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

[KaleIAm]

Here's a little group photo from last night right before bed!

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Bad news about #4. It seems he's not taking food or water today. We keep getting him to try and at least drink some, but he will just fall asleep and his head/bill dip into the water. He's so weak, his little legs are floppy and his neck is droopy. He chirps happily occasionally, and sometimes he peeps like he's distressed but we're not sure what's wrong. I'm hoping he's not in pain. Whatever is wrong, at this point I think there's a real risk that he might just starve to death. It's really hard to watch, is there anything we can do or should we just try to make him comfortable?

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Oh, I'm so sorry #4 isn't doing well today.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sure looks like he’s giving up. All you can do now is just make sure no one messes with him. I doubt he’s in pain doesn’t look like it. I’d say failure to thrive possibly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Any update?

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

Any update?

Unfortunately a sad one. Today just before noon little #4 passed away. I was gone at work but my SO was with him all day and was with him when he passed. She was holding him and he started peeping, and looked up, started to spasm and then was gone. He was very excited to hatch and was very sweet; loved to be held. Poor little one. We buried him under the willow tree.

We had many tears today, but the rest of the brood are doing well. We're moving them to a larger brood home tomorrow so the little bunch will have more room.

Only concern I have is for #5's eye still, he seems good otherwise but is still squinting. I think most of the slick bits near the eye are actually eye drainage. We've been spraying him twice a day with the Vetricyn for eyes since that is supposed to flush the eye in addition to solve some other issues.

Here's a pic of the little guy:

Sorry the photo is so red, he's in the brooder here. I'm not sure how long to treat it using this method before trying something different. The first day and a half we used teramycin before switching to the vetricyn spray. He's doing good in terms of eating and drinking, running around. Also super friendly and is usually the first to come back and cuddle after zoomies.

Here's a group photo:

 

[KaleIAm]

Unfortunately a sad one. Today just before noon little #4 passed away. I was gone at work but my SO was with him all day and was with him when he passed. She was holding him and he started peeping, and looked up, started to spasm and then was gone. He was very excited to hatch and was very sweet; loved to be held. Poor little one. We buried him under the willow tree.

We had many tears today, but the rest of the brood are doing well. We're moving them to a larger brood home tomorrow so the little bunch will have more room.

Only concern I have is for #5's eye still, he seems good otherwise but is still squinting. I think most of the slick bits near the eye are actually eye drainage. We've been spraying him twice a day with the Vetricyn for eyes since that is supposed to flush the eye in addition to solve some other issues.

Here's a pic of the little guy:

View attachment 2708962

Sorry the photo is so red, he's in the brooder here. I'm not sure how long to treat it using this method before trying something different. The first day and a half we used teramycin before switching to the vetricyn spray. He's doing good in terms of eating and drinking, running around. Also super friendly and is usually the first to come back and cuddle after zoomies.

Here's a group photo:

View attachment 2708972

I'm so sorry for your lost of little #4. He was so precious. I'm glad you got to spend his sweet, too short, life with him, and that your SO was able to hold him in his last moments.

Is the vetricyn specifically for eye use? Once when I bought it there was a kind for eyes and a kind for wounds in general. I haven't bought it for a long time though so it might have changed.

Do the ducklings have access to water deep enough to dunk their entire heads in?

I love your group photo.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sorry ya'll lost #4. You sure tried your best , I'm sure he felt the love from you both.
but look what you have to help with the hurt what an adorable picture.

I think I'd go back to using the Terramycin for a few days. You can let him swim and wash it out good then put the Terramycin in.
and you don't have to have a pan of water in the brooder. If you don't you'll be able to keep it dryer just let them swim in the tub in warm water and give them a bowl with water to dunk their heads into. you’ll probably need 2 with the number of ducklings you have. Something like this. Sure helps keep the brooder dryer and if you sit it on a tray or pan ( I used a broiler pan I picked up at Good will). I put puppy pee pads under the water also.

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

vetricyn specifically for eye use?

Thank you both for your kind words, it was really heartbreaking to see him slowly wasting about, but the other ducklings are a huge comfort and it's also a relief to know that any suffering he was in is over now.

Yes the vetricyn is the specific one for eye use! It says for use on "all breed of animals" and is good for drainage and also if anything is stuck in the eye.

We currently don't have a big pan for them to completely dip their heads in the brooder, but a smaller "flock waterer." During the day today we just moved them to a larger playpen like area using one of those metal pet exercise things, with 25 feet of space. So they've got a big area for zoomies and a nice water tray they can get in and splash around in on top of the smaller waterer. We've got a larger rubber waterer we're going to start pulling out for supervised swim time and do that once a day. We did that once so far and it was a big hit, #5 was able to dive down/do water zoomies which seemed to help a bit with the eye.

I'll switch back to the teramycin for a few days. It's probably not a good idea to try to do both treatment options, right?

Thanks for the the photo of the waterer suggestion! This is pretty doable, I'll see what we can come up with.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since #5 is getting to wash his/her eyes out real good daily maybe just try the Terramycin by itself for a few days. I couldn't find any info on using both at the same time.
I bet they are loving all the space to zoom around in they grow so fast.

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

Hello! Just a quick update. No change in #5's eye, started off with a spray this morning but before bed we had everyone out for zoomie bath time, #5 got a good wet/zoomed around and then we put some of the teramycin on. We're going to do 2 doses a day for 3 days and see if there's any improvement. He seems to be able to see just fine, I'm not sure if he scratched it hatching or if there's some kind of infection, I see him itch on that side occasionally and there seems to be that drainage. We'll try this and see how it goes. Any tips for administering it? We're making sure to get it on and around the eye. Sadly I think we're making him dislike being held but I want him/her to be healthy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Make sure some goes into the eyelid area. Not gobby but just a bit.
It maybe he got some guck in there before hatch or during and if it's a bit of bacteria the Terramycin should take care of it.

Now don't forget the pics.