Help Urgently Needed! Trembling Duckling

[DuckGirl365]

Hello there, I'm new to this website.

I have 5 Silver Appleyard ducklings that are about a week and a half old and one of them is noticeably smaller than the rest. A few hours ago, I gave them a bath in some cool water and changed their bedding.

After their bath, I put them back into their enclosure and left the room for a few minutes. When I went back into the room, the small duckling was face down in its bedding with its legs outstretched behind it. I poked it and it was unresponsive, so I thought it was dead and started getting panicky.

I took it out of the enclosure, wrapped it in a towel, and tried to give it some electrolyte water. It became increasingly panicked being away from the other ducklings and started chirping really loudly, so to avoid stressing it out I put it back into the enclosure.

It's obvious that it isn't acting like the other ducklings who are actively preening and eating/drinking, as it spends a lot of its time sitting down and trembling, not to mention that it won't open its mouth to accept any food or water. At this point, I'm not sure what's wrong with it or what to do.

I would really appreciate any feedback or advice.

 

[Miss Lydia]

For one thing week and a half old duckling need to bath in nice warm water most likely the little one got very chilled after bath . After bath they should immediately be placed back into a warm brooder to finish drying with out getting cold. Sounds like you stepped in just in time Make sure they stay warm especially this lil one.

 

[PattyNH]

Mine are 6 weeks old or so and still get trembly after a swim. Dry them off well and put them back under their heat lamp to warm up!

 

[DuckGirl365]

Thank you both for your responses. The little duckling seems to be feeling much better & is drinking its electrolyte water. I just got so panicked when I saw the poor thing face down in its bedding. Here's to hoping for a full recovery for the little guy/gal.

 

[PattyNH]

I'm sure that it was terrifying! We never had ducks before but my dad came home with 2 Pekins from TSC because he "just couldn't leave them there" lol. So I have been doing a ton of research!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please let us know how the little one is doing!!

 

[DuckGirl365]

Please let us know how the little one is doing!!

Seems to be doing okay. All of the ducklings are cuddling together atm so I'm sure that it's plenty warm.

 

[Dandy's mom]

Hello there, I'm new to this website.

I have 5 Silver Appleyard ducklings that are about a week and a half old and one of them is noticeably smaller than the rest. A few hours ago, I gave them a bath in some cool water and changed their bedding.

After their bath, I put them back into their enclosure and left the room for a few minutes. When I went back into the room, the small duckling was face down in its bedding with its legs outstretched behind it. I poked it and it was unresponsive, so I thought it was dead and started getting panicky.

I took it out of the enclosure, wrapped it in a towel, and tried to give it some electrolyte water. It became increasingly panicked being away from the other ducklings and started chirping really loudly, so to avoid stressing it out I put it back into the enclosure.

It's obvious that it isn't acting like the other ducklings who are actively preening and eating/drinking, as it spends a lot of its time sitting down and trembling, not to mention that it won't open its mouth to accept any food or water. At this point, I'm not sure what's wrong with it or what to do.

I would really appreciate any feedback or advice.

When you say enclosure, is there a heat source they can get to? I didn't have a heat lamp, so I put a heating pad under 1 end of the bed I made for her, and piled a small towel up onto part of it (since she's an only duck and had nothing to cuddle in her bed) She could get over there when she was cold and had a place to retreat if she wanted. But baby ducks need outside heat sources. Just make sure it's nothing too hot, and not direct heat because they burn easily too. That's why the heating pad was on low and UNDER the bottom of the bed. Just warm to the back of my hand.

 

[chickens really]

Are you sure it wasn't just sleeping?..All mine sleep like Road kill all sprawled out with legs behind them..I raise Ducklings outside with Momma and they do not have heat except if Momma covers them.

 

[DuckGirl365]

Maybe it was sleeping, although I've never seen any of my ducklings in that position before.