1 week old duckling with infection

[Buttercup9331]

Have a 1 week old duckling, shell was still attached till today. The duckling didn't look to good at start. With a little boost from some electrolytes it was doing much better. But the shell started to dry up and as it should have fallen off like the rest but I understood that this only was a little different. I've been chipping away at the shell from day one but today it popped off and a bunch of infection came to follow. I've already squeezed as much out as possible. Used betadine to flush and clean. I feel it would benefit from an antibiotic. Is there one I can get over the counter and how much would I give it? (I noticed a huge difference in size compared to his other hatchlings. And how it doesn't swim like the rest do. It stood funny and fell over a bit more then the rest. Also note, I hatched these in an incubatior because momma got off the nest and wouldn't sit back on them. I had to help everyone of them hatch except for the first one, he was #3 out of 6 that hatched.

 

[Zoohtasim]

@EverythingDucks

Butter, was the umbilical cord still attached to the chick?

 

[bhaugh]

Honestly the chance the duckling will make it is small sorry to say. So don't feel bad if it passes on. If the pic shows that is blood, that's a huge loss. Give it every chance without addl meds and if it makes it Great. Sickly ducklings end up unthriftly. I've saved more than my share over the years and most times wish I hadn't!