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Hi everyone, I know this is a weird question but tonight on my night shift I noticed a little Duckling out in the portico of work and since it's nearly minus one degree and his mother was no where around I picked the little champ up and am looking after him in a box near my work computer, he has water some duck pellets and a bunch of shredded paper to keep him happy, he's breathing fine and doesn't seem too fazed by his situation but he's really young and i don't know what else to do with him/her, should i wait until morning when it warms up and try and put him down where the other ducks go near the lake at work? or just hope he fends for himself if there's no other ducks around? I couldn't conciously leave him stranded it'd make me feel sick if he suffered because of me! any other Duck whisperers out there in Dakka land?


Damo

Deep fry?

no Mr Mystery, I don't believe the little guy would enjoy that!

Just turn him from Duckling into Nugget.

Feed him bits of bread. Or worms, pieces of fish, grass.

And give him water of course.

Maybe I meet you half way and just name him Nugget?

Then when he's good and plump, break out the Pancakes and Hoi-Sin.

Check with water, and he's got some crushed up duck pellets, but i'm not sure if he's hungry so i won't harass him to eat, if i can get hold of bread i'll put some in with him and see how he goes :-)

This is possibly the most off-topic thread I have ever seen I had to stop myself laughing out loud when I saw the title. I never thought I'd write this on Dakka, but I'm sorry, I have no idea of how to care for ducklings. Good on you for helping the little thing out though

Awesome. I occasionally feed the ducks are the creek by me.

I'm glad i'm not one of your pets Mr Mystery! i'd be living in fear!

Mr Mystery wrote:Deep fry?

...Serve with a nice orange glaze.

In all serious ...your doing about all you can do,keeping the little guy warm and fed.
It would probably be best for you to attempt to return him to his natural environment though..unless you fancy the idea of a pet duck.

Don't think he would be accepted back by the parents now he has been handled

Might be worth checking out the local animal rescue centres to see if they can care for the duckling.

We want cute pics btw!

Well lets hope I get points for being massively off topic then! the little guy is rustling around and chirping so I think he'll pull through the night, lets hope the day brings some family for him! maybe we can all band together and name him? how's DuckaDucka sound? :-) the Dakka Duck!

Totally wrong! facepalm:
apparently they may not abandon the young one
http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/health/babybirds.aspx


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Dakky duck!

Chibi brings up an excelent point...the ducklings mother may not accept him back now that he "smells of human."


....or maybe she will.

Do you have a wildlife rescue center or animal control center near you? Do a search online. We've taken abandoned and wounded animals there before.

Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!

I hope she welcomes him back to the fold? we've had to bring some family members together again a while ago but the mother was nearby, this is the first time i've found one all by his lonesome! I think the mother should take him back, I had heard that some birds don't like the smell of people but these ducks at work are fully cheeky! some even try and get the self opening doors at the front of the hotel to open by rushing them with about 20 of their mates!


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nope no animal centre close by :-( and it's 1:55am here so I doubt anyone would like me calling! :-)


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And no mr Mystery I'm not eating him....or frying hm....or crisping him lightly in a pan.... how could we do that to DuckaDucka!

You are probably doing the right thing if it is that cold
Hopefully he can rejoin the family in the morning.

Mr Mystery wrote:Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!

...I have a sudden craving now.


@ nerdfest.

Honestly if the little guy seems healthy,I'd just release him back to where he came from..let him go be a duck.
kudos to you for having the heart to help the little guy out though.

nerdfest09 wrote:
And no mr Mystery I'm not eating him....or frying hm....or crisping him lightly in a pan.... how could we do that to DuckaDucka!

Pluck him, gut him, batter him and fry him. Easy. Just like pretty much any other Duck.

You're such a sweet guy Mr Mystery! :-) but you're out of luck i'm afraid, I googled some care tips and yes so it seems i'm doing the correct things for him, and his mother will accept him back if she's around! so when the sun warms up in the morning i'll get the guy on work after me to take some duck food down to the lake and when they all mill around gently release him close to any other ducklings! if you look up countryclubtasmania.com you can check out DuckaDucka's home! i think you can see the lake on the website? hopefully he'll be all good, I can't stand to leave any animal in distress or danger! I even had a 'pet' possum I reared when i was younger and a small Kangaroo called a bennetts wallaby!...yeah i'm a soft touch!

I thought you named him Nugget?

As for the ducks rushing the front door, did it ever occur to you that Nugget is infact infiltrating the establishment for his dark masters?

I think DuckaDucka suits him better! :-) especially as this site seems to like him! the thought of dark masters controling the hungry swarms of ducks hadn't crossed my mind but now you mention it..... nah they're too cute dude!

n0t_u wrote:I thought you named him Nugget?

As for the ducks rushing the front door, did it ever occur to you that Nugget is infact infiltrating the establishment for his dark masters?

Hmm..Duck Berzerkers..." BREAD FOR THE BREAD GOD!!!"

Lol, 'bread for the bread god'....priceless.....I can feel a Duck themed army coming on somewhere!

Does that mean the males are DE Mandrakes?

Crumbs for the crumb throne?

Used to have a duck as a pet

The pellets arent bad, but while they are young your better off feeding him on scrambled eggs.
Had mine for a few years, then let him go in a pond when i had to move.