Raising ducklings with no electricity?

[AmandaVirus]

My moms coworker called her this morning asking what to do about two ducklings that mother got killed by a skunk this morning. They don't have electricity and she said she has hot water bottles for them and they're nestled on her chest. She obviously can't do that 24/7. I'm not sure what to recommend to her, I thought maybe I could take them and raise them, but I would get attached and not want to give them back!

Plus she has fallen in love with them already.

Edit: I forgot to mention they are only a couple days old.

 

[Debs Flock]

I better tag some experts. Are there such things as battery operated heating pads? I just can't think of a good way to keep them as warm as they need to be without electricity.

@Miss Lydia
@casportpony
@Lacrystol
@Amiga
@WVduckchick
@caesargirl

 

[Amiga]

Are the duckling caregivers off-grid, or is this just temporary? Off-grid cultures do this regularly.

First, what is the temperature in the house? It may be close enough to optimum for them to be okay.

Having a small "chamber" area, well insulated but of course well ventilated for them - they can snuggle into the bedding (I would use clean old clothes - a.k.a. rags, but with no strings loose). If they are kept out of the draft, they should be fine.

If it gets chilly at night where she is - She could invest in a couple of jerry cans and fill them with very warm water in the evening. Or, there are soapstones that can be heated and VERY WELL WRAPPED and placed near - not under - the ducklings in their well insulated, well ventilated little cubby.

My dad's mom had iron pigs - big, big bottles made from iron, that you filled with hot water at bedtime and they kept you warm till morning.

Those are my quick ideas before I must dash.

Please know I think of you all, just about all the time. If I cannot get online it's not that I am ignoring you.

We have many helpful, knowledgeable people here, and I am grateful for that.

I will check back in a while.

 

[Lacrystol]

BEANIE...

 

[casportpony]

I've used hot water bottles for mine... fill up a few, place them under towels and make a nesting spot above them. Of course you can't do something like this and go work for 8 hours, but you can check in on them every couple of hours to make sure they aren't getting chilled or too hot.

-Kathy

 

[Lacrystol]

I had to make something for my baby chicks, not that I didn't have electric but I didn't have a heating lamp, So I took a beanie and a McDonald cup, cut around the cup to make a door for them to go in and out and stuck it in the beanie, The chicks would go all the way to the back of the beanie and boom, warmth. AND QUIETNESS. Because when they are cold, they are NOISY..LOL

 

[HeritageGoose13]

Put them in the warmest part of the house, hot water bottles sound good. Give them towels or rags to absorb heat, and also keep them in a smallish brooder that will conserve heat.

 

[AmandaVirus]

Thank you all for the help and advise! I will tell her these ideas, last I heard she "has a good plan for now" but I don't know what that is. They live in a trailer on this woman's property, so maybe she has electricity.. I don't know, but I know they are pretty broke and I don't think they are working now, so they should be able to keep an eye on the babies. I'll report back when I have info.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you all for the help and advise! I will tell her these ideas, last I heard she "has a good plan for now" but I don't know what that is. They live in a trailer on this woman's property, so maybe she has electricity.. I don't know, but I know they are pretty broke and I don't think they are working now, so they should be able to keep an eye on the babies. I'll report back when I have info.

Can they afford to buy proper food for them?

-Kathy

 

[Lacrystol]

Can they afford to buy proper food for them?

-Kathy

LOL. I was thinking the exact same question..