mine for usually a half hour 1-2x a day depending on how excited they are. They float fine. Eventually they get waterlogged but then I take them out and let them dry.

Yes, but you just have to make sure to supervise them the ENTIRE time and only let them swim for short periods. Afterwards, they have to get dry real quick so that they don’t chill.

 

[The Phantom]

Yes, but you just have to make sure to supervise them the ENTIRE time and only let them swim for short periods. Afterwards, they have to get dry real quick so that they don’t chill.

Yup. I watch them the whole time. I fill the tub with slightly warm water so they stay warm. After I let them dry some of the water off for 5min before I put them back.

 

[blackandtan]

Bugs are a great diet, she’s a diver duck so I’d try putting food in the water, changing water frequently, if there is a lake or nearby stream that you could scoop bugs from that would be ideal, and would make her transition from captivity to wild easier

 

[blackandtan]

And I wouldn’t worry too much about getting chick food because the diet for land birds and domestic ducks is very different than diver ducks, they don’t naturally eat any grain and she’ll need more b vitamins and omegas than puddle ducks (mallards and all their descendants like cayugas, rouens etc) all of which come from aquatic insects and minnows

 

[Fluffnut]

I just gave mine water they could stand up in, and they'd hop out and start preening themselves when they got bored.