# Rescued Duck, Need Some Help



## Aslea (Oct 20, 2013)

So we rescued a duck from a neighboring company pond. 

Here is his backstory up till now: His mother and father were bought by a neighbor, and they had him and 4 other ducklings. Once they were adults, they began going to the company pond down the road and returning home at night. Now they stay at the pond. 3 out of 7 ducks have died, at least one was hit by a car and the others are unknown. One began limping the other day so we tried catching him to no avail, and by the time we gave up he'd stopped. Well, yesterday we were watching him and he was still limping, worse, and he also collapsed from exhaust. So I (slowly) chased him to a neighbors yard and caught him. 

Back to my problem. He has absolutely no food in his belly. I cannot let him go in his current state because he cannot run well and loses energy quickly. He is in a kennel in my house because in my chicken pen he is harassed by my other animals through the fence. It isn't on purpose, they are curious of him, but it scares him and I cannot separate them from that yard (I only have one yard). It is also much quieter in my house (my OTHER neighbor works on cars all day and it is pretty loud outside) 

He won't eat, and that is my only worry. I have a mixture of chicken scratch grain, corn, oyster shells, and a boiled egg mashed up in water in a bowl for him to eat. I fear he won't eat, though. He came to us with an empty stomach, I felt it right after I got him in my arms!

Should I force feed him some? I'm not afraid to, I just don't know if I should. Help me out guys!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

he sounds dehydrated ...you may need to drench him both fluid and feed...
mix up some electrolytes and drench him slowy....
you might temp him with greens and pumpkin...can pumkin is fine as long as its just pumkin, not prepared pie filling...

if he wont eat on his own make some mush from feed and water...add the pumkin and use a turkey baster to feed...go slow, allow time to swallow..

for his leg,, check for a break, sticker ect...


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Can you put him in your bathtub with a bowl if water he can "puddle duck" in? Do NOT give him any vinegar (haven't seen that suggested on this thread but we have been discussing how good it is for all other animals on other threads) it will cause an acidosis in ducks.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Aslea said:


> He won't eat, and that is my only worry. I have a mixture of chicken scratch grain, corn, oyster shells, and a boiled egg mashed up in water in a bowl for


He probably won't eat that. Mine won't touch oyster shell and really aren't fond of the scratch grains. Do you have some oatmeal? Make a mash with the oatmeal. Also...the pumpkin is a good idea. ..or some melon (mine love melon) Do you happen to have some goat milk available? He might...might....drink some of that too.


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## Aslea (Oct 20, 2013)

I force fed him some of the stuff I made. I really didn't even need to force it. All I did was open his mouth and when it touched his mouth he gobbled it right up. After about 4 times of doing that he was eating out of the bowl on his own (with some encouragement). He also drank some water on his own as well.

His feet has some burns or cuts on them, and his left foot seems to be sprained. He is using it, but limping. 

I asked on another site if I should keep him. He isn't a wild duck, his mom and dad are both white ducks, like those solid white ducks everyone buys for their pond. I'm already planning on letting him go, but being able to catch him has givin me hope that maybe I can keep at least one of the remaining 4 from being hit by a car or being killed. He gets along well with our chickens, and is a really sweet boy, just scared.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Don't see why you couldn't keep him.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Yay!!! Sounds like he's doing better! Our ducks live with our chickens. ..


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

good job! and good info from kccjer: ) ..My ducks run free with all my animals...they do well...
I agree with karen, I dont see why you cant keep him..let him live the rest of his life in comfort


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

If you decide to let him go...he may very well starve to death. People do not understand that domesticated ducks are just that...domesticated. They cannot live on their own as they become victims to what you have already mentioned. Cars,predators,etc. Also, people tend to throw all these ducks on company/park ponds bread. While a nice gesture, it is in fact not good. The bread is full of empty calories....it's like candy to them! Eventually they become weak, and a lot of them die..
Sorry if this sounds accusatory...it's not meant at you! I just get heated about people not being responsible for the animals they buy :angry: Then someone like you or I has to intervene! :hair:
I think you would be saving his life if you keep him...and if I was you, I would try to catch the rest. Good luck and thank you for helping the lil guy


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## Aslea (Oct 20, 2013)

Bad news... My mom and especially my dad won't let me keep him. They say he is much happier with his family at the pond. My mom gets yall's point, but I don't think she wants another animal to feed that won't contribute. My dad is just not someone who can be argued with... I'm only 16, I can't MAKE them... Sucks. But they will let me keep him until he is better at least. I'll keep yall updated on him!


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## LGFarm (May 30, 2013)

See if you can find someone that will take him in, Craigslist, friends with ducks/chickens, etc. Also, try peas, ducks need Niacin, especially the young, but the older can use it too.


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## Aslea (Oct 20, 2013)

The only person I would know who would take him in doesn't have any sort of water source. We've planned to begin buying them food and feeding them ourselves at the pond every day.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They could just buy a kiddie pool. Don't have to have a pond or stream.


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