Please help! It's day 27 with no movement or internal pip from the duckling, what should I do?!

[Crazy Maizie]

I was expecting a lot of noise but the little guy's been relatively quiet - he spends most of his time under the brooder, and he only pooped twice yesterday - green poop, and ate a tiny bit of food, so I slept the night - but I'm hoping he eats more today. He can run short distances, and gets up on his legs a little bit - but his legs still slide out from under him often and he sits with his legs out at times, is that normal?

The green poop is normal for newly hatched birds. They usually don't eat much for the first 24-48 hours due to absorbing the yolk.

He's also VERY nippy - keeps chomping my face and fingers all the time when it's near or i hold him - then again he keeps biting at nothing too. Writing one handed atm because I jinxed myself!

They explore with their bill so that's why he's nipping.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I also found a duckling I can buy - it's an appleyard, and I think it's 2 weeks old? Is that still too big of a gap?

You can separate their area so they can see each other, but where the older one can't pick at it. The little one will catch up quickly. You probably won't find many ducklings this time of the year, so this is probably the closest in age they will be.

 

[LaFleche]

View attachment 2930954
View attachment 2930955

Congratulations!

 

[Silkie Princess]

I also found a duckling I can buy - it's an appleyard, and I think it's 2 weeks old? Is that still too big of a gap?

I don't have ducks. Only chickens. But I succesfully raise 7wk olds with 3-4wk olds. No problem. But I don't know about ducks

 

[Crazy Maizie]

This is not my photo (found here:https://agirlonafarm.blogspot.com/2011/04/great-chickduckling-massacre-of-2011.html). But this is a great comparison of a 2 week duckling vs a newly hatched. They grow fast.
If you do get the duckling, it won't take long for the newly hatched to catch up, but they will need separated for a bit. I would separate in the brooder with a divider.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

This thread has ducklings hatched 4 days apart.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/looks-like-i-got-a-whoops.278862/post-3363195

 

[Cocelean]

I would say 2 weeks is too big an age gap, but I'm not certain, there may be something you can do so that your duckling has a friend once he's a little bigger. If I were you I'd get a few opinions from some more duck owners!

Yep, I'm still on the look out for younger ducklings!

The green poop is normal for newly hatched birds. They usually don't eat much for the first 24-48 hours due to absorbing the yolk.

They explore with their bill so that's why he's nipping.

Oh that makes sense! Thanks. I actually let him have access to a lot of food to eat whenever he wants - that's okay right?

You can separate their area so they can see each other, but where the older one can't pick at it. The little one will catch up quickly. You probably won't find many ducklings this time of the year, so this is probably the closest in age they will be.

Yeah it's incredibly hard finding any baby ducklings in general - I'll look around for a few more days, and if there isn't any more ducklings, i'll go ahead and get the 2 week older one because I can definitely separate them and still have them near each other

Congratulations!

Thank you !

I don't have ducks. Only chickens. But I succesfully raise 7wk olds with 3-4wk olds. No problem. But I don't know about ducks

It'll hopefully work with a slow introduction! Like seeing and smelling each other for a couple of days before actual contact.

At the moment, the mirror's working - he's been pecking at himself for a while now!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Yeah your duckling can still have access to food and water. Usually I provide a wetted feed for the first few days to a week.

 

[Cocelean]

Yeah your duckling can still have access to food and water. Usually I provide a wetted feed for the first few days to a week.

Oh i'll do that! I just put his food and water next to each other.

I'm actually supposed to volunteer tomorrow at the farm, and I read a post by @Amykins where she raised a singleton and brought him to work with her, but if they need heat, how would that work? Would you say it's better I leave him home? (She hasn't been online since 2017) There'll be 5 other people at home all day, so they can keep him company but since he sees me as his mother, I'm worried he'll have separation anxiety - although he did sleep through the night and is fine with the lights off - rather, he goes quiet instantly!

Another issue is, he doesn't go under the heat thing - it's not a lamp but those four legged platform with heat under. Even though his beak and feet are cold, and I put him under

 

[BelovedBirds]

Yep, I'm still on the look out for younger ducklings!

Oh that makes sense! Thanks. I actually let him have access to a lot of food to eat whenever he wants - that's okay right?

Yeah it's incredibly hard finding any baby ducklings in general - I'll look around for a few more days, and if there isn't any more ducklings, i'll go ahead and get the 2 week older one because I can definitely separate them and still have them near each other

Thank you !

It'll hopefully work with a slow introduction! Like seeing and smelling each other for a couple of days before actual contact.

At the moment, the mirror's working - he's been pecking at himself for a while now!

bless him!!
That sounds like a good plan too