Sick baby duckling

[heideraa]

I have a baby mallard who is about 9 days old. He is seems to breathe very short and quick and he usually has to open his mouth in order to breath, he is a lot less active then he used to be and seems kind of sick. He doesn't chrip much at all anymore and I do not know if this is because he is getting used to me or is not well. He also does not seem to be going to the bathroom as often as he used too, I have already cleaned his feathers around his bottom to make sure that nothing is blocking it on the outside. This has been going on for 2 days and I cannot tell if he is getting any better or not. ( The only reason I even have him inside with me is because all of the other babies, that were hatched out by the hen, were freezing and dying outside because it was too cold.) Any suggestions on what to do if he is sick?

 

[Amiga]

A vet is best, he may have an infection or pneumonia.

In the meantime, get some poultry vitamins with electrolytes in their water twice a week overnight.

Keep them all warm enough, in a safe place, with fresh water.

Do they have a way to wash their heads frequently? If not, they are at higher risk of getting sinus, ear and eye infections, which can then lead to respiratory infections.

 

[heideraa]

Right now I only have one because the other ducklings were trampled by the mom and dad duck (which is why I brought this one inside), but it is inside with a small pen and heat lamp. I let the duckling swim about 4 times a day, and he has a water bowl in his cage, but it is not big enough to stick his head all the way under. I will try getting it a bigger water bowl and adding some electrolytes to its water.

Also I have been giving him crack corn and starter feed, but he only likes to eat the corn and will not eat hardly any starter feed, is this a bad thing?

 

[Amiga]

You are right - corn only is not a good diet for a little. It's like giving a child a choice between oatmeal and a candy bar. Many of them will choose the candy.

Starter crumbles, unmedicated, is what I would use, and I would moisten them, then change them out every 8 hours to prevent mold.

If you have eggs, hard boil one and mash it up really well and offer that.