Monday night I was setting up my brooder for my chicks that were to arrive Tuesday, when a friend called to tell me she found a lone mallard duckling in the road in front of her house (she lives in the city). No mama to be found anywhere. She brought it to me and I put it in my brooder. It's very young, most likely less than a week old. Poor thing peeped its head off unless we were comforting it, but seems to be getting on well with my new buff orpington chicks when they arrived. The problem I'm having is that it doesn't seem to do well with the starter feed. I'm using feed from my local mill, not crumbles. I suspect it is a texture or hardness issue? The duck will peck at feed but then shake its head and the feed falls out of its bill. It seems to do better with some wheat bread crumbs and greens we've also given it. I was hoping when it saw the chicks eat, it would get the hang of it. I'm sure the feed is very different than whatever it had been eating before it came to me, but I haven't seen any info suggesting ducklings need something soft. Any ideas? I'm going to dig up a clump of sod to put in there and find some little bugs too. Thanks!
Amy
Amy
