Got my first ducklings today!!!!! Updated with pics!

[KMarie7]

Hello I'm new! I got my first ducklings today from meyer hatchery online and am so in love with them!! I noticed right away however that one of them had really crusty eyes, so bad they were stuck closed. The rest of them have eyes open but do look a little crusty as well. Now I've put them in the brooder with food and water.. I am hoping that they just need to clean themselves up a bit and they will be ok. Is this just because they are so young? They are a day old.

I have been checking on them and their eyes are looking better, the one that had eyes stuck closed are now open. But now it looks like a few of them are foaming out their mouth and nostrils. Is this normal??? Help!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Do they have water deep enough to dunk their bills complete and wash their faces? This is important when eatting that they can do this.

You can use cotton balls (1 for each duckling) and warm water to wash their eyes. Stroke gentlely from inside corner to outside corner.

Call the hatchery tomorrow to report the issues just so they are aware too.

 

[Amiga]

May be normal, it's hard to tell without photo's.

What kind of waterer do they have? Can they dunk their entire heads to clean them?

Sometimes ducklings that are really hungry can gorge themselves and then urp.

See if you can give them some lukewarm water that is just deep enough to wash their entire heads . . . with supervision for right now.

What more can you tell us about them? Breed? Number? What is your setup like?

And

 

[mummaduck]

Im not sure what is wrong with your new babies but I didnt want to read and run, My advice would be to call the hatchery and tell them, They should be able to tell you. Good luck I hope they are ok.

 

[KMarie7]

Thanks. I will definitely call the hatchery in the morning. They are pekins and I have 4 of them. They were shipped with a heat pack and seem to be acting ok otherwise. I will get some pics. I'm hoping that I'm over reacting since I don't know much about them. I was pretty alarmed to see the foam but read that it could be normal or could also mean something is wrong.

I have them in a large box with pine bedding, a feeder and waterer, heat lamp and a towel. The waterer is the 1 qt. plastic type with the jar that screws on the top. It is fairly shallow where it comes out but deep enough that they can get their head wet but not totally submerged.

 

[Amiga]

See if you can give them some deeper water, supervised, tonight. Make sure they aren't little sillies like my runners, eating shavings. Sheesh.

And give'em a kiss for me!

 

[nickie]

I don't have a pic, but I'm sure you may be able to Google image it... Milk jug waterer for ducklings. I have not used one but I have heard good things about doing this... Cut a hole in a milk jug big enough for them to fit their heads into, but not big enough for their bodies. Put enough water in where they can dunk their heads and drink. You may have to show them how to use it.

Please make sure if you try this to file down any sharp edges on the plastic and do only offer deep water under supervision. Just because they are ducks does not mean they should splash all day yet.

 

[jdywntr]

Even a plastic container with a lid that you can cut holes in will work. I go to the local $1 store and buy plastic food storage containers and just cut holes in the lid big enough for them to fit their heads in. Get a container that's top is about as high as there backs.

 

[KMarie7]

Just an update: The little guys cleaned up just fine!
Thanks for all the waterer suggestions. That was invaluable! The 1 qt chick waterer was not working, the couldn't really wash their nostrils out with it effectively, and they would empty it out completely in 20 minutes! So I got a plastic deli container and cut holes in the top and that worked soooo much better!! Thanks guys!!!

Here's a pic of them when they first got to me.. you can kind of see the crustiness on their eyes...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just an update: The little guys cleaned up just fine!
Thanks for all the waterer suggestions. That was invaluable! The 1 qt chick waterer was not working, the couldn't really wash their nostrils out with it effectively, and they would empty it out completely in 20 minutes! So I got a plastic deli container and cut holes in the top and that worked soooo much better!! Thanks guys!!!

Here's a pic of them when they first got to me.. you can kind of see the crustiness on their eyes...

So they are all doing great now? they are precious by the way.