Duckling mass death diagnostic

[Jemima Duck]

A quick Google gave me this: https://www.studying-in-uk.org/best-veterinary-schools-in-the-uk/

I am American, but it's difficult to believe that vets, especially farm animal vets, wouldn't necropsy animals that died of non-obvious causes - especially in (relatively) large quantities. You're the country that got hit by Mad Cow disease. The yearly revenue for poultry farms in the UK in 2019 was something like four billion Euroes. Nobody wants to risk... I don't know, Crazy Duck Syndrome or something destroying the industry. So there's a decent chance a mass death, even of ducklings, will be taken somewhat seriously by scientists.

I'm just saying go ahead and reach out to somebody now. Describe the situation. You might get a free inspection/check-up out of it. Best case it prevents a recurrence in the next hatching. Worst case, they tell you to "sod off." But the case will likely stick in their minds and if something similar happens, to you or someone else, that memory could give them the jump on finding the cause and cure.

Thank you for the very informative post, I had never thought about it being potentially serious bacteria-wise... I actually live very close to a university, though upon looking, they are charging silly rates... Like £200. I suppose I will keep looking at different universities.

 

[johntfs]

Thank you for the very informative post, I had never thought about it being potentially serious bacteria-wise... I actually live very close to a university, though upon looking, they are charging silly rates... Like £200. I suppose I will keep looking at different universities.

What are they charging £200 to do? The bodies are gone. My idea was just email or physically go there and talk to somebody in their vet department, tell him/her the story and get an unofficial opinion.

My thing is that you don't know what it was. But whatever happened killed every last one of the hatch-lings and did it very quickly. Those two facts put together should be at least a little interesting to someone in that department.

 

[Jemima Duck]

What are they charging £200 to do? The bodies are gone. My idea was just email or physically go there and talk to somebody in their vet department, tell him/her the story and get an unofficial opinion.

My thing is that you don't know what it was. But whatever happened killed every last one of the hatch-lings and did it very quickly. Those two facts put together should be at least a little interesting to someone in that department.

Hmm, I think this is where the British and American cultures differ, I couldn't fathom just walking into a university haha. I will just have to hope and pray it doesn't happen again

 

[bhaugh]

What breed are you trying to hatch? What are feeding your adults? I've found helping ducklings out is a 50-50 to get them to live. I find better odds helping out chickens or quail. I hand turn duck eggs for the first 10 days or so in a cheapo hova bator then transfer over to an Rcom. 40% humidity till lockdown. I live in a dry climate so I have little to no ambient humidity. On the next go around if the ducklings are shrinkrapped, just slit a small opening in the membrain instead of pulling it away just enough to allow the duckling air then put it back in the bator. But if they are shrinkrapped then something is going on with how incubation is proceeding. Go back and review what your doing.
Parent birds imo are probably 50% of most fowl not hatching. Health, inbreeding etc makes for week chicks/ducklings. The last clutch I let my scovy moms set none of the runner eggs hatched. And if that wasn't the best incubator I don't know what is. I'm guessing inbreeding. They all developed but then died before hatch.
Two diseases I know that can be transmitted through the egg is Micoplasmosis (sp) and a Avian Encephamelitis. I've had the latter when I bought chicks from an NPIP breeder .
Muscovies for me are difficult to hatch. I've had much better luck with those 28 day breeds.

 

[bhaugh]

When was the last time you cleaned out your bator with disinfectant? It's possible you could have bacteria or fungus in it. Also how do you control air in the bator? Poor hatches result when the newly hatched can't get enough air

 

[johntfs]

Hmm, I think this is where the British and American cultures differ, I couldn't fathom just walking into a university haha. I will just have to hope and pray it doesn't happen again

How have things been going? Have you hatched any more ducklings or even gotten more fertile eggs? Even if you can't fathom physically going to a university, figure they have e-mail. Maybe try that?

 

[Jemima Duck]

How have things been going? Have you hatched any more ducklings or even gotten more fertile eggs? Even if you can't fathom physically going to a university, figure they have e-mail. Maybe try that?

I haven't hatched any more this year yet, I think I will try again in spring and see what happens. The duck eggs haven't got as thick shells anymore, so I wonder if that was causing a problem...

 

[johntfs]

I haven't hatched any more this year yet, I think I will try again in spring and see what happens. The duck eggs haven't got as thick shells anymore, so I wonder if that was causing a problem...

Maybe add some oyster shell calcium to your female ducks' diet. Thin shells is apparently a symptom of low-calcium.