Pipd's Peeps!

[shadow rabbit10]

Haha. I like reading people's chicken stories. Lol I didn't know the chick made noise. Crashie was probably wondering what he did to make the thing so upset!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah, I think that's why he took to it so well. That's what I was thinking about it, too! He looked so relieved when I finally shut the thing off!







Well, after the storms last night, here's what the junky shade cover looked like this morning. Sigh...

Some fixing up later and... it'll work. The girls don't seem to mind, anyway.

In the mean time, y'all, not sure if I should be worried yet or not, but I sure as heck am! I noticed during Crashie's bath time today that he was crackling a bit every time he came out of the water after snooting or torpedoing. I listened to him with the stethoscope after his bath and there's just a tiny murmur in his lungs. He's acting totally fine otherwise, not even slowing down for an instant, but I'm so scared for him. He's on Tetracycline and I have Tylan if that doesn't work. I'm thinking about ordering some Baytril as well, as it's supposed to be really good. I don't want to take any chances with him.

He definitely hasn't gotten any less energetic, and he's getting so big already in spite of this. Here are today's pictures, taken before this all went down.

Look how big he is next to the Easter chick!

His little wings

Cuddle time!

Shortly afterward, since he had pooed everywhere, I gave his brooder a cleaning.

All bedded down with his friends for a nap.

I'm keeping a close eye on him for now, poor baby.




EDIT: It's been about 3 hours and I no longer hear anything in his lungs with the stethoscope. I think he may have inhaled some water during his bath and that was causing the noise. I'm still going to do the full round of Tetracycline to be safe.

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Lol, what a pathetic tarp. Hope Crashie is ok. I've never had ducks, so I really can't offer you my opinion on the matter.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Seriously, yes. It's being held up more by the branches and fence posts I've put under it than it is by the cheap frame it came with. The thing broke within a few weeks of me having it up. But it was only like $20, so I guess I shouldn't complain.



Crashie seems completely fine. I don't know what to think, to be honest. I've only really had experience with adult ducks. However, it's been my experience with chicken chicks that they don't hide illness well like the adults do. If they're sick, they usually show it. So I'm not sure if I should be overly concerned about Crashie's condition or not, but I will worry, regardless. I don't want to lose him at this point, you know? He's been doing so well. Gosh, I've known the little squirt for 10 days now and I'm already attached. Anyway, I explained everything to my mom to see what she thought and she ordered some Baytril just to be safe, so I will have it on hand if anything changes for the worse.

I checked on him just before sunset because another storm rolled in and it got pretty dark. He did his usual, peeping at the top of his lungs because it got too dark, so I had to go up and reassure him. He got so excited to see me, he did his zoomies in his brooder, zipping back and forth and all over the place! He is such a cutie.

He has figured out that the waterer has water in it, too, now. By that, I mean he knew to drink from it and all, but now he's playing in it, too. Fortunately, his brooder lining is easy for me to replace in sections, so I can always replace the section under the waterer when he makes it all sloppy. I already had to move his little food dish so that he couldn't fling water in it. Ah, ducks...


Anyway, not to ramble. I'll be sure to post anything that goes on with our little guy here.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

More news from the ducky world, here. Crashie is shedding! I noticed that the skin on his feet was peeling and freaked out. A quick search later, and apparently that's totally normal. I guess ducklings shed the skin on their feet a few times while they're growing, just like reptiles! Weird! Crashie's about at the age most people saw the first shedding, too. So he has some peeling skin around his little 'knees' and on his webs, and he's been nibbling at it like crazy. I think it itches, poor baby!

Here's junior ducky today. It seems like he's bigger every time I see him!

"You asked for cuteness?"

The little nibbler!

He has no sound in his lungs as of the last time I checked on him about an hour ago. His nose looks pretty clear and, other than some sneezes (which a lot of people say is normal for ducklings?), he hasn't been showing any other symptoms. I'm not letting my guard down, though! I've got to go run him his bath, so we'll see what happens then.


EDIT: Crashie had his bath time. I checked his lungs before and after. No sound before, small crackle after. So at least I know that the lung sounds are related to his baths and not an actual symptom. I did notice, however, that his face looked a little puffy after his bath as well. How could something so basic for ducks be causing so much of an issue for him?! I'm totally confused.

Anyway, I filled the tub up just a little bit deeper than usual, and he has gotten big enough that he could stand on the bottom through the shallower half of the tub! My goodness, ducks grow so fast!

Also, I am totally mesmerized by this picture I got of him during his bath! ARGH, he's just too cute!!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Today, Crashie is 12 days old. This is significant to me because the last duckling I hatched out lived only 12 days. I know I'm overly sentimental about these things, but I've been feeling a bit somber today and holding the little squirt closely as a result. He's such a cutie and I'm happy to see him doing so well.

Only a couple pictures because the rest didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. His obligatory pose with his buddy. I'm going to have to gather all of these pictures with the Easter chick together so that I can admire how much he has grown.

Snuggle time

...And this is why I don't have any more good pictures. Such a nibbler!

He's starting to get serrations in his bill like the adults. Looks to me like I'm going to have to start teaching him what's okay and not okay to nibble--before he gets big enough to really pinch!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Awww. Nibbling is cute. Until they get bigger, that is. Glad to see him doing well and I hope he keeps growing strong!

 

[lightchick]

Crashie is absolutely adorable!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Isn't he, though? Unfortunately, I think he's entering his awkward phase. His bill is getting bigger and bigger in relation to the size of his head, and he's looking all stretched out and lanky. Hopefully a few weeks of awkwardness will end with him turning into a handsome young duck!

It must be the angle of the picture, he almost looks smaller in today's picture with the Easter chick than he did yesterday. He definitely is not smaller!

Crashie knows how to treat someone formally. You gotta look 'em in the eye!

He was preening here. You can faintly see his preen gland in this shot! And along the same topic, I may have to raise the EcoGlow soon--his back is at the same height as it now!

He may be getting gawky, but he still is cute.

Anti-nibbling training may be going too well. He's not nibbling at my fingers at all now! All I was doing was tapping his beak and telling him "No!" when it felt like he was pinching a bit. Smart little guy! But, of course, I've always known he was clever--after all, he knows very well how to wield his cuteness to overpower people!




In other news, we had a few days without broodies, but they're planning an uprising, I just know it. Margaret, who is probably the most broody little fluffball in the flock, has been laying her eggs in the dust bath in the lower area of the coop, and today, she was just sitting down in it. I moved her and she went on, but... I have my suspicions... I already had to break Kit-kit of brooding, and now it looks like Elda is going for try 3 at it. And my Swedish Flower Hen, Tilde, has been spending an awful lot of time in the nest... But, then, she has done this before and it turned out she was not broody, just wanting to sleep in the nest boxes at night... We'll see.

I also gave Reuben a trial run the other night in the flock. I opened up his pen so that he could go to the coop on his own, and he got lost. He's about 20 feet away from it, but I suppose his crest is probably blocking his view. So I picked him up and put him just inside the chicken yard gate, and the first thing he did was trip on a branch and face plant into the mud. Maybe he needs a crest trimming like Tilde did.

Today is harp day, so I decided against putting him in the flock again today because I'd be gone for a bit. Instead, I'll let him out with the girls this afternoon when I get back home and see what happens. The girls weren't terribly impressed with him before and one of the Partridge Plymouth Rocks, Fancy, actually tackled him and bowled him over! And, on top of that, he ran from her! What a man! But, I do believe he's a youngster still, so he's still growing into his manliness.


Anyway, it's about time for Crashie's bath, so I better get to it before he gets all emotional about it.



EDIT: Oh, I almost forgot! Happy Hatchday to Frou-Frou!! e Can't believe it's been 3 years since I opened the box and found this sassy little Marans!

 

[shadow rabbit10]

Yes.... the broodies always return... Happy hatch day, Frou-Frou!