5 ducklings dead out of 6 Metzer

[Elmcnam]

What was their set up? Heating lamp? Bin? Crate?
What is in their feed? It sounds like vitamin deficiency or an environmental issue.

I have a large brooder that I’ve used for several years. My husband made it. I use bleach and water to clean it out between chicks or ducklings. I prefer heat plates. I do mix my own feed, which my chickens and ducks love, but add niacin and rooster booster for new ducklings. I did go ahead and throw out the plastic waterer, and replaced it with a new one. Everything else I’ve bleached now, and moved the lone duckling to a temporary box in my teen boy’s room.
I’ve had a duckling get angel wing before, which is a nutrition issue. However, she survived for a few months. These all went dead extremely fast. I suspected maybe hepatitis? I saw someone on here with a similar issue, and the symptoms look somewhat familiar.

 

[nuthatched]

I have a large brooder that I’ve used for several years. My husband made it. I use bleach and water to clean it out between chicks or ducklings. I prefer heat plates. I do mix my own feed, which my chickens and ducks love, but add niacin and rooster booster for new ducklings. I did go ahead and throw out the plastic waterer, and replaced it with a new one. Everything else I’ve bleached now, and moved the lone duckling to a temporary box in my teen boy’s room.
I’ve had a duckling get angel wing before, which is a nutrition issue. However, she survived for a few months. These all went dead extremely fast. I suspected maybe hepatitis? I saw someone on here with a similar issue, and the symptoms look somewhat familiar.

Hmm, Anything new?
Any chance a feed component could have been mildewed?
Since they all died so quickly, I think there might be more at play than a disease. It could be a bad hatch but metzer is the best duck hatchery...I'm perplexed

 

[Elmcnam]

Hmm, Anything new?
Any chance a feed component could have been mildewed?
Since they all died so quickly, I think there might be more at play than a disease. It could be a bad hatch but metzer is the best duck hatchery...I'm perplexed

Nothing new really. I know Metzer has a good reputation. The feed wasn’t moldy or anything like that. I’m thinking it’s duck hepatitis, based on my googling and looking through this forum. I bleached my brooder before using it,, but maybe something got in it over the winter? It spread rapidly, and all ducklings were very healthy until they suddenly weren’t. I will probably get more at some point, this year. This is the first time I’ve lost ducklings or chicks like this, and I’ve raised several flocks over the last six years.

 

[Elmcnam]

So sorry for your loss, that is traumatic. And for the little left behind!! I'm also curious about the symptoms your babies had? I just got an order of 4 from Metzer on Thursday and one died Saturday morning. I was thinking maybe she had aspirated something into her lungs....her breathing was rattly, then turned to a little click, and she also was spitting food and mucus from her beak from the first night I had her. She eventually stopped eating.

So sorry for your loss, that is traumatic. And for the little left behind!! I'm also curious about the symptoms your babies had? I just got an order of 4 from Metzer on Thursday and one died Saturday morning. I was thinking maybe she had aspirated something into her lungs....her breathing was rattly, then turned to a little click, and she also was spitting food and mucus from her beak from the first night I had her. She eventually stopped eating.

They all acted very healthy until about an hour before death. Then they stopped walking, lost ability to move neck, and died quickly. We got one to last a little longer with a dropper of rooster booster. However, it was only maybe thirty more minutes before it passed. I’m thinking maybe hepatitis. It spread rapidly. Praying the one left is still alive this morning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a hard time thinking Metzers would send out sick ducklings, I know they hatch and are put into a box for fast shipping but something as serious as hepatitis they would def know was in their flocks.
I hope you can talk to them today.

How's the little one doing this morning?

 

[Elmcnam]

I have a hard time thinking Metzers would send out sick ducklings, I know they hatch and are put into a box for fast shipping but something as serious as hepatitis they would def know was in their flocks.
I hope you can talk to them today.

How's the little one doing this morning?

She was doing well last night! When my son wakes, I’ll check on her. I’m slightly hopeful.

Metzer was very apologetic, but insisted there’s no way it could be hepatitis . They thought maybe travel fatigue? I’m not sure if I believe that, though. I have videos of them healthy, moving around, and eating.

However, one other factorsI’m considering is that I live in a colder climate with high winds, which could have indeed caused some travel fatigue. I also live at 7600 ft elevation, and have heard of others losing birds soon due to elevation. In fact I chose the red rangers when I got meat hens last year because Cornish cross can grow too fast here and die quickly. That said, I ordered those shipped, and didn’t lose one out of 30 from Murray McMurray. My other birds here, I’ve bought local.

I did agree to a reorder and not refund , despite some worry. To be on the safe side Metzer did also agree to ship from their CA hatchery and not TN, just in case it was disease related.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It could very well have been from shipping stress. I lost 2 runner duckling from what the hatchery called shipping stress. They were fine the first 2 days after we received them along with 2 more but they passed and it was heart breaking. Hopefully the ones they send will be healthy and full of life for you!!

 

[JustDuckingOff]

Sounds like classic shipping stress.