# Ducklings not eating



## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

I tried incubating some duck eggs, and of course only 2 of 8 hatched. The two that hatched don't seem to be eating. They are drinking the water, and I have tried diping their bills in feed, but after two days I still have yet to see them eat. We made a mash with their food and some water, and put it in a very low dish the same color as the waterer but it doesn't seem to be helping. Is there anything else I can do?


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Try making feed soup for them.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

You could also try tearing up bread and putting it in milk.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

It might also be a good idea to mix some electrolyte powder in the water too. Be sure to watch them drink in case they don't like the taste.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Ducklings also often get excited about chopped greens in the water or food dish. As long as you haven't sprayed your yard dandelions are a good choice. I just cut them up fine with scissors and put them in the water dish and over the dry food. I feed my ducklings dry chick starter and haven't ever had a problem with them eating.


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

Thanks, I called DW and she is going to put in a buffet for them, hopfully they will eat something from the list.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Take a warm wet cotton ball and lightly rub it across their vents till they poop. Put 1 tablespoon sugar in a qt of water. Frequently the reason ducklings won't eat is that they are plugged.


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## RiverPines (Dec 12, 2006)

2 days, I wouldnt worry. They can go 48 hrs with nothing.
What I do is once they start drinking I start, little bit by little bit, adding their food, a duck starter, into their water....soup!!
As they get good at eating I, each day, make the soup less soupy and then offer water separate to the wet mash.The wet mash slowly gets drier.
They naturally eat in wet so it works perfectly!
Once you start feeding them dry, keep the food close to the water so they can dip their beaks in the water as they take the dry food into their mouths.


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

Actually, they are in day 3 now. Cyngbaeld, are you talking about the same thing as chickens with a pasty butt? Or is it more along the lines of a dog having to lick her pups to stimulate them? thanks riverpines, if they haven't started eating by the time I get home soup it will be.


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Yes, like pasty bum. The fact that only 2 of 8 hatched says they were probably stressed. You can put some cayenne pepper in the water too, for a booster.


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