Newborn duck needs help!

[CayugaMum]

Oh my goodness how are you keeping yourself and all your babies warm?

With great difficulty! Electricity is costing $10 per day. I have a 2 week old in one brooder, but he got sick with either something from the muscovy ducks he hatched under or the brooder/pine shavings? So he's on his own with a ceramic heat lamp, and the 2 day olds are in a different brooder with the warmer heat lamp light. My toddler is the only one with air con in his room, and I have a wheat pack in bed with me and the cat is using me as her personal heat source. It's chaos here!

 

[WVduckchick]

Sorry you are having such difficulties.

The most critical point to begin with is the eyes and bill. Make sure the nares in the bill are clear of any goo, and clean the eyes the best you can. The body will take longer to clean up, but the eyes and nares should be the main focus to start.
Coconut oil is also helpful in removing dried stuff.

 

[Miss Lydia]

With great difficulty! Electricity is costing $10 per day. I have a 2 week old in one brooder, but he got sick with either something from the muscovy ducks he hatched under or the brooder/pine shavings? So he's on his own with a ceramic heat lamp, and the 2 day olds are in a different brooder with the warmer heat lamp light. My toddler is the only one with air con in his room, and I have a wheat pack in bed with me and the cat is using me as her personal heat source. It's chaos here!

So sorry. I hope it won't be this way for your whole winter. I didn't even think it got that cold in Australia since ya'll are so far south. We learn something new everyday.

 

[KAZINO]

Since it just newly hatched it isn't going to be interested in eating or drinking if it absorbed the yolk sac. They can live off of it for a couple days So I wouldn't worry about it eating or drinking yet. OP needs help getting the dried goo off the duckling. It's like cement.

After the few days tho and if they manage to get the dried goo off. They'd have to make sure than in recovery they're eating and drinking well

 

[KAZINO]

Thanks Miss Lydia and Kazino.
It's still in the incubator at the moment but I did give it some water at one point and it drank it. It's not able to eat yet as it can't even hold its head up much, the poor darling. I'm going to give it until morning (it's 10:30pm here in Australia) and then move it to the brooder under the heat lamp. I'm wondering if it needs a warm bath to soak the gunk off? It's winter here so a horrible time for having ducklings. My lounge room is full of peeps from all corners!

Someone had made me aware on how young they are, around now food and water isn't needed too much since they should have absorbed the yolk, but I'd still try to give them water at times since they can still get hot, unless you take others suggestions om the temp and humidity

 

[CayugaMum]

Thank you for all the help, everyone. Unfortunately little baby didn't make it through the night. It just wasn't a well little ducky. I'm very sad we lost it despite our best efforts but understand this is the harsh reality of hatching our own babies. Thanks again for the support. ❤

 

[Miss Lydia]

So very sorry