Call duckling with balding and a discharge from eye

[chensley]

Hello! I picked up two 5 day old Call Ducklings today. Both are balding on their little heads but one is worse looking than the other and has some discharge in its eye. Is the balding just the baby molt? And is there anything I can do to help the eye? They are both pretty afraid of people

 

[Quatie]

Do you notice the other duckling picking at the one with the balding head? My guess would be the other duckling is pulling out it's fluff. It could potentially be something else as well.

For the eye, make sure they have water deep enough to dunk their heads. You can give them a warm bath to help clean it out. Also you can use luke warm saline to clean the eye out.

I know people use antibiotics on the eyes as well, but I don't remember what. @Miss Lydia @Isaac 0 or @casportpony will know. They will also have other ideas about the balding spot.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Terramycin eye ointment is one, along with saline to wash the eye out.
Discharge from the eye any discharge from the nares or rattling in breathing?
I'm not sure what would be causing the balding unless they were rubbing their heads on something in their previous home? To make a waterer for those tiny ones that they can dunk their heads into to clean their eyes and nares out.

 

[chensley]

I'm not sure if these two were housed together at their previous home but they seem to be getting along just fine. No rattling noise or other discharge just the one eye. If I give them a bath do I use any soap or anything? I will have to try the saline in the eye.

 

[chensley]

I have also made sure they have had clean water deep enough to dunk their heads in. But I have the same Tupperware so I will be making the example waterer!

 

[Quatie]

I'm not sure if these two were housed together at their previous home but they seem to be getting along just fine. No rattling noise or other discharge just the one eye. If I give them a bath do I use any soap or anything? I will have to try the saline in the eye.

No just a shallow bath with warm water. The warm water just helps clean anything out. I find it helps any other nasal or eye treatment work faster. They will have fun playing in it too.

If they were housed with other ducklings, another duckling may have been the culprit. Would also be a likely way that eye got infected. They like to peck at eyes sometimes. Majority of the times I have seen animals lose hair or feathers, it is another one doing it to them. Especially if you only see it on one. If it is was something else, you would probably see it on both. Good news is if it was just being over pecked, the duck will grow in new feathers and fill in the bald spot. It will be a few weeks until they get their head feathers growing in.

 

[chensley]

I am certain they were house with other duckling because she had brought out several other ones. I will give them a warm bath and try the saline in the eye. Hopefully it will help! I will update after a few days to see if it gets any better. Thank you!!

 

[Isaac 0]

@chensley , how is the duckling doing?

 

[chensley]

They both seem to be doing great! There is no more discharge from the bigger ones eye anymore so the bath and saline worked great!!

 

[Quatie]

Great to hear that the little one is doing better! They are so cute!