Duckling threw up

[NNLChickens]

We recently hatched some Ancona ducklings, but one of them unfortunately passed away last night so I’m looking to find out if there was something we did wrong or what we can do next time to help prevent this. We first noticed that it was foaming at the mouth a little bit, but after a quick search on here I learned that that can be normal if they eat a lot and then take a drink so I ignored it since it seemed otherwise to be fine. Later that night we were holding it and all the sudden it threw up so I thought maybe it was choking and trying to massage it down, but couldn’t seem to find anywhere where there was anything left in there. Within a matter of a minute it or 2 it’s heart was no longer beating. What should we do in an instance like that? Should I have worried when it was foaming a little bit the first time? I now that with hatching birds you are going to lose some I’m just looking for ways to help them!

 

[NNLChickens]

We recently hatched some Ancona ducklings, but one of them unfortunately passed away last night so I’m looking to find out if there was something we did wrong or what we can do next time to help prevent this. We first noticed that it was foaming at the mouth a little bit, but after a quick search on here I learned that that can be normal if they eat a lot and then take a drink so I ignored it since it seemed otherwise to be fine. Later that night we were holding it and all the sudden it threw up so I thought maybe it was choking and trying to massage it down, but couldn’t seem to find anywhere where there was anything left in there. Within a matter of a minute it or 2 it’s heart was no longer beating. What should we do in an instance like that? Should I have worried when it was foaming a little bit the first time? I now that with hatching birds you are going to lose some I’m just looking for ways to help them!

Sorry. I forgot to add when it threw up it basically went unconscious immediately.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Sometimes there is nothing we can do and there was nothing that we did to cause this. I am so sorry.

 

[KaleIAm]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

A veterinarian may be able to determine the cause for you with a necropsy/post mortem exam. You can take the body to your local avian vet or send it to your state vet lab, which is often less expensive.