Need Help — duck abandoning eggs after 28 days. The ducklings are about to hatch!

[Miss Lydia]

That picture is adorable Do you have any terramycin eye ointment? if you have some Neosporin you could take a little and just go around the eye. Triple antibiotic.

https://www.healthline.com/health/make-your-own-saline-solution

I do have Theracyn and also Veterycin I have used the Vetercyn in the eyes but never Theracyn

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

That picture is adorable Do you have any terramycin eye ointment? if you have some Neosporin you could take a little and just go around the eye. Triple antibiotic.

https://www.healthline.com/health/make-your-own-saline-solution

I do have Theracyn and also Veterycin I have used the Vetercyn in the eyes but never Theracyn

When caring for the eye, should I try to avoid getting anything directly in the eye? I'm also worried about all the gunk the little guy has stuck to him. #6 and #7 both came afterwards and they're looking much healthier. Any advice on how/when to try cleaning up the goop and shell bits? How long should I leave him in the incubator for?

edit: also thank you so much for your help!

 

[KaleIAm]

When caring for the eye, should I try to avoid getting anything directly in the eye? I'm also worried about all the gunk the little guy has stuck to him. #6 and #7 both came afterwards and they're looking much healthier. Any advice on how/when to try cleaning up the goop and shell bits? How long should I leave him in the incubator for?

edit: also thank you so much for your help!

If you have an opthalmic ointment like terramycin you can, and sometimes should, put that on the eye. If you have an ointment not specific for eyes you should probably avoid getting it into the eye.

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/ask-ophthalmologist-q/can-you-use-antibiotic-ointment-cornea-scratch

 

[Miss Lydia]

Once they dry and are fluffed and nothing sticks out of belly. Like let over yolk sac? you can put them into some warm water nice and warm in a warm room, and work on getting the goo and egg shell off. You might have to do this in stages depending on how much, But they might just clean their eyes out for you too they love to dunk their little heads. Once finished pat dry and place right back under heat. How are they today?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have seen many say they have used the neo around eyes before but I wouldn't now that I have seen this.

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

Once they dry and are fluffed and nothing sticks out of belly. Like let over yolk sac? you can put them into some warm water nice and warm in a warm room, and work on getting the goo and egg shell off. You might have to do this in stages depending on how much, But they might just clean their eyes out for you too they love to dunk their little heads. Once finished pat dry and place right back under heat. How are they today?

Hello! We had a couple more hatch last night so we had 5 ducklings waiting for us in the incubator this morning! 8 & 9 look really healthy, just tired.

6 & 7 were both fluffy and looked ready to come out, they're doing really well with the siblings.

We left #5 in until everyone else was settled and brought him into a warm little bath in a warm room. A little but of egg-stuff and eggshell came off which is good, but we may need to keep doing it. He's got a pretty hard/really encrusted splotch of egg-goop that's dried on his back and parts of his wings. We also dunked him a little bit which seemed to help his left eye a bit, he was able to squint and seemed to be able to see out of it. I picked up some terramycin last night, so I rubbed his little eye down after the bath. No immediate improvement but he's back in the brooder now warming up and seems healthy otherwise. He's chatting, toddling around, and getting food and water. He's started cleaning which seems promising; he might be able to remove some of the gunk himself.

I'm a bit worried about #4, you can see him here on the left side, while #5 is in the middle of the brooder there right after his bath. #4 doesn't move around much and is (almost) constantly sleeping. He also keeps his eyes kinda squinty, although I HAVE seen him open them all the way. I put some terramycin around his eyes in case they're a little crusty. I also got some nutri-drench and put a tiny bit on his bill last night and this morning but he still just seems exhausted. He loves to cuddle though and if they come out of the brooder to say hi he loves to just cuddle up and fall asleep with you. I'm really hoping he makes it, but he's very weak. He gets a little food and water but not as ravenously as his other siblings.

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

Just a couple more quick updates.

#5 seems to be doing pretty good, the goop is coming off slowly and he is able to open his left eye somewhat now. We're going to keep treating him and see how he does. I'm really only worried about the eye right now but it seems to be improving.

#4 is just so lethargic, I'm still worried we might lose him. He'll get up and get a little food and water occasionally, but he's not eating or drinking nearly as much as the others. 6 and 7 are doing much better than him despite hatching later, and 8 & 9 are almost ready to come out of the incubator and also look much more energetic. Here he is on the left and then down by the feet (right under the head lamp) and then asleep at the water:

#4 just basically always looks like this even when everyone else is running around, although he peeps happily if you talk to him, he mostly lounges with his eyes closed and snoozes. I'm afraid he's just wasting away.

Here's a group photo:

 

[KaleIAm]

Just a couple more quick updates.

#5 seems to be doing pretty good, the goop is coming off slowly and he is able to open his left eye somewhat now. We're going to keep treating him and see how he does. I'm really only worried about the eye right now but it seems to be improving.

View attachment 2705347View attachment 2705348View attachment 2705351

#4 is just so lethargic, I'm still worried we might lose him. He'll get up and get a little food and water occasionally, but he's not eating or drinking nearly as much as the others. 6 and 7 are doing much better than him despite hatching later, and 8 & 9 are almost ready to come out of the incubator and also look much more energetic. Here he is on the left and then down by the feet (right under the head lamp) and then asleep at the water:

View attachment 2705356View attachment 2705357 View attachment 2705359

#4 just basically always looks like this even when everyone else is running around, although he peeps happily if you talk to him, he mostly lounges with his eyes closed and snoozes. I'm afraid he's just wasting away.

Here's a group photo:

View attachment 2705358

I'm sorry to hear that little 4 baby isn't doing better. They are all so adorable.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are precioius. Congrats on a great hatch.
As for #4 have you tried using a dropper and putting tiny drops of Nutri Drench right inside the bill? let him swallow then try again? or dribble it along his bill, give it to him straight also very safe.

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

They are precioius. Congrats on a great hatch.
As for #4 have you tried using a dropper and putting tiny drops of Nutri Drench right inside the bill? let him swallow then try again? or dribble it along his bill, give it to him straight also very safe.

Thank you! They're all very friendly. It seems the "special" ones are the friendliest...4 and 5 both love to chat and like to be around us the most it seems so far! Everyone else is getting the zoomies and learning that water is fun. 1, 2, and 3 are already noticeably bigger.

We've been giving him a little nutri-drench every few hours, not so much dribbling it in his mouth so much as getting it on his bill and letting him slurp up a little. He's been eating a little bit more and also drinking, but not nearly as much as the others. I'm just worried because neither of us have had a duckling so drained-looking before...he just constantly looks exhausted. He also keeps his eyes half-shut most of the time although I have seen him open them pretty far, it's almost like he's walking around in his sleep. I hope he pulls through, I hate seeing little ones suffer! If you or anyone have any more ideas don't hesitate to share them.