Notes

Feed the ducklings starter crumbs. Ducklings don't eat for the first twenty-four hours after they hatch, since they're still absorbing nutrients from the yolk inside the egg they hatched from. After that, they graduate to starter crumbs, tiny pellets of duck food available at feed supply stores.[5] Buy a plastic feeder, fill it up, and place it in the brooder.
If the ducklings seem hesitant to eat, try adding a little water to their food to make it easier for them to swallow. You can also add a very small amount of sugar to their water for the first couple of days to help them get off to a good start and give them energy.
Feed weak ducklings duck egg yolk. Very weak ducklings may need a little extra yolk nutrition before they're ready for starter crumbs. Feed them a bit of mashed duck egg yolk until they become more interested in the starter crumbs.
Give the ducklings constant access to food. Make sure the ducklings have access to food 24/7. They need to be able to eat whenever they're hungry since they grow so quickly at this stage of life. They also need water to help them swallow their food, so keep the water bowl full at all times.
After about ten days, ducklings are ready for grower's pellets, which are the same as the starter crumbs, only bigger.
Switch to adult duck food. When the ducklings become adults, after about 16 weeks, they're ready for adult duck food.
Avoid feeding ducklings food that isn't made for ducks. Many foods humans eat, like bread, don't provide them with the nutrition that ducks need, and some can even make them sick.[6]
Even if the ducks are interested in food such as bread, it is not good for them.
Ducks can have very thinly cut fruits and vegetables as a snack, but make sure their main meal is duck food.
Don't give ducklings food made for baby chickens. It doesn't have the right nutrient makeup for ducklings.
Never use medicated feed for ducklings. It can cause organ damage.
Encourage the ducklings to swim. Ducks love to swim, and they'll start as soon as the first day after they hatch if you let them. Do not let them swim unattended. Baby ducks are covered with down, which isn't waterproof, and their bodies are still too fragile to cope with swimming alone at this stage.
Make a little swimming pool out of a paint roller tray. The paint roller tray makes a great environment for starter swimming.[8] You can supervise them closely, and the slope in the tray creates a little ramp to help the ducklings get in and out safely.
Don't let the ducklings swim too long, or they'll get chilled. When they're done swimming, dry them off gently and place them back in the brooder so they can warm up.
You can also let them sit on a heating pad covered with a clean towel for a few minutes.
Keep some emotional distance from the ducklings. It's tempting to cuddle with the sweet, fuzzy ducklings, but if you get too close to the ducklings, they might imprint on you too strongly. To make sure your ducklings grow up into an independent, healthy adults, enjoy watching them play with each other, but don't join in the fun too much.
Give your ducklings plenty of water. Put a shallow drinking bowl inside the brooder that is deep enough for the ducklings to dip in their beaks, but not their entire heads.[2] Ducklings like to be able to clear their nostrils as they drink, but if you give them access to deeper water they could climb in and drown.[3]
Change the water and clean the bowl every day to make sure the ducklings don't get sick from drinking dirty water.
If you fear the bowl you have is a little too deep for your ducklings to drink from safely, lining the bottom with pebbles or marbles will make it safer for them.[4]