Duck growers please help.

[ruth]

There is another thread about ducks drinking themselves to death. Seems there were instructions with the shipped ducks that since they had not had food or water that water should be given slowly and then taken away for awhile before given back. Ducklings do gorge themselves on food and water so maybe if they are running out of water they are gorging themselves on it when the waterer is refilled. Try to insure that they never run out of water. Use two waterers if necessary. For my 12 ducklings (1 week old and 2 weeks old) I use a large shallow pan that they can get in and wallow in and drink as well as a chick waterer. Every morning one or both are empty or near empty. They go through a lot of water. If they have run out just watch them when you refill and let them have a little and then take it away for a while and then give it back - repeat till they are no longer gorging on it.

So sorry you've had this problem. I'm new to ducks and the other thread about this issue and your thread have given me information I haven't found in books/reading. Thank you for letting others like me know about this problem. To lose 20 in one day is heartbreaking.

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Quote:
I think this is actually up on the Ideal site. I've never had this problem myself but have had experienced breeders give me this advice before I started raising them. But, as mentioned before it could be something in the water so I wouldn't discount anything right now until some research but I do think BrahmaMama is on the right track here.

 

[Ace_king_brahma]

Shoot! Another thing is the feed medicated? Ducklings can OD on feed intended for chicks.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

That's a good question about the feed, Ace_king_brahma.

I don't think the problem is shipping dehydration, unless the 5 week old ones were recently shipped.

Are they drinking well water or tap water?

Someone who had a problem with dehydration in recently shipped ducklings mentioned that the ducklings' bellies were overly full of water. Is this the case with the dead ones?

 

[Badhbh]

She mentioned a hatching house, so i'm wondering if these were hatched on site... but yes, there's another thread with the same question. I second a necropsy.

 

[Frosty]

I did get the impression that KristenH is experienced with ducks and knowledgable, and I have never heard of older ducklings drinking themselves to death so this is puzzling... I spent a few hours on line last night looking for an answer. The only things that I could come up with was duck viral hepatitis, feed, or water. I know that all of the birds are on the same water, but sometimes waterfowl can be very sensitive to things that don't hurt other birds. I do know that they can gorge themselves on feed, and if it's medicated they can end up eating fatal doses of the medication. With all the different types of bedding, I think that would rule out mold spores in the bedding (I lost a few chicks because of that this spring). So really, the only suggestions that I can think of would be to give them different water, make sure the feed is nonmedicated, and do a necropsy.

I really wish I had an answer, and I am very sorry for you losses. I know it must be absolutely heart breaking!

 

[ruth]

I find it hard to believe they can/will drink themselves to death also but it's hard to ignore that 1. they run out of water; 2 she refills waterers; 3 they drink a lot and then keel over dead.

Maybe it's a phenomenon that has to do with what happens when young ducks run out of water.

 

[Frosty]

But it doesn't sound like they are out of water for long... Normally when ducklings drink themselves to death it's after they have been in a box for days during shipping. (And yes, that does happen to any critter... there was a case a few years back of some poor guy in the Army drinking himself to death). Since it sounds like KristenH is taking very good care of these guys, if they are drinking themselves to death at this point, there is something really wrong with them. The question remains, what is affecting all of them like this?

 

[MandyH]

Thanks guys for all the replies, I have been in town paying bills and getting groceries and such. The feed is NOT medicated, they are drinking tap water, I hatched them here myself, and they are never bone dry out of water. I have tried shallow pans, the chick waterers, everything I know. I have been doing this for 7 years now, and am completely at a loss. I tried EVERYTHING before posting, because I KNEW y'all would come up with loads of questions. But hey, that's what we are all here for, to make sure all our bases are covered. Someone asked about them being full of water, and they are not. When I pick them up sometimes water will come out, but only a few drops. Heck the chicks do that, if I pick them up after they have had a drink. I was puzzled too when the 5-6 week old died. It was my 2 year olds favorite and it was the only crested duck we had. She hasn't been to the hatching house to see him gone yet, Lord help us when she does, she named him Quacklin and held him at least 10 times a day. I am going to give them some of my bottled water and change feeds and see what gives. I'll re post if anything changes. Keep the suggestions coming.

 

[raindrop]

If it is a toxin, it makes sense that the duckling only would be affected. They drink so much more water than a chick on a milliliters of water/kilogram of duckling that a toxin could accumulate in them. I also think a necropsy is indicated, maybe even by a diagnostic laboratory. Also, consider having the water tested. Lead or other heavy metal toxicity? Algae?
Also, are all these ducklings housed in the same area? What about botulism? Since ducklings either seem to be sleeping or drinking water perhaps the relationship between water consumption and death is coincidental? Have you witnessed any deaths? Any convulsions? Do they go into a coma first?
Good luck figuring this out. How sad and frustrating for you.