Rescued duckling

[MaisaFerrand]

I found this cute duckling in the river. It was by itself, drowning. Looked for mom with siblings and couldn’t find them. He couldn’t lift his head up, so I thought he had a birth defect and would not make it. 2 days later he is doing great. He started eating ground chicken feed yesterday on his own. Never had ducks before, only wild ones that come eat my chicken’s feed. Any idea what breed this cutie could be?

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC! He is a wild mallard. Look up the rules were you live because in a lot of places it's illegal to keep wild ducks.

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

I'm no expert but I believe ducks, even wild ducks? need more vitamin B than is formulated into chick starter. If you have brewer's yeast, you can add that, just look up the ratio. If you plan to keep him, you can switch to duck pellets that will include enough of the vitamins they need. I'll be curious to see how this goes! Good luck.

 

[Quatie]

It is a Muscovy duckling. Depending on where you live they may be wild or considered an invasive species. They are only wild in certain parts of Texas, everywhere else they are more of a pest. I believe some areas, like Florida, they don't want them released because they are so good at spreading there.

 

[MaisaFerrand]

Welcome to BYC! He is a wild mallard. Look up the rules were you live because in a lot of places it's illegal to keep wild ducks.

Thanks! I’m not planning to keep him. I just wanted to save him and hopefully he will become friends with the ducks that come eat my chicken feed?

 

[MaisaFerrand]

I'm no expert but I believe ducks, even wild ducks? need more vitamin B than is formulated into chick starter. If you have brewer's yeast, you can add that, just look up the ratio. If you plan to keep him, you can switch to duck pellets that will include enough of the vitamins they need. I'll be curious to see how this goes! Good luck.

Thanks I’ll read up on the brewer’s yeast. I’ll post pics in a few days!

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Thanks I’ll read up on the brewer’s yeast. I’ll post pics in a few days!

Good, please do! I saw on here 1 Tbsp per cup of crumble, but you can obviously verify that a couple more places before you take my word for it! Lol You can also get a niacin supplement to add to his water or administer orally, like either liquid or pop open a capsule type of thing. The ones for humans would be just fine for a duck.

 

[MaisaFerrand]

It is a Muscovy duckling. Depending on where you live they may be wild or considered an invasive species. They are only wild in certain parts of Texas, everywhere else they are more of a pest. I believe some areas, like Florida, they don't want them released because they are so good at spreading there.

Thank you. You are probably right because I saw that Mallards have the line all the way to the front, and he does not. Also, I am in Texas and those ducks that come eat my chicken feed are Muscovy (just searched the breed after your post and they look like the pictures). Good eye!!
There is one duck that comes since he was tiny and is pretty tame around me. I saw him arrive today and brought the duckling out and they seemed to be ok around each other, so I am hoping the baby is welcomed in his flock. I took a picture!

 

[Quatie]

Thank you. You are probably right because I saw that Mallards have the line all the way to the front, and he does not. Also, I am in Texas and those ducks that come eat my chicken feed are Muscovy (just searched the breed after your post and they look like the pictures). Good eye!!
There is one duck that comes since he was tiny and is pretty tame around me. I saw him arrive today and brought the duckling out and they seemed to be ok around each other, so I am hoping the baby is welcomed in his flock. I took a picture!

They may adopt the little one into the flock. If they do, that may be the best thing for the little one. Muscovy have been known to adopt other ducklings. Muscovy can be amazingly tame around people even when wild.

I have had muscovy on the brain a lot lately. I recently added a few new ones to my flock and was doing a lot of research.

 

[ruthhope]

That is a female muscovy in your photo. If she will take in your little duckling, let her. If she doesnot , your little duckling will need ducky friends or you will have the duck living with you for the duck's life!

I have a rescued muscovy drake that came to me at a few day's old last year under similar circumstances to yours. He needed rescucitating and lots of care initially, but then he needed ducky friends. I ended up taking another muscovy drake and an injured pekin drake from my local rehabber, to keep my drake company. But my drake still follows me around [when he feels like it: he is the boss] even though he sleeps in the duck coop with the other ducks.