So after 2 weeks I was able to locate some other ducklings for my single hatchling. After lots of inquires and texting I was able to go to a poultry farm to pick out 3 week old ducklings. It was a very Ozark kind of farm. No house in the deep woods, no road, just a shack with electricity, AC and running water and cages everywhere. The cages were up off the ground and huge, packed with poultry of different ages and breeds. The birds were in ok condition but the floors of the pens and cages were a foot deep in poop. This causes ammonia burns on their feet. I only needed two but I picked a third that was in a bad way- deformed legs. I got two Chinese Crested and a malformed Pekin.
I got them home and put them in the tub with soap and water. I bathed them 3 times until the water was no longer brown. They were covered in feces and ammonia. I treated them to clean indoor cage with heat lamp and clean dry shavings. After a week of this it was time to put them outside with a foster mama duck. They are doing well with a pool instead of my tub and learning to be ducks. They are thriving in the sunlight, food and TLC. Our farm animals get pampered at our place. I will post more photos when I can. It is haying and planting season and time is in short supply.
