# Young Duckling Refusing to Eat Chick Starter



## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Hello, everyone. It's been a long time since I've posted on here. I haven't yet gone to see Moody but I hear he's doing great. I hope to go some time later this summer, but at the moment I'm crammed with hand-feeding a baby budgie who's now starting to feather out really nicely, and have SIX lovebird eggs in the nest. So this will be a busy summer indeed.

The duckling in question is not mine; it's my friends'. He hatched out 3 days ago. He loves to eat bugs; he chases them around and is very good at catching them. He pecks around at anything that catches his eye, looking for food. He absolutely loves water. BUT he doesn't like his chick starter.

We've tried to get him into it but he still hasn't really taken to it. We've found that he prefers it if its actually in quite a bit of water, not just soaked but actually submerged in it. He's eaten chopped up scrambled eggs, bread... Anything but what we want him to eat.

Any suggestions?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Vasp, 



I only had one Duck as a basis of experience, and she was young but not a Baby...


Anyway, the only way I ever fed her, was with her foods "in" about two inches of clean Water...

Or, when we'd go out to the park, she'd graze on Bugs and on various 'green' Seeds of Weeds and as had fallen from certain Trees.


If this little one does not like the 'starter', then I would trust her on that and not offer it anymore.

Mine did not like the 'Duck and Goose' Feed-pellets I bought, so I respected that and stopped offering them after a couple trys.


Otherwise, far as I now, the foods Ducks like to eat, they prefer to eat them 'in' a few inches of clean Water if possible, or, when the foods occur naturally, such as 'green' Seeds, or Bugs, then they prefer to eat them where and as the occur, 'on-the-ground'.


Best wishes..!


Phil
l v


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Make sure it's not medicated chick started, first off. This will kill a baby duckling.
Daryl


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

You might try the fine grade cracked corn that is especially for baby ducks. Sounds like a perfectly normal duckling to me.


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## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Don't worry -- I specifically got unmedicated chick starter. It's "all vegetable", and containing no meat products of any type. Phil, when I had Moody we discussed the great fresh diet you fed your duck. Salmon and oats and berries and greens. This one is not at all having gross poop like Moody. He's healthy. So I guess we'll try to find a good diet that he likes!


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

I've had dozens of ducks these last 20 years or so but I would think that Terry would be the expert as she receives ducklings all the time. From what I'm reading, the duckling is doing just fine but you might want to check in with Terry.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I could be wrong, but it sounds like this duckling likes more "solid" food (bugs and such). If the chick starter is powdery like lay mash, he simply may not like the texture of it. As long as it is eating a good variety of things, it should be OK. I think I would purchase a small bag of high quality dry kitten or puppy chow that has about 20% protein and try floating a few pieces of that in water and see what happens. At 3-4 weeks of age, the protein level needs to drop down significantly, so you couldn't leave the little tyke on the kitten chow diet forever.

Here's a good link for the nutritional requirements of ducks: http://www.metzerfarms.com/feed_temp.htm

Terry


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## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

You're right, Terry. He doesn't like mashed up things. We tried to give him some oats and vegetables but with no success. He will eat some crushed peas. The only kitten/puppy chow I've seen has a lot of protein in it. More than 20%. But we'll go and check today.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Vasp said:


> You're right, Terry. He doesn't like mashed up things. We tried to give him some oats and vegetables but with no success. He will eat some crushed peas. The only kitten/puppy chow I've seen has a lot of protein in it. More than 20%. But we'll go and check today.


Then any good quality dry dog/cat chow that's got the right percentage of protein will do .. small chunks, however.

Terry


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## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

What he really likes is these crickets my friend bought. He chases them around and snaps at them. But he seems to be somewhat lethargic lately. I think it might be from lack of food. I have a dog, and dog food on hand, so I'm going to go get some of that and put it in his water.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

What breed of duckling is this, Vasp? 

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Vasp said:


> Don't worry -- I specifically got unmedicated chick starter. It's "all vegetable", and containing no meat products of any type. Phil, when I had Moody we discussed the great fresh diet you fed your duck. Salmon and oats and berries and greens. This one is not at all having gross poop like Moody. He's healthy. So I guess we'll try to find a good diet that he likes!




"Trader Joes" ( all those tiny 'Sprouts', fresh BlackBerrys, the 'famous' Trader Joes Canned Corn, soft-grade Tofy, Sardines, Canned Salmon...on and on...)


Lol...

Now I got hungry just thinking about all this!

Grit too! He's got a 'Gizzard', so clean 'small' gravel would be appreciated...


How sweet...


I hope I can have a Duck again one of these days...

I sure like them


Phil
l v


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

pdpbison said:


> "Trader Joes" ( all those tiny 'Sprouts', fresh BlackBerrys, the 'famous' Trader Joes Canned Corn, soft-grade Tofy, Sardines, Canned Salmon...on and on...)
> 
> 
> Lol...
> ...


Oh Phil...that is really precious. I hope someday you can have a whole flock.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

"A whole Flock"???


Oh now, just-a-few...just a 'few' would be plenty..!


You know, far as 'fibre', and not o-dee-ing on protean, any 'better' Dry Breakfast Cereals would be good to add to her chow times.


Mine loved some brands, hated others, so they can be particular.


Most Cearals like Corn Flakes, Bran Flakes, Flax-Flakes and so on, the un-sweetened ones, these 'float' for quite a while and are slow to sodden, so the Duck can elect them in a fun way as the flakes float on their Lunch-Water.

Puffed Rice...Puffed Millet...'Cheery Ohs' ( not too much of course, but 'some' )


I bet she likes them..!


Phil
l v


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## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

I'm really sorry to report that the little guy passed just over an hour ago... We have no idea why. He was a little mallard. Some ignorant people had destroyed the nest completely, and the parents were long gone. Only two eggs remained and wildlife rescues refused to take eggs--they told us to let them die, as they would never be able to be wild if hatched by people--as if that meant they might as well just die. But from candling them, I could see that they were close to hatching and I knew I had to give them a chance. One of the eggs was cracked pretty severely and the embryo failed, but this little guy hatched.

My friend noticed that the duckling was refusing food and water and refusing to walk around earlier, but soon the baby was limp and delirious. Its head would just flop back and forth. When she brought it to me, worried about it, the little one was still peeping, swaying its head around. It would still refuse to drink or eat, and couldn't walk. It would just lie there. I listened to its heart and found it to be beating irregularly and rather slowly. Soon the duckling started to twitch and flop around and squeak in a very upsetting way, like it was in pain, and it started to lay its head on its back, and then I knew it was over for sure. Minutes later, he was gone.

I don't know what might have happened. It was so sudden.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Ohhhhhhh...


I am so sorry to hear this.


At least there was a good try anyway


Shoot...


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I, too am so sorry the little one passed.

Does sound like there were some issues going on. 

We know you did your best, Vasp!

LOVING HEALING THOUGHTS AND HUGS

Shi


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## Vasp (Jul 25, 2006)

Thanks, guys. The duckling, from day one, never seemed to be very active or loud. It might have been an issue of genetics... I hate when things like that happen.


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