Is There an Animal Doctor in the House?

Some of you may remember that The Boy and I had quite a time hatching a pair of ducklings about three weeks ago. Of the 10 eggs we started with, only #6 and #7 were "live births". "Six" was the last to hatch, and has always been the "runt", but (s)he seemed to be doing ok untill Thursday, when (s)he became wobbly, exhibeting labored breathing, and just generally seeming not well. We brought her inside and set up a little "sick-bay" for her

Where else but mamma's bed for the little sickie to convelese? (thats my night stand in the background, can you tell I like to read?) I set her up with a heat lamp above, a heat pad underneith and --just for good measure-- a hot waterbottle (it quickly became clear that (s)he was quite warm enough, so I removed the waterbottle).

The red "nest" is a fleece hat I got last year that just wasn't "me", but it seems to suit the duckling just perfectly. Finding an agrarian veterinarian in the city is, well difficult, and I used to work for a small animal vet, so for the time being I am playing it by ear. (S)he seems much more comfortable now that she is warm and cozy, and is really enjoying her "cloth mother". Heres hoping for the best.

Meanwhile, there other poultry around our family homestead are doing great: "Sever" is thriving, and growing by the minute, as are the trio of banty chicks we somehow picked up along the way (ok, I admit it, it was me. I gotta stop to the Feed Store unattended)