We had two duck eggs under a hen, one hatched Friday and is strong and fiesty, the other was trying to hatch but not making much progress. Yesterday my son checked it about noon and it seems to be drying in the shell and unable to get any farther. We decided to help it out a bit and eventually got it out of the shell, it was drying up pretty bad. We put it back under the "mom" chicken thinking that would be best, however, somehow it got into the other nest, the nests are connected but have a gap in the back. The other nest was dirty and had sand in it from the other hens jumping in it and laying eggs. The duck isn't very strong and apparantly rolled around in that nest and got dirt in its eyes. We were gone yesterday afternoon or we would have found it sooner. We cleaned its eyes the best we can, but we are unsure if it can even see. I think it can see at least some out of one eye. I feel so bad now, we thought under the hen would be best, but I guess we should have put it in a box under a light.
Is there anything more we can do to help it? Anything other than water we can wash its eyes with? We have used water on a cotton ball and dabbed at it with a tissue.
Baby duck help
normal saline would be best. You need to make sure there is not sand in its nostrils. I would give it a complete very warm deep sink bath away from drafts and dry well. Maybe sit it the sun with it a few minutes. See if it wants to swim in the water and it may dunk and clean its nostrils. see if it will eat hard boiled egg yolks crumbled and keep plenty of clean water available to drink. Water bowl should be deep enough they can clean their nostrils. Duck will choke to death if they don't have water to wash down their food
I didn't even think of a bath since it is so young. I think the nostrils are clear, just the poor little eyes. I already told my son he needed to take it out today and sit in the sun with it. Thanks for the advice. On to a nice bath he/she will go. Maybe if it dunks its head it will helps rinse the eyes as well.
Donna, you should have been a vet. What great advice, the only thing I would add to that Smedge is that you need to give yourself a break. You did the very best you knew how under the conditiions. Your a great lady and caretaker. We can only do our very best as we learn in life. If I were a duck I would love to swim in your pond, or Donna's...Hay
Thanks Hay!
One thing we have noticed is that it seems to have a weak neck, it can't hold its head up well and seems to turn over on its back and have to flip over, no doubt that's how it got sand in its eyes. When I was holding it this morning, it stood on my hands and seemed to have fairly strong legs, but it wants to curl its head down and in. My son saw it drinking water last night, so it was able to hold its balance well enough to do that. I feel so bad for the poor thing.
probably just weak and hungry. Just keep it warm and well fed. I would give the boiled eggs yolk and some vitamin water to get it back on track as fast as possible and maybe play with it some to keep it active and its head up to help strengthen the muscles
Have tried to get it to eat, but it won't eat yet. We have gotten it to take a little water. It almost seems like it may have a bit of wry neck, poor thing just can't seem to keep its balance and rolls over a lot. It keeps turning the head down and to the side. It chirps a lot though so it's a talkative little thing. It also wants to keep its eyes closed though it had them open when my son took it outside. It tried really hard to walk around but it falls over like it's drunk.
try to force some egg yolk into it. If it doesn't eat it will die for sure. Try massaging its neck to see if that helps it
Here is a picture of the baby. The black one is strong and just started eating well. It hatched Friday. The one with the problem hatched yesterday. We have been able this evening to get it to eat some egg yolk. I think it has a neck problem similar to wry neck. The neck however goes forward against the chest rather than backwards. It cannot hold its balance at all. It tumbles and rolls. I'm worried it will drown in the water, we have a waterer with the jar like you use for chicks and have put some marbles in it so hopefully it won't get into it and drown. They can still get water out with no problem. I put a wash cloth in the pen hoping it could hold its balance on it better than the paper towel, but it doesn't seem to help any..
Hee it is on its back trying to flip over.
am I seeing a club foot on its right in bottom pic??? Maybe try a collar made to fit a little loose around its neck out of a toilet paper roll
I'll check the foot, I haven't noriced.
It seems to be able to stand a little better this morning, Seems like it has a lot of trouble holding its body weight up on its feet, it leans forward, but this morning it is standing with its head up a bit more, though very wobbly and still rolls and tumbles when it tries to walk forward.
Maybe you can make it a little shoe like Moodene did for crooked feet. See if will do a better job of standing if it is having a foot problem. Probably won't help with the neck problem, but may help it keep upright.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1167550/?hl=flip+flop
Feet are fine, it just had it curled up in that picture.
This picture I took today, doesn't that little face just melt your heart. I just feel so bad for the little thing. It just keeps flopping side to side and rolling over.
Just can't stay up, and it doesn't help when your buddy likes to grab your feet.
I'm wondering if you could give it baby vitamins since it is not eating much. I couldn't tell you how much to give...maybe one of the other duck owners could point you in the right direction on dosage.
I found this online that it could be...don't know where a baby could pick it up ...
Botulism
Symptoms: loss of muscular control of legs, wings and neck - hence the term limber-neck. Birds are unable to swallow.
Cause: toxins produced by bacteria (Clostridia) in decaying animal and vegetable waste. The toxins cause the problem.
Treatment: avoid problems by keeping ducks out of muddy/dirty areas and stagnant pools, especially in hot weather. The bacteria multiply rapidly in warmer temperatures in anaerobic conditions (where oxygen is excluded). Give affected birds fresh drinking water. If necessary, introduce water into the mouth and throat with a syringe (no needle). A crop tube could be used with the advice of a vet. Add Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate, available from the high street chemist) to the water. This is an old remedy which is still used. Recommended amounts vary from 1 tablespoon in one cup of water to 1 ounce per 50 fluid oz ( two and a half pints) of water.
Doubt that is what it has, it does eat and today it has been eating fairly well. It is still wobbly but does keep its balance better than yesterday. I keep giving both the little ducks egg yolk and we have a high protien chick starter we give them too. I noticed today that its eyes arn't closed as much and it seems to open them wider than it did before and tehy look clearer. We will keep trying, I think vitamins may be a good idea, not sure how much to give it. I suppose they would have liquid ones at a feed store for poultry?
I've heard folks recommend Polyvisol (sp?) a baby vitamin. It sounds to me as if he is going to be okay with time and TLC.
I would try the poly to and without iron
I'll see if I can find it. I think sometimes it is having muscle spasms in its neck because the neck will go down and be tight, we massage it and it loosens up again. It has been holding the head up more, but still tumbles a lot. The legs are very strong, it almost jumped right out of my hands yesterday.
I'm glad to see your duck seems to be doing better. I have been looking online to see if I can find out some info about the vitamins that ducks need. I found a NC Cooperative Extension page that has all the nutrients for different ages. Not sure that it will give you exact dosage for baby vitamins, but gives you a gauge to know what is too much. The table is about half way down...
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/tech_manuals/feeding_ducks.html
Well, I spoke too soon. It was doing better yesterday, but seems to be worse today. We are having a hard time getting it to eat and drink, and it just can't stay upright hardly at all. My husband said it was doing okay this morning when he got up and checked it, but a couple of hours later, it's doing bad. I have my doubts now if it will make it, and if it does, what kind of life will it have if it can't ever stay upright. :( sad
Oh, no, I'm so sorry! Hang in there little duck!