Both ducklings are dead :(

[Mum]

Keep us up to date on how your hatch is going. I'll be keeping my fingers X'd for you

 

[Charlesmom]

Don't know if it will help. Last year, I lost several baby chicks and one duck when they were very young. One of the forums suggested Infant Pedialite in their water. Once on the Pedialite, we did not lose any more

 

[Going Quackers]

Don't know if it will help. Last year, I lost several baby chicks and one duck when they were very young. One of the forums suggested Infant Pedialite in their water. Once on the Pedialite, we did not lose any more

I have heard this before.. at least for chicks.. what is the purpose? i mean i know it's an electrolyte for kids but the benefit for ducklings/chicks.

 

[Charlesmom]

Not sure how/why it works, provides essential nutrients? All I know is that we started with 8 and lost one a day until we started with the pedialyte. Then we lost no more. Gave it to the baby ducks as well.

 

[Wynette]

Sounds like you did everything according to what you read; I'd agree that you may want to reexaime the waterer. They need to be able to get their entire bill UNDER the water; most poultry waterers will not allow this. I searched online and ended up getting what was called a game bird waterer - and searched on BYC to find that many folks will use a margarine tub with holes cut out at the top, so the ducklings can put their heads/necks through to get a drink & dip their bills/heads, but not splash a bunch of water out in the process. The game bird waterer was similar and worked really well for the first couple of weeks. Then, when I moved them to the coop, I had my husband make a similar waterer out of a 3 gallon bucket. That worked out really well, too. Might be a good idea to look at each "piece" of caring for them - their water and waterer, their feeder and feed, the bedding, their brooder container, etc. Sometimes, looking at the "whole" is ovewhelming! BEST of luck on the hatch, and so very sorry for your losses.

 

[UKducklover]

Just a little update,

From the 5 eggs I had one stopped developing, 3 hatched and 1 died after pipping I now have 3 healthy happy ducks. This time they came out the eggs and they weren't as weak from the start. I can see a huge difference in them, they are growing much much faster and their poop is much more solid. I have a feeling something was wrong with my last 2 ducks and they hid it well

I used the same waterer whilst they got used to drinking, after a few days and they were much more steady on their feet I have now switched to a small bowl which is inside another bowl to catch dripping. They are using it well - not trying to get in which was my fear of using a bowl with ducks and they are able to get their whole beak in.

And I am now addicted to having eggs in the incubator I have added 3 goose eggs, fingers crossed these will go well as I didn't realise these are harder to hatch until after I'd ordered them, I just saw the geese and fell in love - and those eggs are HUGE

 

[davidald]

Its ok to be upset about losing chics coz they r so cute but it's not ok to blame yourself and mourn. A lot of chics die in the wild too. Do your best to find out what happened and move on.

 

[Marwan]

You know i dont think it was your fault at all. you know theres a high percentage of ducklings that dont make it past a week and thats just nature. you just might have had the unfortunate experince of hatching two babies that were never meant to live too long. im soo sorry about you loss. i live in the uk too and i have 2 ducks which i hatched myself and i can imagine what it would be to lose them. well i dont really cause i didnt lose them but i lost a chicken i hatched myself and that left me really gutted. hopefully your new eggs will hatch out and not share the same fate.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just a little update,

From the 5 eggs I had one stopped developing, 3 hatched and 1 died after pipping I now have 3 healthy happy ducks. This time they came out the eggs and they weren't as weak from the start. I can see a huge difference in them, they are growing much much faster and their poop is much more solid. I have a feeling something was wrong with my last 2 ducks and they hid it well

I used the same waterer whilst they got used to drinking, after a few days and they were much more steady on their feet I have now switched to a small bowl which is inside another bowl to catch dripping. They are using it well - not trying to get in which was my fear of using a bowl with ducks and they are able to get their whole beak in.

And I am now addicted to having eggs in the incubator I have added 3 goose eggs, fingers crossed these will go well as I didn't realise these are harder to hatch until after I'd ordered them, I just saw the geese and fell in love - and those eggs are HUGE

Congrats on the ducklings and to hear they are doing so well. Now don't forget to post pics so we can gush over them too. and let us know when gosling hatch too.