2 day old duck and Need some advice with him.

[Tyler006]

I want to make sure my duckling is healthy and happy an I’m very new to this an need some guidance an help on a few things.

1st my duckling will have one eye open and one eye closed he’s cleaned his head but yet keeps it closed on the 1st day he had it fully open with no problem an I’m not sure what could be causing this.

2nd in the night he’s loud I expected this but he would fall to sleep then maybe 2 to 3 mins later wake up to shaking his head.
He’s got fresh water out at all times an feed and fresh bedding.

3rd at the start he’s poops would be green with a small bit of white is that normal?
Now it’s brown with a bit of white are these okay ?

I know ducks don’t sleep for long but the shaking the head seems to be upsetting or maybe just to me.

We incubated 9 eggs and only got one duck we give him plenty of attention throughout the day an clean his bedding out maybe twice a day to keep it nice and clean.

I really need to know if he’s okay?

And what can be the best sauce of food for him at this stage?

 

[Canadian Wind]

First, welcome to BYC! I'm sorry only one of the eggs hatched. Your little duckie is going to need a friend, they don't do well on their own. In the meantime, place a mirror and a small stuffed animal in the brooder with him for company.

Duckling starter feed is the best thing to give him. It has what he needs to grown, including the niacin, which is very important for ducks. At this age, mix it with water so it's soft.

The white part of the poop is urea, and the darker part is the actual poop. It shows he's eating.

The head shaking worries me a bit. How deep is the water? He needs to be able to dunk his whole head in there to clear his nares/nostrils.

What breed is he?

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC!

Can you post pictures of his eye? He may have gotten something stuck in his eye. How deep is the water? Water should be deep enough to submerge his entire head under. The head shaking is also concerning.

He's probably imprinted with you and is lonely by himself. I'd give him a stuffie (that can get dirty) or a mirror to snuggle with. Will any of your other eggs be hatching?

The first poop is normally green-yellow from the yolk. Everything after that should be brown. The white part is called the uric acid (basically his pee).

He should be eating duckling starer food or unmedicated chick feed with added niacin.

If none of your other eggs hatch, you definitely need to get him a friend(s).

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Agree with Wind but I don't offer a deep water source until duckling is at least several days old because believe it or not, it's possible for a duck/Ling to drown unfortunately. Depending on what you're feeding this little one, it's certainly possible that it needs water to blow out nares. In this case, use warm water and only for a few minutes. Pat dry the water as much as possible and make sure duckling has a warm and clean brooder to return too.

I should add that I hatch Call Ducks. My big ducks were anywhere from a few days to a week old before I got them

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I am raising my second "only duckling" (I have lots of other ducks for these babies to integrate with eventually and watch while too young for integration) and depending on their personality, they can be very fussy about being alone. The little one I have now is extremely loud and if he hears me or my daughter, he goes crazy. He has a soft stuffie in similar size under his heat plate (does your duckling have a heat source and a cooler area to escape the heat if he wants?) but he prefers to be held.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Agree with Wind but I don't offer a deep water source until duckling is at least several days old because believe it or not, it's possible for a duck/Ling to drown unfortunately.

A plastic container with holes cut out of the lid works well.

I know only too well, now, that they can drown. I still have no idea how the little thing got into the container in the other coop where my broody Muscovy were...

 

[HeatherKellyB]

A plastic container with holes cut out of the lid works well.

I know only too well, now, that they can drown. I still have no idea how the little thing got into the container in the other coop where my broody Muscovy were...

I'm so sorry. I also use a container with a lid that I've cut head sized holes into but they're so tired and clumsy in the first couple of days that I always wait to add that. I'm talking about Call Ducks and other bantam ducks so that's probably a difference too

 

[Canadian Wind]

I'm so sorry. I also use a container with a lid that I've cut head sized holes into but they're so tired and clumsy in the first couple of days that I always wait to add that. I'm talking about Call Ducks and other bantam ducks so that's probably a difference too

I'll keep this in mind for the next time I have ducklings hatch. I'm still learning, I think we never stop (or we shouldn't!).

It had never occurred to me that the little ones would get into the water containers. Those were so much taller than them! When I went to check on them, I found the drowned one in the other coop, as well as another that looked exhausted in another container, with a worried mom watching on and doing nothing. I promptly put stones in there so they could climb back out should they ever venture back in.

Sorry, don't mean to highjack the conversation. We now return you to your regularly scheduled discussion.

 

[Tyler006]

First, welcome to BYC! I'm sorry only one of the eggs hatched. Your little duckie is going to need a friend, they don't do well on their own. In the meantime, place a mirror and a small stuffed animal in the brooder with him for company.

Duckling starter feed is the best thing to give him. It has what he needs to grown, including the niacin, which is very important for ducks. At this age, mix it with water so it's soft.

The white part of the poop is urea, and the darker part is the actual poop. It shows he's eating.

The head shaking worries me a bit. How deep is the water? He needs to be able to dunk his whole head in there to clear his nares/nostrils.

What breed is he?

Hi thank you for replying!

Me and my family are going to incubate some in a couple days but just focusing on him an making sure he’s okay first.

I’ll find a small mirror an get a small stuffed toy for him to make sure he’s got company.

His eye has seemed to improved for the time being I believe he got something stuck in it an took a bit to get it out.

His water is deep enough to dip his head an he has enjoyed doing that very.
I’m not sure on what breed he is though.

He normally does that at night with the shaking his head is there a way to make him feel more comfortable ?

I’ve got kitchen roll in the floor of the plastic tub that has a few holes on the lid but I feel maybe he’s shaking his head due to it being not comfortable enough.
He also has a heat lamp at one corner and food that I’ve checked and that is unmediated.

I also would like to know will he be okay for the time being while we incubate the others ? I don’t want him to be come sad by not having a friend in their I’ll make sure to keep him company as much as I can but I know that might not be enough.

I want what’s best for the little guy