Duckling honking

[tuckermum]

I have a 4 week old Muscovy duckling who has started honking. I saw one post before mentioning it could be female. Has anyone else had this?

On very sad note my khaki Campbell (3weeks) died. We are all so upset. I feel like a failure as a duck mom she started limping and seeming more sleepy a couple days ago and we found her dead this morning. Has anyone else had this happen? Do you know the cause. I feel so guilty .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sorry for you loss. Sometimes they just fail to thrive. And no matter what we do they still die. Sometimes it can be not enough niacin in their diets if fed chick starter. Only way you could know for sure is have a necropsy done. What we’re all the symptoms and how long has she had them.

 

[tuckermum]

Very sorry for you loss. Sometimes they just fail to thrive. And no matter what we do they still die. Sometimes it can be not enough niacin in their diets if fed chick starter. Only way you could know for sure is have a necropsy done. What we’re all the symptoms and how long has she had them.

Thank you.
They were all on nature’s best organic duck crumble. Her symptoms only last 2-3 days. I checked her legs and they seemed fine. No huge temperature difference one leg was maybe a little warmer but she had been laying on that side. The thing that worried me the most was her being so sleepy but she would only lay around inside the brooder she would walk/swim when out of the brooder except for yesterday evening she laid around most of it. I cleaned the brooder also to make sure bedding was all clean.Her breathing did seem a little more shallow yesterday but I’m so new to all this I couldn’t really tell. I questioned how much I’ve seen her eat in the past couple days though because she would eat treats but I’m not sure if I had seen her eating any real food.

 

[Miss Lydia]

sounds like you did everything possible I’d almost bet failure to thrive. I had a Muscovy duckling hatch years ago under a mama she wasn’t near as active as the other ducklings an soon everyone was leaving her behind by the coop she lasted almost 4 weeks before She died. She grew but nothing like the rest even though I saw her eating.

 

[tuckermum]

sounds like you did everything possible I’d almost bet failure to thrive. I had a Muscovy duckling hatch years ago under a mama she wasn’t near as active as the other ducklings an soon everyone was leaving her behind by the coop she lasted almost 4 weeks before She died. She grew but nothing like the rest even though I saw her eating.

thank you.
I really appreciate that. It brings me some comfort. I’m still so sad along with my oldest daughter. She loved Tonks the most. I did pick the smallest out of the other khakis do you think it could of been the runt?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Could have been and something that happened even while in the egg. No way of knowing for sure.