I inherited a very neglected chick and duckling, HELP PLEASE!!!

[AGraybeal]

My friend is getting a divorce and they had chicks and ducklings, between drowning and a dog attack she only had a white leghorn pullet and a duckling left. I said I would take them. This poor 9 week old leghorn is smaller than my 5 week orpingtons and EE's, plus she had some feathers taken from the dog. The duckling (and I have never had ANY experience with a duck) is about two weeks old and she has a bald spot on her back with some irritated skin. I gave chick feed for now in there (I honestly don't think that hen with how neglected and tiny she is, is ready for layer crumble/scratch) and water with probiotics and electrolytes in it and I have them a light because they're stressed, and injured/ sick. Is there anything I should be doing for them? Antibiotics? I didn't want to shock their systems right off the bat because these poor things rand right to the feed and almost gorged themselves (she had scratch down for both of them and that's it's and dirty yellow brown water) then they raced to drink clean water. I feel so bad for them, any help or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Julia62]

I think you are doing well. Good feed, clean coop/brooder, probiotics in the water, you seem to have it covered. I would watch and see how they do. I wouldn't medicate unless it's needed. Definitely grower feed since she is only 9 weeks old. Good luck and great job rescuing them

 

[AGraybeal]

How long would you keep them on the chick start though? The leghorn is very far behind so I'm not sure if she needs to stay on it longer then normal?