Muscovy Runt Left Behind, please help?

[Pamelajfilby]

Hello!
We have tons of Muscovy ducks around our apartment complex here in FL. We've been watching a mother laying on some eggs in a large potted plant near the pool side, and about a week or so later, watched her walking around with newly hatched ducklings! So cute.

A day later I noticed the mother which was in the pot was not, but, one little duckling was left behind, chirping and running itself against the side of the pot.

I'm guessing this little one hatched a day or two late and missed all the siblings leaving the nest. I went to find the mother walking around with the ducklings, but when I put the little one down, two males came up and started biting at the duckling. I got scared and picked him up, but I honestly have no idea what I'm doing here!

I did some research and made the little one a warm place in a box, some shallow water, a mirror, and a little stuffed toy to cuddle against. I cant get it to eat as much as I read that ducklings eat, which is apparently a lot. But I don't have money to get him the proper feed that he'll need. So I keep trying to feed him mushed up bananas, apples, and finely chopped greens.
On day 2, he loves to swim and he's walking very well. He also loves to jump around, but im unsure if thats usual.

I was looking around for "usual duckling behavior" but I wasn't able to find anything.

I really want to give him a good home but I have no idea the first thing about this, and would appreciate some advice on how to put this little one up for adoption? Or is it possible to continue raising him like I am now?

Thanks so much!

Muscovy's make awesome pets!! I had a mother muscovy for 8 years. She was like a watch dog and very fun to have. They are great tick eaters too!! I left mine lose as she stayed close by. Used a dog house with hay inside which she loved. They are easy to keep and their eggs are great to poach or bake with. They will eat anything. I bought lots of different game bird food for her but she loved bread.

 

[Pamelajfilby]

Muscovy's make awesome pets!! I had a mother muscovy for 8 years. She was like a watch dog and very fun to have. They are great tick eaters too!! I left mine lose as she stayed close by. Used a dog house with hay inside which she loved. They are easy to keep and their eggs are great to poach or bake with. They will eat anything. I bought lots of different game bird food for her but she loved bread.

And they do love to jump!! We used to hold treats up high and they could jump right up straight in the air and snatch them from our hand.

 

[Deku]

Thank you all for your replies!! Im so happy there is so many people willing to give advice. It's day 3 and the little one is still with me. I'll attach some photos to this reply. I definitely don't want to give the little one a bad life and would love to release her/him(??) to its momma. Maybe I'll go out today and see if I can, now that the baby can walk properly now. I'm a little worried that it'll be scooped up by a hawk or something because she/hes a little slower than the rest? I'd be heartbroken! D: I've seen it happen to just the normal little ducklings last year.


So far I let baby swim around in the sink while I prepare him some food until he gets tired, then i dry her off and put her back in her box after she seems like shes done pecking at the food. I still don't notice her eating nearly as much as she should. Always takes like 5 pecks, nibbles the bite for about a minute and shakes her head about. Again, Im a total newbie, so i have no idea if this is normal?

Ideally I would love to adopt the little one out to someone who knows what they're doing, so if any of you guys know someone in the Central Florida area where they'd like to take on a little duckling, send them my way please!

 

[casportpony]

Try calling some wildlife rescues centers, I bet they'll be able to help.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

where is her state thread Kathy?

 

[casportpony]

where is her state thread Kathy?

, lol.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

, lol.

haha I cant find crap on here either

 

[casportpony]

I suggested wildlife rescue because Florida does have wild Muscovies, so that really would be the best place to start.

 

[Deku]

I suggested wildlife rescue because Florida does have wild Muscovies, so that really would be the best place to start.

I'll send them a message today! Thank you

In the meantime, I'll also be happy to receive messages from anyone who make want to foster the little one. I'm very happy to have her in the hands of someone who knows about all this better than me.

 

[CarleeAnn]

She may be shaking her head if the mush is hard to get down. You should try to supplement grit somehow... Anyone have suggestions for items around the house??

Again, I got my grit at Tractor Supply, but it’s a lot to get if you don’t plan on keeping her.

I’ll attach a recipe for what I gave my ducklings when I ran out of duck food and the store was closed:

P.S. just use grass, not spinach.