🤷‍♀️ Is it ok to give my new ducking a gentle sponge bath? She’s dry but feathers are hard as a rock! 🐣

[AmyA248]

Good morning to all my friends.

Thank you all who have helped me through this very challenging hatch I’ve been dealing with. You knowledge and kindness is so much appreciated!

Anyway, our new baby Muscovy finally finished hatching this morning at 8:00 AM
She is in her incubator still and completely dry. The problem is all her feathers cannot fluff up because she’s covered in dried fluid and olive oil that I used to lubricate her and keep her from drying out since she stopped progressing while she was halfway through hatching for almost 5 days.

Poor baby is a filthy mess, and I was wondering if I could give her a gentle sponge bath with a bit of Dawn. (not submerging her in water of course)
I planned to warm up the bathroom with my nursery room heater and run the shower on hot to keep it warm for her.
Then I’ll put her back in her lockdown incubator after I towel dry her really well.

I’ve never had to do this before but she’s a REAL MESS, and I’m sure it’s not comfortable for her either.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Blessings,
Amy

 

[BelovedBirds]

Good morning to all my friends.

Thank you all who have helped me through this very challenging hatch I’ve been dealing with. You knowledge and kindness is so much appreciated!

Anyway, our new baby Muscovy finally finished hatching this morning at 8:00 AM
She is in her incubator still and completely dry. The problem is all her feathers cannot fluff up because she’s covered in dried fluid and olive oil that I used to lubricate her and keep her from drying out since she stopped progressing while she was halfway through hatching for almost 5 days.

Poor baby is a filthy mess, and I was wondering if I could give her a gentle sponge bath with a bit of Dawn. (not submerging her in water of course)
I planned to warm up the bathroom with my nursery room heater and run the shower on hot to keep it warm for her.
Then I’ll put her back in her lockdown incubator after I towel dry her really well.

I’ve never had to do this before but she’s a REAL MESS, and I’m sure it’s not comfortable for her either.

Thank you in advance for any advice!

Blessings,
Amy

Do you have any photos?
If she's dried with her down hardening, you can use a damp cloth or sponge to gently wipe her down, with warm water. Just ensure it isn't too hot. And keep the room warm
I wouldn't use soap, see if you can loosen up her down with warm water and then gently dry with paper towels, or a towel, and straight back into the incubator to dry.
They don't always fluff up fully in the incubator, but as long as she's dried in there, she can go in the brooder to fluff up

 

[BelovedBirds]

How is she doing?

 

[AmyA248]

Do you have any photos?
If she's dried with her down hardening, you can use a damp cloth or sponge to gently wipe her down, with warm water. Just ensure it isn't too hot. And keep the room warm
I wouldn't use soap, see if you can loosen up her down with warm water and then gently dry with paper towels, or a towel, and straight back into the incubator to dry.
They don't always fluff up fully in the incubator, but as long as she's dried in there, she can go in the brooder to fluff up

Great!

I did exactly as you said and she looks wonderful!
She really was messy, as I had to lube her membranes with olive oil.
Washing her also got rid of the “newborn dandruff” that gets everywhere.

She is currently snuggled under my neck while I’m having my coffee. Lol!
Here’s a pic where she fell asleep on her mirror!

Thank you and have a great day.
Amy

 

[BelovedBirds]

Great!

I did exactly as you said and she looks wonderful!
She really was messy, as I had to lube her membranes with olive oil.
Washing her also got rid of the “newborn dandruff” that gets everywhere.

She is currently snuggled under my neck while I’m having my coffee. Lol!
Here’s a pic where she fell asleep on her mirror!

Thank you and have a great day.
Amy

Precious little baby
Glad everything worked out!

 

[AmyA248]

How is she doing?

Hi!

She’s doing great! Thank you so much for asking.
After her sponge bath she’s fluffy and just lovely.
She is currently nuzzling under my hair while I’m working from home. She LOVES to snuggle and cries LOUDLY when I put her in my brooder.
I can’t put her in with her siblings yet because they we’re pecking at her and she’s just so tiny. There is one that’s 1 1/2 weeks and the other is 6 days old.

But I’m worried that she screams every single time I put her down and won’t settle until I pick her up!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hi!

She’s doing great! Thank you so much for asking.
After her sponge bath she’s fluffy and just lovely.
She is currently nuzzling under my hair while I’m working from home. She LOVES to snuggle and cries LOUDLY when I put her in my brooder.
I can’t put her in with her siblings yet because they we’re pecking at her and she’s just so tiny. There is one that’s 1 1/2 weeks and the other is 6 days old.

But I’m worried that she screams every single time I put her down and won’t settle until I pick her up!

Bless her! Tough love I'm afraid!
My girls would cry for pick ups too. They soon adjust, just make sure she knows where the heat source is and she'll eventually settle!
I used to sing to them when I put them down, helped them to calm and go to sleep.

 

[the_finch_family]

Whenever I get ducklings with that issue, I brush them out gently with an eyebrow pencil brush (idk if there's a proper name for these things lol) but a toothbrush or something similar with short bristles would probably work for the future.

 

[AmyA248]

Bless her! Tough love I'm afraid!
My girls would cry for pick ups too. They soon adjust, just make sure she knows where the heat source is and she'll eventually settle!
I used to sing to them when I put them down, helped them to calm and go to sleep.

Lol!

I sing to her also.
I need to ask a question..
I put my heart and soul into my animals, and because of circumstances beyond my control, I’ve had to incubate 20 eggs at staggered ages.
So far we have 3 happy ducklings and 3 precious chicks.
I love them so much to the point that I have their brooders in my KITCHEN! (Not to the delight of my hubby! )
I obviously have to keep their brooders immaculate and clean them completely twice a day.
I was the first person they saw as soon as they hatched and gave them love and affection. BUT, I simply cannot understand WHY they run away from me after day 3 or 4. It honestly hurts my heart and I just don’t understand why they are so afraid.
They can see us all the time and we are always talking to them. Nobody fights or yells, our home is quiet and my daughter is very gentle and loving when handling them.

Quite honestly I just can’t figure it out and it makes me very sad because I work so hard for these babies and get nothing in return.
Is this normal? And why are they SO afraid?
Maybe I’m just not cut out for this and have thought about giving up.
As you can see, I’m constantly posting questions and trying to learn how to do everything right.
I guess it’s possible that I’m too sensitive.
I’ve been a rescuer/rehabber for 10 years and it’s very fulfilling to be able to save God’s innocent creatures. I’ve worked with abandoned kittens, puppies, bunnies, etc.
Bottle feeding all through the night and feeling the joy of saving lives! But all of these types of animals bonded with me in return, which was such a blessing!

But,,, my darling ducklings are the complete opposite.
And I’m genuinely heartbroken..

Kindly,
Amy