2week old Ducklings dying whats up!!! I am at a loss

[Fudgie]

They do stay far from the heat source and their normal water in the brooder is a chick waterer red on the bottom that a quart jar sits on top..well you know.

They do pick around in the shavings. Should I use something different, old towels or sheets or something, that seems pretty messy with all the pooing they do....

They would not touch the yogurt. The romaine/spinach floaties are in the brooder when they want it. They were full from eating DD fed them when she got home...good gir! I did put the stuffed animal in there and they all climbed right on or near. you cannot even see the one I put in the goslings pen, they have her buried and are playing king of the mountain on her.

 

[Katy]

I always use puppy pee pads in the bottom of my brooders. Helps cut down on the wet mess that they make.

I'd try cooling the brooder temp off a bit.

 

[Fudgie]

I think you might be onto something Katy, I just checked and it is 89.6 in the brooder, I have some lower watt bulbs and will change it....What are we thinking like 78 or what temp should they be at?

They are laying near the stuffed animal and one is away from the light. Let me know what the temp should be and we will get it down some.

MAN you guys don't have any idea how nice it is to get help IMMEDIATELY when we have probs....makes me not feel so alone! Thanks a ton!

 

[Katy]

I'd lower it down gradually until they start hanging under the light a bit.....or at least not avoiding it. I'd think 80 or so is probably a good place to start. It's probably going to take a little trial and error to figure it out. I usually start out at 90 for the first couple of days and raise the heat lamp a little more every couple of days. I really don't use a thermometer after the first couple of days....I just go by how they act. This time of year they're going to need some heat longer than if it were spring or summer.

 

[Fudgie]

we have something we can raise the light up so it is not as warm on them....THanks guys!

 

[Wildsky]

I'm sorry you're having these issues.

When my ducks were little, I had a small cardboard box in the brooder, and only in there did I keep the shavings, it was their little nest. I hung the heat lamp over that, when they started to get out the box to sleep somewhere else, I moved the lamp further away.

I changed the cardboard box out every couple of days if it got wet, it worked really well to keep all their bedding and stuff dry and clean, from food anyway - and I used much less shavings.

I'll go look for pictures......

 

[Wildsky]

The Brooder set up:

Their box close up!

I changed the "flooring" to those utility mats you can buy at walmart for around $4 or so, I bought 4 mats, put two in at a time, while two were outside drying after being washed - I changed them once a day.

 

[Fudgie]

THAT is a great idea Wildsky. I will have to try that, we have a big dog box that could be converted...So the draft around that whole thing does not bother them?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
Aren't they adorable? You guys are really scaring me! I have 3 eggs from J that are due on Christmas eve! I just hope I don't kill them! The youngest ducks I've had were at least 4 weeks old, and it was summer! They stayed outside all the time!

 

[BeardedChick]

Wildsky - they are so cute lined up in the box. OMG!