Week old duckling with bad eye

[Hollyskins]

Hiya,

I hatched ducklings recently. The latest to hatch which needed a lot of help due to being shrink wrapped has, and always has had a dodgy eye. It has a white speck in it which does not move and now as of this evening it tends to keep that eye shut all together. It’s a lot smaller than the other ducklings. The rest weigh 200-300grams and this little one only weighs 120grams.

It gets around ok, eats, drinks and poo’s normally. It’s very shivery if out of the brooder. I fixed its splayed legs when it hatched.

Any ideas If it’s an infection or if it’s blind In this eye?!

Photos attached if normal and bad eye. As well as size comparison to the rest.

Thankyou!

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are adorable. Are you offering any form of niacin? Waterfowl babies need niacin to have strong legs so it’s very important they get some everyday until at least 12 weeks old then some heavier breeds like Pekin may need it all their lives. Nutritional yeast is one way of giving it 1 tablespoon over each cup of feed. As for the eye it’s really hard to say what it might be. I have a Muscovy duck who is blind in one eye and she has adapted really well. (Hawk attack)
Hopefully giving your duckling some niacin and some good poultry vitamins might get your little one doing much better.
What feed are you using?

 

[Hollyskins]

They are adorable. Are you offering any form of niacin? Waterfowl babies need niacin to have strong legs so it’s very important they get some everyday until at least 12 weeks old then some heavier breeds like Pekin may need it all their lives. Nutritional yeast is one way of giving it 1 tablespoon over each cup of feed. As for the eye it’s really hard to say what it might be. I have a Muscovy duck who is blind in one eye and she has adapted really well. (Hawk attack)
Hopefully giving your duckling some niacin and some good poultry vitamins might get your little one doing much better.
What feed are you using?

Thanks for your reply!

Yes they get brewers yeast added to their complete unmedicated chick crumb each time I feed them, they also get occasional treats like meal worms, watermelon and peas etc!

These guys are Muscovys too, I am just so worried that it’s painful for him/her, the other ducklings don’t leave the poorly one out, they are all best of friends which is sweet.

Do you recommend any specific poultry vitamins that I should give them?

Thankyou!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Poultry Nutri drench is one @HollowOfWisps uses another I can't remember the name hopefully she'll see this tag.
That's great they have accepted this little one and aren't picking on it which can happen.
the eye doesn't look like it's infected from here anyway. So hopefully what ever it is won't hamper it living a normal life.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Poultry Cell is what I use for ducklings and is easily accessible as most farm stores carry it.

 

[AmyA248]

Hiya,

I hatched ducklings recently. The latest to hatch which needed a lot of help due to being shrink wrapped has, and always has had a dodgy eye. It has a white speck in it which does not move and now as of this evening it tends to keep that eye shut all together. It’s a lot smaller than the other ducklings. The rest weigh 200-300grams and this little one only weighs 120grams.

It gets around ok, eats, drinks and poo’s normally. It’s very shivery if out of the brooder. I fixed its splayed legs when it hatched.

Any ideas If it’s an infection or if it’s blind In this eye?!

Photos attached if normal and bad eye. As well as size comparison to the rest.

Thankyou!

Omg! I have the SAME issue!
She’s 3 days old and has a bad eye. I rinse it every morning with warm water and a cotton ball and yellow goo comes out. It’s closed up completely a lot until I rinse it again. There seems to be a cloudy film over it as well.
She was also shrink wrapped and needed help. She’s also much smaller then her siblings and is always shivering when she’s not in her brooder. I keep her separated because she has a crooked leg and can only scoot and I don’t want the others picking on her.
I’m very worried, I’m not sure if I should use an antibiotic ointment.
I hope I get some answers..
How’s your baby doing today hun?

 

[Kangasox]

I had a similar issue a few weeks ago. Vetricyn opthalmic is amazing (vetricyn in general is my go to). I took a warm moist cloth, degooped, flushed the area with saline, applied the vetricyn, and held baby for a few minutes so it could get into the eye. Did this 2x a day and it was perfect in 2 days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Also there are ways to help with leg issues. sometimes they resolve on their own other times we need to do something . Pictures would be good.
Terramycin eye ointment is another treatment for eye problems

 

[Hollyskins]

Omg! I have the SAME issue!
She’s 3 days old and has a bad eye. I rinse it every morning with warm water and a cotton ball and yellow goo comes out. It’s closed up completely a lot until I rinse it again. There seems to be a cloudy film over it as well.
She was also shrink wrapped and needed help. She’s also much smaller then her siblings and is always shivering when she’s not in her brooder. I keep her separated because she has a crooked leg and can only scoot and I don’t want the others picking on her.
I’m very worried, I’m not sure if I should use an antibiotic ointment.
I hope I get some answers..
How’s your baby doing today hun?

That’s so strange, I wonder if they are ‘runts’ as I read that there are sometimes runts in ducklings too.
Does she have a white dot on the eye too or is it just a film?
I saw some articles on putting a splint on crooked legs, have you tried making a hobble to help her walk?

I’ve ordered some vitamins for it’s food so hopefully that will help it to feel better. It’s still eating, drinking and running about, it’s just it’s eye and the shivering that worry’s me.

The ducklings all weigh 400grams + now. The little one weighs 145g so it is putting on weight but clearly still A lot smaller than the rest.
Attached is a pic of its eye today x

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Late to the party, but...to me, the white dot looks like it could be a corneal abrasion, which is basically a scratch on the eyeball. They are very painful (I speak from experience). @Miss Lydia has already recommended Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment, and I second that recommendation, having used it to treat similar eye injuries.

For minor eye irritation, Vetericyn Ophthalmic Gel is great, but for what I'd consider a serious issue like this (and where infection is a risk), Terramycin would be my choice.

Best wishes for your duckling's speedy recovery!