My wife just came home with a duckling

[thedarkwolf25]

So my wife just came home with a duckling, she just can't say no to animals, and I need some info. Here is a picture of the little guy/girl. I have no idea how old it is, what breed/species it is, or what it needs as far as shelter food and all the rest. I am trying to convince her that we just can't take care of a duck right now (we already have a zoo going on here) but I want to get my facts straight before I put my foot down (or give in and decide to keep it). She also apparently got it from "some people" that breed ducks, which doesn't inspire much confidence.

 

[marcelineduckie]

oh my so adorable looks like it could be an indian runner!!! does it stand up tall? or kinda like a regular duck? where you seem to have it in that what looks like a rabbit cage or dog kennel? looks fine for now it looks younger than a week so will need to be kept warm you can use a heat lamp, I myself did not feel safe with a lamp on like that so we filled one of my husband's clean socks up with rice and would randomly microwave it to warm and put it underneath a blanket in the ducks brooder it was late spring when we got.them so our house was quite warm also. they need water but something they can't drown themselves in we used a half gallon milk jug and cut a hole big enough for duckies to put their heads in and deep enough to.where they can submerge their beak. that is very important. they need food for ducks if using chick starter it absolutely needs to be unmedicated and ducks need extra niacin so a little brewers yeast in food or water will ensure your duck does not get leg problems lameness or other illnesses. ducks are a lot of work a lot of cleaning up after but so much fun and super sweet it is definitely worth it to keep. what other animals do you have? ducks are flock animals and need fowl.friends to be happy and healthy

 

[Amiga]

Well, that is such a sweet little one!

marcelineduckie makes a good point - they are flock animals. There are a minority of cases in which single ducks do quite well - it is when their person can be with them pretty much 24/7.

I won't argue about being a Runner, but that little one looks more to me like there could at least be some Khaki Campbell or Swedish in there . . . Just something about the coloring...

Here is some information on raising them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

 

[marcelineduckie]

thank you @Amiga for sending the link my dad has a single duck but she does have the chickens to.hang out with and does quite well with just them, she also sleeps in the house at night.