Issue with a Cayuga duckling?

[Bok Boc Bock]

I posted about an issue we're having with a newly acquired cayuga duckling in an introduction thread but I thought it might be wise to post in the ducks thread also just to make sure I'm covering all my bases.

The cayuga in question seems to sleep quite a bit more than the other ducklings and doesn't seem to want to eat without some prompting (hand feeding a mash of water and starter food). The duckling is not having any problems drinking or finding the water on its own, walks and runs just fine when up and active but isn't nearly as active as the other ducklings. I don't know the ducklings true age but I was told at purchase that the duckling is only 1 or 2 days old at the most. We've only had the duckling home for about 12 hours now so I don't know much about what happened before we got it.

We're not really sure what to do with the duckling other than continue hand feeding (he/she eats pretty well I believe during the hand feedings) and we offer food by hand hourly. We don't force any food so as soon as the duckling doesn't seem interested we stop offering until the next hour. So far the duckling has eaten every single hour that food is offered. Brooder temp seems good and they are currently getting probiotic water (they had electrolyte water earlier in the day). Our big concerns at the moment is how to handle the time when no one might be available for hand feedings and that no one has yet to observe the duckling pooping (though they are not being watched every second). I also notice this particular duckling doesn't like the warmer areas of the brooder. Even if placed there the duckling will move to a cooler spot.

If anyone can suggest something we might be missing that can help this little duckling we'd appreciate it. Our current plan is just to continue hand feeding and making sure the duckling is drinking. We're letting it sleep as much as it wants only waking the duckling for the hourly feeding if the duckling is asleep, (which it usually is). I'd like to help this little guy get through these tough early days if possible and make sure we're doing everything we can. Thanks for any advice anyone might have in advance.

 

[Amiga]

Any number of things could be going on, from an infection to an injury, to just being a slow starter.

Do you have any gro-gel or sav-a-chick?

See if you can catch the little pooping. If I recall correctly, my ducklings would poop pretty regularly, so if you can watch for ten minutes, something otta come out.

 

[Bok Boc Bock]

At the moment I'm thinking slow starter.

I spent the night up continually feeding the duckling about every 90 minutes giving a bit of starter food mashed with water. Almost exactly 24 hours after we got the duckling the little one finally started eating the dry starter food on his/her own. Activity wise there's now no difference between this duckling and the others beyond being a bit smaller (kind of runtish). He/she's running all over the place with the other ducklings sleeping no more or less than the others.

I use the sav-a-chick electrolyte for the first watering with any birds I bring home usually followed by a watering of the sav-a-chick probiotic, (it's the same pattern I use with our chickens). I plan to follow up with a bit more probiotic water through today and maybe tomorrow before starting on our well water or ACV water if ducks can handle that (I haven't researched it yet).

So going down my check list poop patrol is the next step. No one has seen the little one poop yet but eyes are not on this 24/7 so it may have occurred during the night. None of the ducklings are pooping very often yet as you might watch them for a half hour and only see one or two of them poop just once. I know we could separate the one duckling from the others but we've been able to treat the little one while keeping him/her with the others and it seems to help them with stress to keep the little flock together. I'd like to keep them all together but if we don't see some poop soon separating may have to be done.

Thanks for all the advice! It's been very helpful.