Worried about ducklings

[RJSchaefer]

I recently acquired 8 ducklings from a lady nearby. The story I was given was she had hatched them and tried to sell them, but no one would buy them. So she put out an ad that they were free. Since we would be driving right past her house that day, we went and got them. She told me they were 2 week old Muscovies.

I don't think they're Muscovies and if they're 2 weeks old, I'm the Queen.

They don't eat as much as my other ducklings did. I gave them ~1 cup of food last night and they've only eaten half of it. They do go after water with gusto. They're also NOT TAME at all. They go well beyond "Don't pick me up" to a frantic "the giant thing is going to eat me."

I'm worried that perhaps they weren't brooded/fed properly from hatching, so we brought them inside with a heat lamp. They've been doing pretty well. Today, two of them began turtling. One doesn't seem to be doing too well and is runtier than the others. The little guys are taking a few laps around my bathtub right now for extra room and some water therapy, but I'm wondering what if anything I can do to help them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I recently acquired 8 ducklings from a lady nearby. The story I was given was she had hatched them and tried to sell them, but no one would buy them. So she put out an ad that they were free. Since we would be driving right past her house that day, we went and got them. She told me they were 2 week old Muscovies.

I don't think they're Muscovies and if they're 2 weeks old, I'm the Queen.

They don't eat as much as my other ducklings did. I gave them ~1 cup of food last night and they've only eaten half of it. They do go after water with gusto. They're also NOT TAME at all. They go well beyond "Don't pick me up" to a frantic "the giant thing is going to eat me."

I'm worried that perhaps they weren't brooded/fed properly from hatching, so we brought them inside with a heat lamp. They've been doing pretty well. Today, two of them began turtling. One doesn't seem to be doing too well and is runtier than the others. The little guys are taking a few laps around my bathtub right now for extra room and some water therapy, but I'm wondering what if anything I can do to help them.

Can you post a pic so we can see how old they maybe and what breed. In the mean time here is a link on caring for ducklings.. Keep them warm but not overly and wwith feed appropriate to age along with some good poultry vitamins may help them get on a good start. I don't know what turtling means
sorry forgot to give you the link https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711 and

 

[RJSchaefer]

"Turtling" = stuck on their back. I know that ducks have a hard time righting themselves after getting stuck, but they're fairly relaxed about it. My others would flail and chirp, while these guys just lay there. And they get stuck fairly frequently.

I left my camera in my husband's truck, so the pictures are off my phone. After I let them take a dip in the tub I put them in a metal wash basin with the heat lamp so they could dry off. They're very very small - about half the size my Muscovies were at 2 weeks, and a third the size my Pekins were. We've had them since Thursday afternoon.




I'm probably going to separate them and put the smallest into an aquarium with marine sand and deeper water to splash in. They seem to do best right after their swims.

 

[Miss Lydia]

"Turtling" = stuck on their back. I know that ducks have a hard time righting themselves after getting stuck, but they're fairly relaxed about it. My others would flail and chirp, while these guys just lay there. And they get stuck fairly frequently.

I left my camera in my husband's truck, so the pictures are off my phone. After I let them take a dip in the tub I put them in a metal wash basin with the heat lamp so they could dry off. They're very very small - about half the size my Muscovies were at 2 weeks, and a third the size my Pekins were. We've had them since Thursday afternoon.




I'm probably going to separate them and put the smallest into an aquarium with marine sand and deeper water to splash in. They seem to do best right after their swims.

Hard to see them real well, and they aren't Scovy or Pekin? possibly Buff? or do you think they just all my not have been fed well and could be behind in growth. I know this is harder to do but what about putting the smallest on towels[old] that you can change out a couple times a day I am a little concerned they may ingest too much sand. Do you have them under heat lamp? They look to be about 1 week old.

 

[RJSchaefer]

Hard to see them real well, and they aren't Scovy or Pekin? possibly Buff? or do you think they just all my not have been fed well and could be behind in growth. I know this is harder to do but what about putting the smallest on towels[old] that you can change out a couple times a day I am a little concerned they may ingest too much sand. Do you have them under heat lamp? They look to be about 1 week old.

Not sure on breed. She told me Scovy, but none of them have any markings, aside from a single small patch of gray on one. I know you can't tell for sure by coloring, but our other Scovies had at least various shading, and the woman who got me started on them said she loved Scovies because hatches were never uniform like Pekins. They could be Buff.

I'm thinking they weren't well cared for...not sure how to rehabilitate, other than just keep them with food, water, space and heat. They do have a lamp - I turned it off for the photo to not give everything a crazy colored cast.

I could use towels. I figured the sand might be a little better on their feet, and hadn't thought about them eating it.

Here's one of the little ones up close. As you can see, it fits in the palm of my hand. It's standing on a wide mouth mason jar lid, which is just barely covers.


In any case, these are the first animals I've brought home that my husband has loved, so I really need to get them into tip-top shape. I had to stop him from getting in the tub to play with them during their swim yesterday.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Not sure on breed. She told me Scovy, but none of them have any markings, aside from a single small patch of gray on one. I know you can't tell for sure by coloring, but our other Scovies had at least various shading, and the woman who got me started on them said she loved Scovies because hatches were never uniform like Pekins. They could be Buff.

I'm thinking they weren't well cared for...not sure how to rehabilitate, other than just keep them with food, water, space and heat. They do have a lamp - I turned it off for the photo to not give everything a crazy colored cast.

I could use towels. I figured the sand might be a little better on their feet, and hadn't thought about them eating it.

Here's one of the little ones up close. As you can see, it fits in the palm of my hand. It's standing on a wide mouth mason jar lid, which is just barely covers.


In any case, these are the first animals I've brought home that my husband has loved, so I really need to get them into tip-top shape. I had to stop him from getting in the tub to play with them during their swim yesterday.

Wish I could have seen the face of this lil one you can tell right off a Scovy duckling by the sharp bean tip at end of bill. I'd say less than 2 weeks old. So thankful you rescued them they probably wouldn't last much longer where they were. Scovys come in an assortment of colors and can be all yellow when hatched. That's one thing I love about them is all the colors they come in. Your on the right track as far as bringing them out of the set back, I'd get a good vitamin[poultry] to add into their water and make sure it has Niacin in it or buy some "plain" niacin and start adding it into their water along with a good poultry vitamin. Ducklings need extra niacin if fed chick starter if that's what your feeding. you can also use Brewers yeast sprinkled on top of their feed. They can develop leg and neurological problems from lack of niacin in their diet. Some use save a chick I like Poultry Nutri drench. if you do get niacin use 100mgs to 1 gallon of water for 10 weeks.

And if hubby does get into the tub with them be sure to have the camera ready we need pics for sure.

and the ones going onto their backs, that could be a niacin issue and if it continues make a donut out of an old towel and place them down into it when you can watch them it will keep them upright hopefully once they get some good food into themselves and so Extra TLC you'll see them all running around healthy.

Please give updates when you can.