I live on the river and my son let our jack russell dog out. Well she found a baby duck and grabbed it but I don't think its hurt. The mother was nowhere to be found. It is very young and not walking very good. So I don't think it will eat from a bowl or drink water. If someone could help I would really appreciate it! I bought some starter food at the feed store. Someone said to use an eye dropper to feed it. I would love to hear your comments! Thanks! Sheila

-- Sheila (greenx5@yahoo.com), June 11, 2001

Answers

They basically need to be raised just like newborn chicks. You can use the feeders and waterers sold at the farmer's outlet on which a quart canning jar fits. Chick feed and fresh water will do fine for a good while. Be sure it keep it warm.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), June 11, 2001.

Can you tell if it is a mallard duckling? Do you have rehabers in your area(call dept. of fish & wildlife)? They can help you get the duckling with others of the same species. Not a good idea to raise it alone or with domestics. It will want to migrate in the fall and exposure to people, pets etc. will be dangerous for it later. It will have no fear and will surely be killed. Also need to be careful about food with too much protein and avoid foods with antibiotics. These wild babies also become waterlogged and chilled very easy. Keep the little guy warm and as dry as you can considering it's a duck. A feather duster placed in with it will give it some security until other ducklings about the same size can be found. E mail me if I can help. :-)

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), June 11, 2001.

Make absolutely sure that there is no salt given to the duck or this rescue will be over right away.

-- mitch hearn (moopups1@aol.com), June 11, 2001.

Well if it is a mallard duckling it will start to eat on it's own. But if it is a wood duckling, it needs to be shringe or tube fed every 2-3 hours from dawn until dusk for several days until it eats on it's own. It needs to be kept warm, in the house on a towel with food and water and make sure it does not get chilled from swimming in it's water dish. Duck starter for ducklings can be purchased at the feed store. DO NOT GET MEDICATED FEED. DUCKLINGS EAT ALOT AND WILL OVERMEDICATE THEMSELVES AND DIE QUICKLY. Call your local humane society and ask about animal rehabilitators in the area, the duckling will be better off with a rehabilitator, they are trained in this. Also do it quickly, the little one has NO reserve and will die if not given food and water almost immediately after being found. JoAnn

-- JoAnn Flynn (goonetune@aol.com), June 11, 2001.

I'd keep searching for the mother and try to get it back into it's natural habitat as soon as possible. If that doesn't work out, contact someone in your area with experience in doing this. Don't try to make a pet out of it, especially with the terrier already in the household.

-- Rose Marie Wild (wintersongfarm@yahoo.com), June 11, 2001.

I am not quite sure what the above post has to do with this, bur hey, everybody has an opinion, right .

As stated above, keep it warm (85-90 for the first few weeks, lowering gradually). If it's constantly near the heat source, it's too cold, and vice versa. 2400 Chicken feed (NON-MEDICATED) is ifne, we raise our ducks with them, and we ahve a wild mallard that is about 5 weeks old now (she's very beautiful). I keep wondering if she will fly away in fall, and return, but hey, she's gotten far farther than she would have alone. Feel free to mail me as well with questions, we're new at this, so no question will sound stupid, we probably asked it a month ago ourselves :)

-- Brendan K Callahan (sleeping@netins.net), June 12, 2001.

sheila, The little guy may need a heat lamp for warmth. An old man told me years ago the secret to raising healthy ducks was to soak down some good quality dog food until it is mush and feed it to the ducklings along with free choice water in a low bowl. I have never had any problems by following his advice. Even my new hatchlings could feed themselves after I stuck their little bills in the dog food mush. Good luck

-- Karen Mauk (kansasgoats@iwon.com), June 12, 2001.

Brenda: The post you referred to was deleted as having almost nothing to contribute and it went way, way out in left field.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), June 12, 2001.

Once again, thanks Ken for that!!!

On the duck question, I am really curious about syringe or tube feeding a wood duck. Why? All ducks are precocial birds, unless I have been misinformed. I was not aware of a Wood duck's ability to regurgitate and feed it's young, or any neccessity to, since they leave the nest soon after hatching as do other wild ducks. Or was this treatment done to an orphaned duck that was too weak to eat on it's own. More information please!

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), June 13, 2001.

you should find its mom and give it back.In stade of keeping it.

-- Robert (l.robert1@juno.com), September 29, 2001.