New to Ducklings! And to BYC

[StarkCrazy007]

Hi all, Lauren here
So this is my crazy story... My friend and I were at taco bell, it was chilly, pouring rain and we spotted a lone duckling (so so tiny) in the drivethru next to a busy main road! (like highway busy) we couldn't leave him there, he could barely jump up onto the curb to get out of harms way.
Now, all my life, I've come across some wild babies--and I always try to find their momma before intervening. I know that things are meant to stay wild if I found them there. But this little peanut raced right for me (I was wearing a very bright fluorescent pink jacket--I thought he would run the other way if I even looked at him) He peeped and peeped and stepped right into a warm hand.
So, he wasn't leaving my side, the little guy was terrified, cold, and wet. He ended up in a padded (with napkins) a taco big box xD That was all we had on hand (it was unused and clean)
There was a lake nearby, and we let him peep his little heart out at every corner (as we're getting soaked in the rain) waiting for his momma to appear to save the day. Not a single sign of her--just mean Canadian geese.
So, long story short, he came home with me. My neighbor has a lake with ducks she has raised on her own he will end up there most likely.
But for now, he's got a nice warm fluffy home in my room.
I know that he may not be able to be released into the wild--he is a cuddle bug already something terrible. He will peep and peep and peep until the wee hours of the morning unless he is on my chest and I'm awake while he sleeps. He has a heat lamp (infrared) and its all at the correct temperatures, and he has a spot where he can hide from it if its too warm.
Maverick was not having that separation. Though now he has learned that I sleep very heavily and gave up nagging for cuddles and behaves himself now xD I would guess he's only a week old (again, I've never had a duckling before)

But the questions that I have are these:
What is a good temperature to take him outside in and let him get some sun and exercise?

He is all alone, has anyone had success with a lone duckling? I try to interact, talk to him, hold him etc as much as I can. We have a lone finch--with a plastic bird and he is just happy as can be with her xD I have a stuffed Mallard duck in there with the duckling, just to give him something to cuddle up to. And a mirror.

What are some other yummy things I can give this fluff baby other than starter to put some nutrients in him?

-thanks guys!

 

[marcelineduckie]

Brewers yeast is something he might need, I'm not 100% sure on the needs of a wild duckling though I know domestic ducks need it added to their feed though. If you're going to have him live with other ducks it would probably be a good idea to visit your neighbors house often and in the beginning maybe just hold the duckling with you (because bigger ducks are kinda mean to smaller ducks) so that he knows how ducks are supposed to be and that he is a duck, if he's constantly with you he'll think he is human! While he gets big enough to handle himself around other ducks let him play with them while.always supervising closely still though. And hopefully the other ducks will get use to him as well and accept him as one of their pack as for.taking him outdoors if it's sunny out take him out for a little while Sun is healthy if you let him swim make sure to dry him off and don't let him swim too long make sure.there is a place to rest duckling can get waterlogged and drown easily. They do not have waterproofing yet and the mother usually waterproofs them in the wild. As for treats at a week old they can't have too much I have a post on my page about treats and supplements there is a link in there to one of the stickies on this site that has wonderful information on that

 

[marcelineduckie]

Here's the link for the supplements information https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/979422/supplement-and-treats-for-ducks#post_15249740 also when I first let my duckling swim at a week old I used a clean painting tray she loved it

 

[marcelineduckie]

 

[StarkCrazy007]

Thank you so much for all that information!! I think I will try to have him around my neighbor's ducks--given if there are any there /: Lately its all canadian geese, and well...they arent the nicest things in the world. Believe me, I've had my experiences around here with them. So, but now he isn't craving cuddles as much as he was the last day or so--I came home, he was asleep--and usually when I leave the room he freaks out and peeps forever until someone holds him or something. Which, I know its not the best thing to do, but I seem to get all those cases when I want to do the right thing, though in the end its getting harder to you know? xD

 

[marcelineduckie]

That's how mine were in the beginning and still are sometimes I have a 5 week.old and a 2 week old. It helps that they have each other when I have just one she wanted all my attention all the time and if I walked out of her sight she'd scream! Yes the Canadians are not very nice, probably shouldn't have been named that as I've heard Canadians are actually very polite people :/ hopefully ducks do return to her pond that would be the best thing for little duckie and if you decide to keep him I'd think about getting at least one more so he's not lonely, I have also heard of people keeping a duck with their chickens though. But ducks are the messiest I thought my dogs were messy creatures they are actually pristine compared to these ducks. If there is absolutely nothing else you can do there are places or people that will adopt that baby for you