Sleepy duckling not eating much HELP!

[picklestheduck]

Hey sorry it took me a while to respond. Its been rough. My golden laced wyandotte last night had an egg break internally and she passed a broken yolk and the white and the shell was originally sticking out it has disappeared back inside of her. We are worried about infection and stuff so I have her moved into my room also and have been STRESSING over her for the last 24 hours. Sage on the other hand has been perking up. he still limps bad on her left leg, I almost wonder if its going to be permanent, but she has started dunking her head and blowing out her nares ( one is still slightly plugged but shes been better) and she seems to not inhale water like she did (knock on wood) She is more feisty, and does not appreciate being force fed and will spit things back out. She peeps SO loud and likes to wake me up at 4am to talk to me and just be obnoxiously loud in her water. She still isn't really eating her crumbles or egg on her own, BUT if I put crushed mealworms in her water she will gobble them up! She has REALLY started to act like a duck. Shes not out of the woods yet but shes improving. And she does like talking to the neighbor hen she gets to see now. She still loves her froggie with all her heart, and always has to go snuggle him. This little duckling means so much to me and I'm happy to see her doing better. I only hope she keeps going up hill from here.

 

[NatJ]

Have you tried to get the eggshell out? You might be able to put your finger into her vent and gently pull out the shell.

I think that was already tried with the hen. There's a thread about it here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-shell-stuck-in-vent-i-need-help-now.1520500/

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you @NatJ

 

[picklestheduck]

Sage is continuing to improve! Shes acting more and more like a duckling should! She is SO very bonded with me and SCREAMS whenever I leave the room. She has started to grab at sweatshirt strings, and little threads like ducklings should. She clears her nares regularly in her water bowl, she attacks, jumps on, and does laps around her froggy, and she peeps so loud at EVERYTHING. She has eaten some egg and crumbles on her own too! Something that really concerns me is that she is still really limping on her left leg. Maybe its deformed or something, if she continues to grow and do better I will probably have to figure out a brace or splint. She may need to permanently have a brace if it stays like that. But thats ok. She may be a house duck at this point, I'm not sure. The family is taken with her and I went upstairs into my room and had a heart attack when I couldn't find her in her box. I found her in my sisters lap in the next room. She went for a short outing today for a photo shoot. I changed it to my profile pic and here are a few more. The last picture is of Sage's sister Nutmeg so you can see the size difference. Sage has seemed to be growing though!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like she has made some great progress. What we need is some really good pictures of her neck from good angles so we can see what you're talking about. Hopefully, she'll be able to go out with the other ducks once you feel she is ready.

 

[NatJ]

they are kinda afraid of each other. Any tips on helping them be comfortable with each other?

Keep an eye out for problems (like bullying), but otherwise leave them alone to become friends at their own pace.

 

[NatJ]

Its been maybe 2-3 hours? They look like they might be doing better now. I will keep an eye on them thank you. I just freaked out because I have worked so hard to help Sage and I don't want to mess something up.

If it's only been 2-3 hours, they probably just need more time.

Maybe you should divide the brooder with a piece of wire mesh, so you know they cannot hurt each other, and then quit stressing about it. Make sure each one has food, water, a warm place, and some cool area.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's what I was talking about. I did it for my 2week olds and new hatchings they only had to be like that for 2 days.

 

[picklestheduck]

I just finally let them be for a bit, and now they seem great together! I had to leave for an appointment, and when I came back they were snuggled up together sleeping. I've checked on them several times and they were both chilling together each time. I haven't decided on a name yet for the other little one, but I will probably go with Waffles, or Puddles.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just add it to their water since she is doing so well. Did you make them a waterer that they can't spill so easily?
Can you get us a video so we can see her walking and her bony lumps.
I am so happy to hear she is doing so well. And that her and Waffles are hitting it off now too.