Rescued Duckling... newbie

[Raenh]

Hello! I recently rescued a duckling from a restaurant parking lot, it was late at night and no other ducks in sight. There is a pond behind where I found him, that a group of ducks live by, however, where they (adult ducks) keep the babies is further back from that, its a good 1/4 of a mile, I think. So, I don't know how he ended up so far away from them. Everyone keeps telling me to take him back there and leave him, however, I've grown attached and he's imprinted on me. It's been a week and he's already grown so much from fitting into one hand to now I have to use two. I've learned a lot about what to do from researching and reading this forum, so thank you for that.

What I'm concerned about is that he doesn't seem to like playing in the water as it seems ducks should. It's almost as if he's afraid, I'll leave him when I put him in the tub to swim and I never do, I'm right there with him to make sure he doesn't drowned, but he still is constantly trying to get out or jump out. He doesnt seem to be afraid of the water really, just doesnt like being in it alone. Im seriously considering getting amother duckling from somewhere, but i havent found anyone nearby that is selling or giving away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Is this duckling a Mallard or Muscovy? I know my Muscovy's when babies aren't real keen on water unless mama is in with them and teaches them.

If your planning on keeping the lil one it would be nice to have another duckling for it they really do much better if they have a friend.

@Raenh Welcome to BYC

 

[DwayneNLiz]

@Raenh Welcome to BYC!!

as Miss Lydia said i would look into getting him a friend or he will get very lonely, and make sure you are also feeding him the appropriate food with adequate niacin and not too many treats

Good Luck!!!

 

[Raenh]

I'm pretty sure it's a muscovy because that is what all the other ducks at the pond look like. There is one Peking, that I saw when I did try to take him back over there on thursday... but I started crying and he got all aggressive stance, it was so cute, he stood up and wings wide open. I took him out of the car and set him down but he wouldn't leave my side and then panicked when he thought I was leaving him. So, yes, I'm keeping him. I bought Dumor chick starter 24% from tac, and was giving him finely chopped sugar snap peas.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww you are in love and so is the duckling. Very sweet. Yep more than likely the lil one wouldn't have made it if you'd have left it.

Try and get some Nutritional yeast you can order on line or health food stores carry it, give him some sprinkled over his feed at 1 tab per cup of feed that will give him all the niacin he needs daily till 10 weeks old. Make sure if feeding anything other than his chick feed that he has chick grit to help grind it up.

Muscovy's are awesome ducks I love mine to pieces.

 

[GiggleOinkQuack]

Aww!! We most certainly all need pics of your new lil baby! Whats his name?!

 

[Raenh]

I named him, Speedy, after Speedy Gonzales the mouse. I seriously chased him all over the parking lot for about 15 minutes with a towel calling him a lil speedy gonzales, he ran into the curb and couldn't jump it, so I threw the towel on him well at him since i missed lol, but the corner of it caught him and he just sat down. Snatched up the towel and wrapped him in it.

 

[Raenh]

 

[Raenh]

A few more from when I first found him on the 20th... he fit in one hand, now only a lil over a week later he's already up to 2 hands!!! I don't know how old he is though...
Caught him sleeping just now in the last one.

 

[Raenh]

He's gotten so big in just a over a week, I'm still amazed that he survived the first night or two with me. I had NO idea how to take care of a duckling.