I NEED HELP ASAP W/ BABY DUCKS!!!! EMERGENCY!!!! final update pg 6

[mom wewantchicks!]

ok i just got home and my hubby says we have baby ducks!!! he was going up to the barn and a small dark colored duck flew away. then he noticed babies everywhere!! and right off our cat also noticed!!! they where running everywhere and the mom was not there, we knew the cat was going to get them. so we ran all over the yard colecting ducklings! they couldnt be anymore than a day or two old. i have 9 in my tub with wet mash and water,they are peeping and jumping like crazy!!! now i normally would never bother them, but with no mom in sight they where headed for doom!! what do i do??? should i try to get them back to the mom? we are keeping an eye out for her,we came inside to see if she might come back, and are watching out the window. ugh!! im new to chicks and now i have ducks!! how do i take care of them if they cant go back to the mom? i cant belive they are even here, we dont have a pond or anything!!!!!

 

[seminolewind]

You need to put them in an escape proof run with their mother. If you free range your babies, you may lose them all.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Hatcheries sell day-old ducklings just like chicks, so they will be ok without mom if you're willing to care for them. If not, you can always find homes for them.

My understanding is that they can't handle medicated chick feed so you will need duck starter if you can get some. Without momma there they really shouldn't go in the water, so a brooder box like chicks is ideal.
I hope you find momma~

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

crap, i put in my chick starter from, southern states,idk if its medicated and they are not open on sunday!!! i will care for they but i feel really bad like i stole the moms babies!!!! its been alomst an hour and no sign of momma!!! i was thinking if she came back maybe i could catch her and secure her and the babies but we are not really set up for that! we just got our chicken coop done!!

 

[menageriemama]

I am not an expert with ducks, we just raised our first ones this year, but they are full grown, nice and healthy. If the mama doesnt come back, I would go to the feed store and get a bag of duck starter or game bird starter. It has lots of protien that little ducks need to grow. They also need to be able to dip their heads in water, so make sure their water source is deep enough for that, but not too deep because they can drown if they cant get out. I gave mine a bath each day in the sink and then in the tub when they got bigger. Toss some shredded up lettuce or spinach or other greens into the water and watch them go nuts!

Ducks and all waterfowl are really messy, so they do require you to clean out their brooder daily. Make sure they have a heat lamp for warmth and no drafts. Another route would be to call a wildlife rehabilitator if they are a wild type of duck. A bit of time searching the web should provide you with a rehab in your area. Good luck! Ducks are so cool!!

 

[Mrs MIA]

That's what we do, too!

Bathtime is so much fun! And they LOVE the chopped up greens. We use warm water for the bath, since they don't have the oils to stay warm. But yes, the gamebird feed is good, too. You could probably grind up some plain oatmeal for them, too.

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

they are peeping like crazy!!!! are they just freaking out because they want thier mom?? should i give them a stuffed animal?

 

[poultrykeeper08]

Can you post a pic ? Maybe One of us could let you know what kind of ducks they are

 

[mom wewantchicks!]

i will post a pick in a bit, i just got them to settle down! im pretty sure they are mallards, my hubby is a hunter,but didnt really pay much attention to the mom,cause he hadnt noticed the babies,and he never hunts for babies lol. right now im off to the store for some baby duck food because all we have is the chick starter! i did go ahead and give them a stuffed animal and it seems to help!

 

[BeckyBird]

It was a wild duck, right? Is it possible to keep the cat inside, away from the duck? If so, you could put the babies outside in a box, and see if the mother hears them and comes back. If she doesn't, it looks like you are the new owner of some ducklings, lol! But if she does come back for them, they should be fine with her, as long as the cat is kept away.