Sleepy duckling not eating much HELP!

[Miss Lydia]

What is the temp in your brooder? If it’s steady at around 85 they should be okay in the garage. All duckling sling their feed my Runners are adults and big slobs when it comes to eating. are you using any niacin with your ducklings? Scrambled egg is very good for them. You might try adding a little feed in with the egg so she is getting some of her feed to. Start slow and add more as she is eating more.

 

[picklestheduck]

Not sure about the temp in there, I'll stick a thermometer in there in a minute. I originally had them on Purina Flock Raiser but I switched to a duck feed that says it has niacin and no supplement needed but I don't trust it so I just sprinkled some nutritional yeast in their food. The issue is, Sage will ONLY eat egg off the tip of my fingers, I've left it in a dish but she won't eat it. I also noticed she picks random things off the walls so I even stuck some scrambled egg on the wall but she still didn't eat it much. I end up going out every few hours to feed her. But shes only eaten egg.... I did put some in her water though and she did love to dabble in the water for it. I've started leaving food bits in her water.... I've noticed the other one, Nutmeg, kinda picks on Sage, she grabs her eyes, beak and downy feathers and yanks her around. I know it can be normal but with how very little Sage is she worries me. I've thought about getting a few more ducklings or even a few chicks in case something happens so they will always have a buddy. And it would make it easier for me to take one out to examine or try to force feed. Should I get more? And if so the same breed? Or different? Or could I get chicks? My mom LOVES or buff orpingtons and wouldn't say no to a few more lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would go with a few more duckling instead of chicks ducklings are so messy chicks if kept in the same brooder would be wet and miserable. As for Sage being picked on what I’d do is separate them but keep them In the same brooder. I had to do this with Week old ducklings and newly hatched. I used hardware cloth wrapped the edges in tape so they couldn’t get poked by the wire and put my week olds on one side the newly hatched on the other and the heat lamp in the middle so both shared it. This will give Sage a chance to catch up and not get picked on. Bless her heart having Nutmeg picking on her sure can’t be helping And if separated they will still be able to see each other. If you could have them inside with you you’d be able to watch her more closely make sure she is eating etc. Do you have liquid B Complex? If so I’d put some in her water. 1/2 ml in her drinking water. Sometimes even the best duckling feed there can still be one in the bunch that needs more niacin and the liquid BComplex has always been the best keep adding the nutritional yeast on their feed 1 tab per cup.
Can Sage walk with out any trouble?

 

[NatJ]

maybe she's been eating while I'm not there but there's no way to tell. I can't watch them for too long

On chicks, I can tell by feeling their crop: it's right at the base of the neck in front, very easy to find. If it contains food, I know the bird did eat, even if I was not watching at the time.

I think ducklings have their crop in the same place as chicks, so you could just pick up each one and gently feel. (Feeling the energetic one is a good way to check what is normal and healthy.)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very good idea about feeling the crops of each duckling

 

[picklestheduck]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...bbly-noise-did-she-inhale-water-help.1518686/
Help!!!!!

 

[picklestheduck]

Its bad quality but you can kinda hear it

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like a clicking noise? she may have inhaled water into her lungs. Hopefully not enough to hurt her. How is she this morning?

 

[picklestheduck]

Sounds like a clicking noise? she may have inhaled water into her lungs. Hopefully not enough to hurt her. How is she this morning?

Yes it sounded like clicking. That's what I was afraid of. She is breathing much better this morning, thank you! However I am still very concerned about her. She is still not eating much at all, and just sways like she's unbalanced or lays down. I've found she only really eats egg from my hand, and when she does its not much. I've tried mixing crumbles in the egg with or without water....nothing works. I think she might have swallowed like one crumble maybe. I know all ducks with fling food out of their mouths, but i feel like this duckling does it more so. With a lot of her food she will grab it up, and then fling it all back out or just drop it like she's spitting it out. She goes in spurts from REALLY trying to eat and gobble it up to just sitting down and letting big sister have it all. I've tried keeping her big sister nutmeg away, but it doesn't help. Oh and part of the reason I say "big sister" is that Nutmeg seems to have grown a bit while Sage still looks tiny. I go out every few hours to try and get some food in her, but I feel like that's not enough. She's not eating the duck food, only eggs.....which I mean I know eggs are healthy but she NEEDS to eat her actual duck food....this may be a bad idea...but should I try giving her cat food or something? I'm at a loss.... I really want to help this duckling, but have no idea what to do!

 

[citymeetscountry]

Have you looked inside her mouth? Like to see if there’s any deformities or anything?