my ducklings aren't eating *pics added

[patnjess]

I just got duclings saturday, and they don't really seem to be eating. I have them on a mix of chickstarter and game bird starter (20% protein). They may pick here and there but otherwise seem disintrested. They will eat fresh greens put in a little dish of water, but thats about it.
Oh and they are not too friendly. The last ducklings i had just loved me , would follow me, and crawl on me. Not these. They are mixed breed.
I will take pics once it stops raining (they are not getting rained on, but I would to get to them

)

Any guesses as to what kind

 

[duckyfromoz]

How old are they? Do you know what they were being fed before you brought them home?

It seems my younger ducklings only sleep and eat- but as they get oder they arent constantly at the food dish.

They may also not be used to being handled. It is much easier to get a very young duckling to bond with you. Keep perservering with them.They do go through different stages of wanting attention and putting up with being handled. i would suggest trying to win them over with food and treats- but in this case- it may not work.

 

[froggie71]

I would ask how they were eating before. I know some people put their food in water and that might be what they are used to. I agree you'll have to keep working with them to get them used to you as well. As far as they are concerned right now you are a very large predator. Get down to their level, giving treats, let them come to you, etc. Time and patience. Good luck. Post pics when you can.

 

[chickenlittle32]

They still hae to get used to their new surroundings...Can't wait to see pics!

Another way to get them to eat, is put a little container of water...and allow them to walk in their food...it will stick to the bottom of their feet and they'll go to peck it off....

 

[Siler]

When my Mallard ducklings were tiny I kept them inside on top of the dryer and I had a small lamp above them. I kept them in a plastic tote to contain the mess they were about to make. I had never raised a duckling before and never researched the subject. I got them at TSC and they had their food and water separate and they seemed to never have touched it. They were really skinny too. At .50cents each I couldn't pass them up. When they wouldn't eat their food I thought for a minute how they eat in the wild. They swim in water and eat food that way so I sprinkled their food in the water dish. I was using a tiny cat food dish. They saw me do it and investigated what just fell in the water. They tasted it and starting gorging on the food. I kept doing it and they kept eating so from then on I would feed them by putting food in the water. I still kept dry food in the container and eventually they figured out that if they scooped up some food then put their little bills in the water that they could eat that way too.

I didn't have the room in there to put a water dish to swim in so twice a day every day I would take them out while cleaning the tote and would let them swim in a bowl. It was so precious! I have 2 small water gardens and I would drop them in that too and let them swim for a bit. They just went nuts. When they stopped moving they'd sink due to lack of fat and oil on their feathers so I'd pick them up and partially dry them off with a towel and let them oil themselves. I'd carry them around in the towel while they peeped and we'd look for worms and snails together. They quickly bonded with me. I've since lost the female but the male follows me everywhere and now unfortunately he think I'm his mate.

 

[patnjess]

Quote:
Great story. I have a koi pond I plan on letting them swim in. but I'm not putting them out there yet. I noticed that when they get wet with their water dish, they are wet. I don't want that.
This is them in their play yard, I have a sheet over top to hide them from birds of prey. This is just daytime hangout.

 

[IcarusSomnio]

Quote:
I'd give them a paint tray or a shallow dish to splash in. That really gives my guys an appetite. I usually sprinkle a little scratch in their water for them to 'dive' after since their larger.

Mine have enough water that it goes up to their lil' ducky knees

they can dunk their heads but can't drown in it. Sometimes all seven of them will stuff into there, especially when I put clean water in it