Lonely Duckling

[Miss Lydia]

Quickly candled the remaining eggs. Zero movement in any of them

Something must have gone wrong the last couple of days, probably the temperature like suggested...
Ran to the feed store and got a couple buddies for our ONE survivor.

I am so sorry about the other eggs but very happy for you that you got some buddies for the one that hatched. Now we need some pics..

 

[Katieao]

I am so sorry about the other eggs but very happy for you that you got some buddies for the one that hatched. Now we need some pics..

So that brings me to my next question. The little duck that I hatched is all crusty, not soft and fluffy like I'm used to. Am I supposed to wash him or something?

 

[Katieao]

The one we hatched is kind of hard to see in a picture because he's so dark. But it's a little mallard.
At least I've seen him have some tastes of food and water. And I put a second much smaller dish of water that has probiotic and electrolyte in it and he's helped himself to that too.

 

[Katieao]

Our hens still aren't broody yet. So we will collect another week worth of eggs and try it again. This time we will know what to do different.

 

[caesargirl]

Lol. Give him a day and you can let him swim in the sink in warm water with you standing right there at all times few inches of water and then a blow dry waving the dryer back and forth on low. Was he sticky when he hatched? Sounds like a high humidity low temp issue. Try the float test with the remaining eggs. Sometimes that can detect life where the human eye can't.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So that brings me to my next question. The little duck that I hatched is all crusty, not soft and fluffy like I'm used to. Am I supposed to wash him or something?

Is he crusty around the eyes too? you can take a qtip or cotton ball dipped in nice warm water and gently try and remove the crust from there. Once he's had a nice warm bath he should be nice and fluffy once dry. They sure are cute.

 

[Katieao]

His eyes aren't crusty or anything just kind of down his back. Not sure if he was Sticky when hatched because I didn't want to open the lid and potentially hurt the others.
He is adapting well to his friends from the feed store. He started out scared of them but with patience from them he has learned to snuggle down with them. And he's eating and playing in his drinking water. I like to give my new babies another water option that has electrolyte and probiotics mixed in and he loved that.
Hasn't quite figured out his legs though. Still pretty unsteady.

 

[caesargirl]

Just make sure everyone is getting enough niacin too. When babies hatch sticky and it dries it feels like too much dried hair gel! A few warm water swims in the sink will help. Just never leave him/ them alone in the water at this age. And when I scoop them out of the water, I do a good dry off wth paper towels (super absorbent) then towel and blow dry. And I have someone take pictures to post here.......

 

[Katieao]

If he's still doing well and continuing to get stronger then we can have a little swim tomorrow and I'll take pictures

 

[Miss Lydia]

If he's still doing well and continuing to get stronger then we can have a little swim tomorrow and I'll take pictures

Great news and glad he likes his friends too. Look forward to pics.