Is she sick???

[Miss Lydia]

No she doesnt. She wont lay in the water, or play in it, she tries to climb out of the tub and sometimes she squeaks when shes in the water. Ive heard runners arent as fond of water as other ducks but it seems Monica hates it more then the other two. If I put my hand down in the water, she jumps right up for me to pull her out. With their water dish, she only just barely puts her beak in to get a drink, but its just the very tip of her beak. Sometimes I clean her beak off with wet paper towel because it is so dirty and she wont touch the water. Rachels sneezing has stopped since her baths and shes starting to swim around in the water. Shes the biggest of the three, most adventureous, and the only one who hates to be touched. Phoebe is the middle in size and is now following in anything Rachel does first. Monica is the smallest and prefers to be held by me then in the brooder with the other two. Im worried she wont follow the other two in cleaning.. Will she eventually learn? Should I be doing anything for her? Thanks again for all the advice!!

Just keep putting her in with the other 2 she'll get the hang of it soon. they also learn by watching so the bravest will be the leader and teach the other 2. Happy to hear the sneezing has stopped. maybe just keep wiping off her bill if it gets dirty but I'm sure she'll learn, my duckling was all by himself so I pretty much had to show him lots and getting in the water wasn't one of his favorite things to do but he finally learned to love it and had a blast.

 

[Dolly1218]

Ok thank you. I hope she will eventually get the hang of it. Shes so tiny compared to the others, I worry about her a lot. Shes still the size of a day old duckling..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok thank you. I hope she will eventually get the hang of it. Shes so tiny compared to the others, I worry about her a lot. Shes still the size of a day old duckling..

Is she the same age as the other 2? is she active eating and running around like the other 2?

 

[Dolly1218]

She is supposed to be the same age as the others but I feel like maybe she isnt.. She doesnt run around as much or eat as much as the others. If the others get up to move to the water/food bowls she follows and lays next to them until they move again.
Im not sure if you can see the size difference very well in this picture but she is tiny (the black one)

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is supposed to be the same age as the others but I feel like maybe she isnt.. She doesnt run around as much or eat as much as the others. If the others get up to move to the water/food bowls she follows and lays next to them until they move again.
Im not sure if you can see the size difference very well in this picture but she is tiny (the black one)

Either is isnt the same age or she is the runt. what breeds though that can also make a difference. I'd guess Cayuga on her.
Okay just saw they are runners, I'd say she is younger.
They sure are cute.

 

[Dolly1218]

Either is isnt the same age or she is the runt. what breeds though that can also make a difference. I'd guess Cayuga on her.
Okay just saw they are runners, I'd say she is younger.
They sure are cute.

Thank you. If you saw them all running around or even standing you wouldnt think she is a runner at all. I was thinking she is just a runt too, but who knows maybe they sent me the wrong breed of duck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you. If you saw them all running around or even standing you wouldnt think she is a runner at all. I was thinking she is just a runt too, but who knows maybe they sent me the wrong breed of duck!

other than not being as big she is running around do all things ducky right? I mean she isn't sleeping all the time and she has a good appetite right? I believe I'd get some poultry Nutri drench and add it to their water, I use if for my ducklings and chicks when they hatch it gives gives them an extra boost.

 

[Dolly1218]

other than not being as big she is running around do all things ducky right? I mean she isn't sleeping all the time and she has a good appetite right? I believe I'd get some poultry Nutri drench and add it to their water, I use if for my ducklings and chicks when they hatch it gives gives them an extra boost.

Not really. She doesnt run very often, usually only when I reach to pick them up and the others run she follows. She sleeps a lot or is laying around a lot. Eats very little but does eat throughout the day. I gave them peas in their bath today and she ignored them, I even put some in their water dish but she wouldnt go near the dish, she must really hate water. I hear them all chirping, but she settles down and is quiet more and when Im holding her she falls asleep and never makes a sound. The others will chirp to each other when Im holding them. Everything I have read about ducklings, she is opposit. I did use a vitamin/electrolyte supplement in their water from when they arrived for about 6days after. Yesterday was the first day they had regular water in their dish. She really doesnt care to be around the other two girls, but if I take her out and the other two stay in the brooder, they chirp like crazy for her but she doesnt chirp back.

 

[Dolly1218]

I should add, it looks like she is breathing from her mouth not her nose, because she is opening/closing her mouth constantly. Im sure she has something in her nose but she wont put her head in the water...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I should add, it looks like she is breathing from her mouth not her nose, because she is opening/closing her mouth constantly. Im sure she has something in her nose but she wont put her head in the water...

look sideways at her nares[nostrils] you would be able to see if she had anything plugged in there. I don't want to upset you but there is a conditoin called failure to thrive which means they don't grow or they are just not robust. I sure hope this isn't the case with your lil duckling, but sometimes it just happens and there isn't a thing you can do about it. I will get the link on the nutri drench because it is completely different than electrolytes and can be given straight in the mouth which helps when they are going down. or too sick to eat or drink. I sure don't want to add to your worries just want you to be prepared with all the knowledge there is. look this up on line then you'll know what to look for in the future.
http://barnyardsandbackyards.org/2010/09/18/review-nutri-drench/