Mandarin ducklings dying at 3 weeks old

[attimus]

As crazy as it sounds this might be it. My only experience is with my lone wood duck. Who was already on ground when she was rescued.
I know that they have a hard time eating initially as chicks, and is what I thought of after reading this. But if their intake is being monitored than that can be ruled out. I'm going to have to look into this dropping thing when I get home tonight. I know that wood ducks can drop from a pretty epic hieght, I was unaware of the mandarins.
Was the egg layed or purchased? If your going to let a hen brood it just put the brooder up several feet and don't use a ramp. I'm planning on building a tree house for qbert my wood duck when I did her some mates.
I'm going to look up this whole dropping thing when I get home.

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

Well, that jumping thing is something i never thought about, i wish it's the problem so it can be easily solved, this year it will be the first year i let the hen hatch them, they just started laying and i didn't want them to die too. All eggs are layed, and i think mandarin and woods are the same.

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

And thanks for everyone who is trying to help me here, really appreciate it.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I hope that's it too... and very glad to help... that's what it's all about...

 

[attimus]

Just read in blue Creek aviaries.. The jump start is a myth or so they say and although theses ducklings do barrel out of trees it's not what gets them going so to speak. This is also the first place I've found that mentions this directly.
If your going to let her set them just make sure you've got good feed and clean water. I used nutridrench in the water when raising my wood duckling from only a few days old and mix of gamebird crumble and wild bird seed. Not a big fan of live mealworms that I grow but eats apple pieces out of my hand if it suits her at the time.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Either way, it's a bit hair raising to see how wild mommas do it...

 

 

[attimus]

Oh I love those epic falls. Didn't know about that when I first got qbert and she would jump off my shoulder all the time growing up. I was a nervous Nelly.
Boggy is definitely the way to go for an answer here. Just read through some of his posts from a while back about ducks in general and all I gotta say is, my hat's off to ya sir.

 

[attimus]

And in this my mind is blown. I think I'm gonna have to wait until morning to go and check but I'm pretty sure the eye markings on qbert are just like the one in the first video. Wow.

 

[Peafowlssssssss]

When you wake up i want you to tell me what Boggy is lol.

 

[Ravynscroft]

When you wake up i want you to tell me what Boggy is lol.

Attimus was talking about Aubrey Webb... his username on BYC is Boggy Bottom Bantams as that is the name of his business... minihorse927 tagged him to answer your question... he's very experienced and knowledgeable with many rare breeds...