Help needed - baby ducks!

[Russ]

I like the way the leader has a cross on his back

[greencreeper]

Their feet and stance got me curious - found this:

SHELD-DUCK

The sheld-duck is a bird of the tidal flats - the saltings - and the sand dunes. It is a large duck and in some of its habits - notably its flight - it resembles a goose rather than a duck. It nests in rabbit burrows in the sand dunes - and sometimes the nest is as much as ten feet from the entrance. During the breeding season the drake develops a large knob at the base of the bill - but by July this adornment has disappeared. The ducklings are charming in their black and white down.

Which explains it. Also explains why they're so big

[Tricky]

Call your local VET, they should have a 24hour line and my just get the RSPCA out anyway.

Think it's chinese for tea...Mmmm Crispy!!!

[paulyoung666]

the first person who mentions duck ala orange is going to get red repped into annihalation

you just got close tricky

[MovedGoalPosts]

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

the first person who mentions duck ala orange is going to get red repped into annihalation

Er you just did - does that mean we all red rep you

Try phoning the local police, on their local switchboard number (not 999!). They will often have contact numbers not available to the general public where you might be abel to get advice. At the simplest level, if the chicks are quite young, even if they stay in your garden safely overnight, without food they are going to get weak quite quickly. That alone should be reasonable grounds for you to be concerned about welfare and what to do, if anyone gets grumpy about wasting thier time.

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

Er you just did - does that mean we all red rep you

Try phoning the local police, on their local switchboard number (not 999!). They will often have contact numbers not available to the general public where you might be abel to get advice. At the simplest level, if the chicks are quite young, even if they stay in your garden safely overnight, without food they are going to get weak quite quickly. That alone should be reasonable grounds for you to be concerned about welfare and what to do, if anyone gets grumpy about wasting thier time.

ahhhhhhhhhhhh whoopsssssssss , been nice knowing you all

[snodvan]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

Er you just did - does that mean we all red rep you

Try phoning the local police, on their local switchboard number (not 999!). They will often have contact numbers not available to the general public where you might be abel to get advice. At the simplest level, if the chicks are quite young, even if they stay in your garden safely overnight, without food they are going to get weak quite quickly. That alone should be reasonable grounds for you to be concerned about welfare and what to do, if anyone gets grumpy about wasting thier time.

Been there - done it. They were nice and friendly/ appreciated the problem but could only give me the RSPCA number I had already tried without success.

[MetaWraith]

I'd be worried about predation by foxes etc, got a rabbit hutch handy ?

Surely a local Animal Rescue centre would help

[snodvan]

The "fluffy humbugs" are still running around the garden squeaking like mad. The adult birds have flown over once or twice in the last couple of hours but have not come down. I think (or at least I hope) that means the adults are aware of the chicks location so I hold out hope that early tomorrow morning (dawn-ish) when all is quiet the parents will return and I can let them all loose with me doing some rear-guard guidance.

That is plan A - unfortunately I do not really have a plan B other than to contact RSPB tomorrow (and the local Urban Farm, who may be able to advise).

I do have a nice cosy shed where the chicks could stay in a box but really I want the chicks to be "available" to the parents at all times and especially early tomorrow. Although I will try to be up around dawn (honest - I'm daft, and a very light sleeper) there is no guarantee. We do not have a problem with foxes and no special problem with cats - possibly because we have a dozen garden lights on all night as a security measure and a couple of big sensor-activated flood lights along the passage way beween us an next door that any foxes/ cats would use.

[paulyoung666]

heres hoping the ducks are ok , me likes ducks

I've kept in touch with this thread because

I'm just as much a 'softy' for fluffy baby ducks, as anyone.

I think snodvan is being incredibly caring & I share his concern for them

I'm worried about the food aspect.

- I just wondered if anyone knew whether ducklings were fed by their parents, or whether they foraged, themselves? If the latter, then they might get some grub from the pond - insects, small snails, worms?

[MetaWraith]

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

heres hoping the ducks are ok , me likes ducks

what about cygnets ?

[Halcyon]

Awwww. I'd love them to be in my garden.
Make them a little shelter out a box and make sure its clearly labelled out so that it doesnt get thrown in the bin.
Give them some water, a few bits of bread, not too much or it will make them ill, and then keep an eye on them. If you can make sure its safe from foxes as they would just swallow them whole.

Then look out for the parents and see if they go off with them.
With it being a built up area with a motorway, I'd say the best thing might be to catch them and take them to the sea, however I dont know enough about ducks to know if they need their parents or not.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by Halcyon

Awwww. I'd love them to be in my garden.
Make them a little shelter out a box and make sure its clearly labelled out so that it doesnt get thrown in the bin.
Give them some water, a few bits of bread, not too much or it will make them ill, and then keep an eye on them. If you can make sure its safe from foxes as they would just swallow them whole.

Then look out for the parents and see if they go off with them.
With it being a built up area with a motorway, I'd say the best thing might be to catch them and take them to the sea, however I dont know enough about ducks to know if they need their parents or not.

Good luck.

I'm afraid they still need the parents.Anyway they may not be heading to the sea just the nearest large fast flowing water source.

Why not contact the Hedgehog sanctuary folk? I forget the name but according to the TV series they make a point of rescuing ALL wildlife.

Incog.

here you are St Tiggywinkles

[snodvan]

Originally Posted by homealone

I've kept in touch with this thread because

I'm just as much a 'softy' for fluffy baby ducks, as anyone.

I think snodvan is being incredibly caring & I share his concern for them

I'm worried about the food aspect.

- I just wondered if anyone knew whether ducklings were fed by their parents, or whether they foraged, themselves? If the latter, then they might get some grub from the pond - insects, small snails, worms?

We are all big softies where ducks are concerned.

I think ducklings fend for themselves from a very early age. All day they seem to have been pecking / grovelling into the grass of the lawn (which has been uncut for a week or so) and just at the moment they are doing that with a vengence. I suspect that is because as night comes and the grass gets more moist all sorts of small insects/ larvae come out - at least it is always this time of night when the midges etc bite my ankles when I am camping.

There will be loads of insecty things in the flower borders because 3 months ago I spread 2 tons of stable manure on those and a million "things" seem to live in the straw layer that is now on top. Keeps the blackbirds and other birds occupied all day so I guess it will do for ducklings as well.

There will not be much food in the pond because it is only small (4 ft x 3ft x 2 ft deep)and recently established. The onlyu thing in was a few taddies and they are now mini frogs somewhere. The duckies had better NOT eat my wife's mini frogs - she has been nurturing them through from the tadpole stage.

I tried making up a food supply (prawns/ crab stick and some sweet corn mixed in the blender with a little milk and bread). They ignored it and continued to peck at the lawn. OK, I tried. I must go and move it in case the fishy smell attracts any cats.

Watch out for tomorrow's exciting installments