how to care for a wild duckling

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I put minnows in a kiddie pool and my baby ducks had a blast catching and eating them. I don't know if you can find minnows that small. Such a cute little duck! It looks like a little toy!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Maybe guppies or feeder goldfish?

 

[NorthernChick1]

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

mine does exactly that. she stands up in it. plays around gets out and preens!
and so if i give her aquatic insects and beetles and such that should be fine as her diet?

 

[NorthernChick1]

didnt look to be doing to good this am... would walk around and not spunky at all,... i had to get to work so i didnt do much this am... not sure what to do exactly. I changed its water, gave it a warm dry spot and i put the temp down. It was around 78F and it was laying in the far corner of the brooder. Will check today with thunderbay and see if it would take it in.

 

[NorthernChick1]

Did you ever purchase waterfowl feed?

they dont ship to canada

 

[NorthernChick1]

my brother just called..... she just passed away a few minutes ago...... She was so full of energy last night....ate ants,.. this morning she wasnt walking around, she would just stay still....i knew something was off because she would keep one wing out a little... sorry everyone for failing.... i had checked two places this weekend and nothing was open until today.... i feel so bad poor ducky...

 

[blackandtan]

Don’t be too hard on yourself, there’s a good chance that she was abandoned and moms usually do that when there’s something wrong, so you were playing against a stacked deck in the first place. I Just lost a rescue too, I found a gull with a probable broken back flapping on the highway yesterday, he died before I could get home. We can’t save everything!

 

[NorthernChick1]

It was just doing sooo good until this morining.... it sucks... plus golden eyes are verry rare around here.... i do duck banding as part of my job every year and ive never cought one yet..

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Jumping on this thread because it's here and applies to my NEW situation.

Last night, friends brought me 10 very young, mallard ducklings. They were stuck in a street drainage hole. 4-5 people got together and got them all out. With all this activity and excitement, the mother went off. They checked this morning, and she's not around. If they left the babies at the location overnight, night predators would have decimated them. (Location is very near a home where a whole flock was murdered, except one old hen, and she's now living at my house with my other hens.)

So, they are now set up in a large container with pine shavings, a mama cave, crumbles, water, overhead heat lamp, and I made a watery mush of carrots, lettuce, corn, and mealy worms (that's all the veggies that I have in the fridge). A few of them started eating that mush. I have a work sink nearby that I can fill with tepid water, so they can have a swim/bath.

They slept well last night under the mama cave. I checked them about 11 pm, and not a peep. This morning, they're not as appreciative of their duckling condo, trying to jump out, and hoping to hook up with mama again. <sad>

What more can I do?

Added info: One of the people at the rescue works full-time at a shelter and part-time at a turtle rescue. She is also our town's wildlife/animal rescue person. If these babies could have been left on-site, they would have. It was about 7 pm when they came to my house.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

Jumping on this thread because it's here and applies to my NEW situation.

Last night, friends brought me 10 very young, mallard ducklings. They were stuck in a street drainage hole. 4-5 people got together and got them all out. With all this activity and excitement, the mother went off. They checked this morning, and she's not around. If they left the babies at the location overnight, night predators would have decimated them. (Location is very near a home where a whole flock was murdered, except one old hen, and she's now living at my house with my other hens.)

So, they are now set up in a large container with pine shavings, a mama cave, crumbles, water, overhead heat lamp, and I made a watery mush of carrots, lettuce, corn, and mealy worms (that's all the veggies that I have in the fridge). A few of them started eating that mush. I have a work sink nearby that I can fill with tepid water, so they can have a swim/bath.

They slept well last night under the mama cave. I checked them about 11 pm, and not a peep. This morning, they're not as appreciative of their duckling condo, trying to jump out, and hoping to hook up with mama again. <sad>

What more can I do?

You're doing awesome! They'll forget about their momma soon. Ducks like a lot of space, mine only try to jump out if "they" feel they are crowded.