Baby duck possibly ill? Please give advice!

[jsroxz]

Looks fine to me. Does she sound any better or worse now?

Nothing much has changed since. I have a feeling I may just be reading too much into it but I would be extremely upset if I ignored a bad feeling and it turned out being something super serious. I’m chalking it up to her breed/size impacting the way she breathes vs. the way the runner breathes & since i’ve done everything possible to assure that her “sneezing” isnt from an illness, I think it may just be from them kicking up some dust in the garage. For now i’m assuming all is well- and i’ll be monitoring closely to make sure nothing gets worse. I’m new to being a duck momma & I would just hate to be the cause of something that threatens their health/wellbeing .

 

[Duckworth]

I don’t want to make light of your concerns, since I’m not there to see and hear for myself. I was a new duck keeper a couple of years ago and felt a lot of anxiety about everything when mine were ducklings. I used pine shavings at first, then switched to straw as my ducklings grew. I learned to get comfortable with my ducks getting wet and with their bedding getting wet and with nearly everything getting wet and poopy.

I ended up putting a smallish plastic bin—one of the kind that stacks and has one open side for reaching in while stacked—upside down near where the heat lamp was so my ducklings had a dry place on top of it to sit under the lamp if they got wet or cold and another cooler, darker place underneath it. I made a “ramp” to the top with some bedding pushed against one side and added some bedding on top to keep their feet from slipping. I wouldn’t go out and buy one, but if you have something similar lying around, you could use it to give your ducklings a way to get up out of the damp and not feel like you have to clean constantly. The ducklings will go where they are comfortable.

 

[chickens really]

These pictures don’t do much justice for the effort that’s gone into their brooder considering I took them right before cleaning time, but it’ll give you an idea. When they were smaller they had a plastic container with mesh/wire as the “lid” so they could stand but it would still catch the water below. Yesterday I switched to an old milk carton and cut it to where there’s about 4” or so for them to dunk their heads underwater. I put a flower pot bottom underneath it and it’s been doing decent at catching the water that splashes out, and they can still move freely in and out of that area. Their heat lamp is directed at half of their cage so they can escape it if they need to. Towels are just so they don’t eat their shavings and so dust doesn’t get stirred up as often.
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The picture attached shows they are too warm. Only the spot they sleep should be heated and the rest cool. Definitely change the temperature.

 

[Miss Lydia]

These pictures don’t do much justice for the effort that’s gone into their brooder considering I took them right before cleaning time, but it’ll give you an idea. When they were smaller they had a plastic container with mesh/wire as the “lid” so they could stand but it would still catch the water below. Yesterday I switched to an old milk carton and cut it to where there’s about 4” or so for them to dunk their heads underwater. I put a flower pot bottom underneath it and it’s been doing decent at catching the water that splashes out, and they can still move freely in and out of that area. Their heat lamp is directed at half of their cage so they can escape it if they need to. Towels are just so they don’t eat their shavings and so dust doesn’t get stirred up as often.
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Do you know the temp in their brooder? your set up looks good and with open sides I don't see how it could be too warm but you need a reading to be sure.

 

[chickens really]

Do you know the temp in their brooder? your set up looks good and with open sides I don't see how it could be too warm but you need a reading to be sure.

They are definitely crunched up in the only shaded spot in the Brooder. I never go by set temps with Ducklings but on how they are actually acting.

 

[WVduckchick]

They are definitely crunched up in the only shaded spot in the Brooder. I never go by set temps with Ducklings but on how they are actually acting.

I noticed where they were but figured it was just where she took the pic while they were close, and at the water. Maybe she can tell us where they lay most of the time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I maybe old school but I still like to know what temps are in the brooder when I have babies.

 

[jsroxz]

I noticed where they were but figured it was just where she took the pic while they were close, and at the water. Maybe she can tell us where they lay most of the time.

When I come into the room, they immediately come lay at the front of their cage until I let them out. That’s what they were doing in that picture, especially because i’d just changed their water. I do monitor the temp closely and watch their body language to make sure they’re doing okay. Also the picture I took makes it seem like their heat lamp is directed at the whole cage, and I knew i’d get some people worried about that lol. It’s just the angle it was taken at and the saturation of my camera lighting. I’m not at home at the moment but when I get home I can post a picture from above so everyone can see the whole setup and where the light hits

 

[chickens really]

When I come into the room, they immediately come lay at the front of their cage until I let them out. That’s what they were doing in that picture, especially because i’d just changed their water. I do monitor the temp closely and watch their body language to make sure they’re doing okay. Also the picture I took makes it seem like their heat lamp is directed at the whole cage, and I knew i’d get some people worried about that lol. It’s just the angle it was taken at and the saturation of my camera lighting. I’m not at home at the moment but when I get home I can post a picture from above so everyone can see the whole setup and where the light hits

Just for a try...Lift the lamp higher too..

 

[onaharley]

Nothing much has changed since. I have a feeling I may just be reading too much into it but I would be extremely upset if I ignored a bad feeling and it turned out being something super serious. I’m chalking it up to her breed/size impacting the way she breathes vs. the way the runner breathes & since i’ve done everything possible to assure that her “sneezing” isnt from an illness, I think it may just be from them kicking up some dust in the garage. For now i’m assuming all is well- and i’ll be monitoring closely to make sure nothing gets worse. I’m new to being a duck momma & I would just hate to be the cause of something that threatens their health/wellbeing .

I think you are doing a great job at being a new duck mama. I worried all the time too with my 3 ducklings last year. Pekin's are a heavier breed, my male duckling always sounded congested, even after getting him outside when spring came. When i felt that the congestion was more apparent sounding i would take some Vet Rx and apply it after a nice warm bath. Vet Rx needs to be warmed up before applying it. it's oil based so you can put a dab on your finger tips and rub it together to get it to warm up. Just apply slightly under the nares.