Duck Drama at Rabbit Tree Farm: A Hard-Learned Lesson with Muscovy Ducklings

Today held its own in my recent streak of crises here at Rabbit Tree Farm. It’s been one thing after another lately:

  • Hailstorms right after transplanting seedlings

  • Two back-to-back bear attacks that wiped out my chicken flock (read about them here)

  • Two traumatic rabbit births with the loss of an entire litter

  • Stressed rabbits needing intensive GI care

  • A coop and pen in disrepair

  • 2 additional bear encounters

And now—this morning—I accidentally sent one of my 10-day-old ducklings into a hypothermic crash.

Learning Muscovy Ducklings the Hard Way


I've had Muscovy ducks for over a year now, but my original trio came to me as adults. Last summer, we raised ducklings, but the mamas did all the work.

This spring, I bought a batch of 2-day-old ducklings—affectionately called the Spice Quack (they're all named after spices). Ducks are messy, so I’ve been giving them shallow baths to clean their brooder while I freshen it up.

Everything was going fine—until this morning.

The Hypothermia Scare: What Happened to Little Saffron

I set the ducklings back into their clean brooder under a brooder plate and headed out to garden. A couple of hours later, I came back to find little Saffron:

  • Huddled and peeping weakly

  • Soaking wet, shivering

  • Breathing with a faint clicking sound

  • Covered in smutz

It was not looking good.

Instincts, Towels, and Sunshine: Emergency Duckling Care

Trusting my gut, I pulled him out.

  • Gently rinsed him under warm water to clean his down

  • Wrapped him in a warm, absorbent towel

  • Took him outside to sunbathe and dry off while I massaged him carefully

He was shivering hard, looking miserable, but eventually he started to settle.

After about 45 minutes in my lap, mostly tucked into the towel, the shivering stopped. He began preening—me and himself—and I knew he’d turned the corner.

I returned him to the brooder, swapped the brooder plate for a traditional heat lamp, and watched to make sure everyone was warm and dry.

What I Learned: Muscovy Ducklings and Waterproofing

Unlike many other duck breeds, Muscovy ducklings don’t develop their oil glands until 6–8 weeks of age. That means they rely on their mother’s natural oils for waterproofing—and I’m definitely not a mama duck.

Moral of the story?
No swimming for these guys until they're fully feathered and oiled up!

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