- Mar 1, 2014
- 3
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It's a long story, but due to some reckless friends, I now have a duckling. I named him Ed for now until I know his gender
I'm not sure how old he is, but my guess is about a week (he's about the size of my hand).
I couldn't find any sufficient food for him at any of the local petstores and so I've been preparing my own food (I know this is bad but it's all I can do). He has constant access to a mix of: hardboiled egg diced along with the shell crumbled on top, crushed freeze-dried meal worms, a little bit of cottage cheese, crumbled oatmeal, and some ripped up greens. I am hopefully getting brewers yeast either today or tomorrow, and I wet the food prior to giving it to him. What else should I add into his diet, and also at what age should I start feeding him regular pellets, not made for ducklings? Because I would have to order this online and an estimate of when I would need it would be helpful.
Also, I've read that since he is not on chick starter he needs some kind of grit availible 24/7? What exactly is this and where can I find it?
For the brooder I have a small-ish tub lined with newspaper and then paper towels on top, along with a toy chick and a small towel. For heat I keep a heating pad under the tub on low, and a warm light above it. At what age should I introduce him to water?
Lastly, as for when he gets older I'm still not sure what to do. Once it gets warmer and he gets older I have the option of keeping him in a fenced in section of my backyard with shelter and a kiddy pool etc, but that can't be permanent sadly. I also have the option of bringing him to the barn where I ride and I think he would be happy around the horses and people and a clean kiddy pool every day, and I will be there everyday to make sure he is taken care of and feed him/change water etc. But I don't know how realistic that is at all, and so I thought I could also ask around some farms or even contact my spca.
Oh, and I wanted to know if he would enjoy some hay as a bedding or something to chew on? I have access to that, but sadly not straw.
Thank you so much to whoever read this, and I'm sorry for all my questions but I can't find many sites (other than this one of course) on raising ducklings!
I'm not sure how old he is, but my guess is about a week (he's about the size of my hand).I couldn't find any sufficient food for him at any of the local petstores and so I've been preparing my own food (I know this is bad but it's all I can do). He has constant access to a mix of: hardboiled egg diced along with the shell crumbled on top, crushed freeze-dried meal worms, a little bit of cottage cheese, crumbled oatmeal, and some ripped up greens. I am hopefully getting brewers yeast either today or tomorrow, and I wet the food prior to giving it to him. What else should I add into his diet, and also at what age should I start feeding him regular pellets, not made for ducklings? Because I would have to order this online and an estimate of when I would need it would be helpful.
Also, I've read that since he is not on chick starter he needs some kind of grit availible 24/7? What exactly is this and where can I find it?
For the brooder I have a small-ish tub lined with newspaper and then paper towels on top, along with a toy chick and a small towel. For heat I keep a heating pad under the tub on low, and a warm light above it. At what age should I introduce him to water?
Lastly, as for when he gets older I'm still not sure what to do. Once it gets warmer and he gets older I have the option of keeping him in a fenced in section of my backyard with shelter and a kiddy pool etc, but that can't be permanent sadly. I also have the option of bringing him to the barn where I ride and I think he would be happy around the horses and people and a clean kiddy pool every day, and I will be there everyday to make sure he is taken care of and feed him/change water etc. But I don't know how realistic that is at all, and so I thought I could also ask around some farms or even contact my spca.
Oh, and I wanted to know if he would enjoy some hay as a bedding or something to chew on? I have access to that, but sadly not straw.
Thank you so much to whoever read this, and I'm sorry for all my questions but I can't find many sites (other than this one of course) on raising ducklings!
