Orphan duck

[JadeComputerGal]

There have been no proven studies that medicated chick feed (amprolium) is dangerous to waterfowl. Pellets for a duckling can be hard to eat. I would do chick starter in crumbles and add Nician tablets (plain not the no flush or time released) to the water since you can't get Brewers or nutritional yeast.

Unmedicated anymore isn't so much that the med is harmful but that it isn't necessary. It's a very bad idea for animals or humans to take medications when there are no indications that they're necessary. I agree that chick feed with Brewer's Yeast or niacin alone is better at this stage than pellets.

 

[Sidhe13]

Thank you for the advice! Hopefully he will be ok with no niacin until Friday when I can get to town. He is currently on mashed pellets with added handrearing formula to boost the protein to 21%. He also has a wee brooder buddy arriving on Friday who may be another duck or a chick...not sure yet...it depends on what hatches...

It has been suggested he is a Pacific Black Duck which are fairly common in these parts.

 

[Sidhe13]

He has been splashing in a dish of warm water today and eating bits of greens that I floated in the water.
While he was wet I noticed a wound on his neck. It is not a recent wound so I assume he got it when he was tumbling down the road in the wind. I am keeping an eye on it but it appears clean and hopefully will close up and heal nicely in coming days.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

He has been splashing in a dish of warm water today and eating bits of greens that I floated in the water.
While he was wet I noticed a wound on his neck. It is not a recent wound so I assume he got it when he was tumbling down the road in the wind. I am keeping an eye on it but it appears clean and hopefully will close up and heal nicely in coming days.

You sound like such a sweet person. I'm glad he ended up with a good mom, and I'm sure he is too!

 

[Sidhe13]

I'm such a sucker when it comes to animals. He even gets to snuggle in my shirt all day because he cries if he is alone. One of my cats is a bit jealous of him, one has ignored him completely, the other will let him climb over his fur.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I didn't think your little one fit the Muscovy it was the coloring since i couldn't see it's face good. but I hope you don't take it out and release it after it's older because it will have lost all wildness a wild life rehabber would be your best bet if you want to release it eventually. Some area have water fowl rescues and will take in orphans.
Sounds like he is in good hands for now though be sure the little one gets some kind of grit though if your feeding anything other than chick feed. They have no way of chewing so they need grit to help with that.

 

[Sidhe13]

He can stay here forever. I was looking at installing a pond for ducks next year but will move it up the list now and get him some friends.
Today we went out to a gravel/sand area and picked through it for grit. He loved the sun and we sat on the warm stones picking through grains of sand and sampling weeds while looking for the right size and shape. He is very picky, it seems.
He also explored the lounge room the morning and found the mealworms box. He snagged a small one and dashed off with it. I didn't catch him before he gobbled it up but he was soon back for more. I gave him 2 that I killed first. He has a baby chicken coming tomorrow to keep him company.

 

[Miss Lydia]

He can stay here forever. I was looking at installing a pond for ducks next year but will move it up the list now and get him some friends.
Today we went out to a gravel/sand area and picked through it for grit. He loved the sun and we sat on the warm stones picking through grains of sand and sampling weeds while looking for the right size and shape. He is very picky, it seems.
He also explored the lounge room the morning and found the mealworms box. He snagged a small one and dashed off with it. I didn't catch him before he gobbled it up but he was soon back for more. I gave him 2 that I killed first. He has a baby chicken coming tomorrow to keep him company.

Baby chicken will help but ducklings would be better they relate better to their own.Might be harder to find ducklings this time of year. Please keep us updated on all the happenings and how he gets on with his new friend .I'd keep a small bowl of sand in his brooder the chick will need it too. I don't think he could have found a nicer more loving home. Look forward to seeing and hearing about him/her.

 

[Sidhe13]

Definitely a size difference! I think the chick might be a bantam breed. They took about an hour to settle down but now the chick follows the duck and the duck follows me. If I move too fast, the duck will go back and coax the chick to catch up. They still have some wrinkles to iron out but are already heading to be best buddies!

I will be monitoring the size difference in case of injury risks...

 

[Sidhe13]