Can understand that, we had a hawk fly right up to the house and get one of my bantam hens I was heart broken and so surprised she[ it was a huge red tail] would be so bold as to come that close.
The Duck Thread
- Thread starter ZakoHero
- Start date
Thanks!
Love your avatar!
Reminds me of my 2 1/2 year old daughter always running around my yard in boots carrying her chickens!
- Jul 4, 2012
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Hey there! New to the duck thread. We found a little duckling wandering around outside without any other ducks in sight. I caught him and brought him inside. We have him in a tote with pine bedding, starter, water, and the temp in there around 85 degrees as I saw they needed to stay very warm.
I have a few questions about raising a duckling. Should we handle him a lot? I have been because he is so cute, but not sure if that is okay. Should we get him another duckling to interact with or will he be okay as a part of the family without one? If so, does it have to be the same breed? He is either a Mallard or Rouen, but not sure which one. I have read about imprinting - is that seriously something they do? I would love for him and my son to be like "brothers". However, I am torn because I think he is wild (assuming anyway) and don't know if he would be happy as a domesticated duck. Any advice or experience is appreciated.
I have a few questions about raising a duckling. Should we handle him a lot? I have been because he is so cute, but not sure if that is okay. Should we get him another duckling to interact with or will he be okay as a part of the family without one? If so, does it have to be the same breed? He is either a Mallard or Rouen, but not sure which one. I have read about imprinting - is that seriously something they do? I would love for him and my son to be like "brothers". However, I am torn because I think he is wild (assuming anyway) and don't know if he would be happy as a domesticated duck. Any advice or experience is appreciated.
Here is some good info https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711
Ducklings do much better if they have a buddy of their own kind, they are flock animals, but your son will play a big part in their lives if he takes care of them making sure they are fed and have plenty of water and spends time with them, but ducklings can be injured if children squeeze them too hard or drop them so always supervise when children are with the duckling/s .This time of year mama ducks take their newly hatched ducklings sometimes long distances to water and some of them just can't keep up this is probably what happened to the one you found. Bless it's heart good thing you found it before it became a preds dinner.
- Jul 4, 2012
- 61
- 1
- 31
Thank you Miss Lydia! We do not have a heat lamp but keeping the room a steady 90 degrees. Is that going to work just as well at keeping him warm?
- Jul 4, 2012
- 61
- 1
- 31
....and WOW, they carry a lot of diseases! Yikes. I also rubbed him with some food grade DE in case he had any bugs on him.
I actually have (well... had... =/ ) a Mallard duck that I found as a duckling last year.
If you plan on keeping him/her, handle him/her a lot. I handled my Pyrrhos all the time. When I wasn't handling her, she would constantly peep at me, aha.
She definitely imprinted on me and followed me. Before she was taken by a bobcat, she was the first one to come up. She used to hop up in my window, too. (She's the darkest one, closest to the camera. Lol all of my ducks like to hop up there because they usually get goodies, but Pyrrhos started it.)
If you can't devote all of your time to handling and caring and interacting with your duckling, then yes, get him/her a companion. I got my Welsh Harlequin ducklings from a breeder about a week after I found Pyrrhos. The Welshies were three days old when I brought them home.
Just to warn you, they stink. I had five in a brooder, and I had to change the towels at least every coupld of hours, or else it was overwhelming. Seriously. They. Stink. One, two, or even three probably won't smell as overwhelming as mine did, but definitely make sure you keep the brooder clean. Put water in there that's just deep enough for her to dip her entire bill in, but make sure she can't jump in the water. You can give her short, warm baths(mine played in the tub twice a day for about thirty minutes). Playing in water helps their oils and feathers to develop, as does taking them outside for a while. It depends on the temperature, but on really nice days, my ducklings would be outside for an hour, sometimes a little longer. If they started panting, we brought them inside immediately. If they were huddling up together, we brought them inside immediately. When they went outside, we would fill up this pool. It was deflated, but we dug a little hole and put the deflated pool over it and filled it up that way. When they got too big for that, we started blowing the pool up. Now they have a pretty decent-sized pond. It isn't huge, but it's enough for all five to get in. Now, I only have three(bobcat took my Mallard and one of my Welsh Harlequin hens), so it's a lot roomier now. But I have eggs incubating, and I plan on keeping three. Two WHs and one of my Mallard's eggs(Mallard x Welsh Harlequin).
Just some pictures of our little set-up while they were growing. My ducks went through TONS of changes while they were growing, so they're pretty okay with change, but in general, ducks resist change. It can be pretty difficult to get a duck to change their routine one they have it down, but like I said, mine grew up with their environment changing pretty frequently.
There's a lot of talk about fermented feed for ducks, and those who do it, have nothing but wonderful things to say about it. I myself would like to try it, but I have to wait til I have the money to buy all the seeds/oats/etc. in bulk. I'm hoping to be able to buy it *before* these ducklings hatch, that way I can immediately start them on it, but even if not, it's not a big deal. Their organic feed should be coming in a few days, anyways.
My ducks are fed a mixture of Dumor layer pellets, Scratch and Peck Naturally Free layer, veggies, fruits, leftovers that aren't spiced, potato peels that aren't green, and anything they forage for themselves out in the yard. It's a good idea to get grit and oyster shell, but for now, my ducks have grit and crushed egg shells.
Here are a couple informative threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711
Probably no bugs but GFood grade DE is okay as long as they don't breathe it in you too for that matter.
No they really don't carry that many diseases water fowl are pretty hardy, but if it's a concern maybe call and see if there are any rehabbers in your area that will take the duckling in, of course any time handling animals hand washing is a must. I've been keeping ducks for 10 yrs now never had any diseases here. 90 is fine if just 1st week but temp needs to be lowered 5* each week there after. More than likely you have found a wild Mallard duckling Rouens aren't wild they are domesticated. You can also let the lil one have some short swim time in a sink or tub with water deep enough to stand in. And a no n breakable mirror and a stuffed animal will help alot too.
Lol oh! Miss Lydia beat me to it.
you can ferment their regular feed. It doesn't cost anything, crumbles+water and stir. You've got fermented feed after about 72 hours which has incredible nutritional and health benefits for your duckies.I actually have (well... had... =/ ) a Mallard duck that I found as a duckling last year. If you plan on keeping him/her, handle him/her a lot. I handled my Pyrrhos all the time. When I wasn't handling her, she would constantly peep at me, aha.(She's the darkest one, closest to the camera. Lol all of my ducks like to hop up there because they usually get goodies, but Pyrrhos started it.) If you can't devote all of your time to handling and caring and interacting with your duckling, then yes, get him/her a companion. I got my Welsh Harlequin ducklings from a breeder about a week after I found Pyrrhos. The Welshies were three days old when I brought them home. Just to warn you, they stink. I had five in a brooder, and I had to change the towels at least every coupld of hours, or else it was overwhelming. Seriously. They. Stink. One, two, or even three probably won't smell as overwhelming as mine did, but definitely make sure you keep the brooder clean. Put water in there that's just deep enough for her to dip her entire bill in, but make sure she can't jump in the water. You can give her short, warm baths(mine played in the tub twice a day for about thirty minutes). Playing in water helps their oils and feathers to develop, as does taking them outside for a while. It depends on the temperature, but on really nice days, my ducklings would be outside for an hour, sometimes a little longer. If they started panting, we brought them inside immediately. If they were huddling up together, we brought them inside immediately. When they went outside, we would fill up this pool. It was deflated, but we dug a little hole and put the deflated pool over it and filled it up that way. When they got too big for that, we started blowing the pool up. Now they have a pretty decent-sized pond. It isn't huge, but it's enough for all five to get in. Now, I only have three(bobcat took my Mallard and one of my Welsh Harlequin hens), so it's a lot roomier now. But I have eggs incubating, and I plan on keeping three. Two WHs and one of my Mallard's eggs(Mallard x Welsh Harlequin).
Just some pictures of our little set-up while they were growing. My ducks went through TONS of changes while they were growing, so they're pretty okay with change, but in general, ducks resist change. It can be pretty difficult to get a duck to change their routine one they have it down, but like I said, mine grew up with their environment changing pretty frequently. There's a lot of talk about fermented feed for ducks, and those who do it, have nothing but wonderful things to say about it. I myself would like to try it, but I have to wait til I have the money to buy all the seeds/oats/etc. in bulk. I'm hoping to be able to buy it *before* these ducklings hatch, that way I can immediately start them on it, but even if not, it's not a big deal. Their organic feed should be coming in a few days, anyways. My ducks are fed a mixture of Dumor layer pellets, Scratch and Peck Naturally Free layer, veggies, fruits, leftovers that aren't spiced, potato peels that aren't green, and anything they forage for themselves out in the yard. It's a good idea to get grit and oyster shell, but for now, my ducks have grit and crushed egg shells. Here are a couple informative threads: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711
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