EMERGENCY DUCKLINGS/ SEIZURES?

[-Shade-]

I lose a few a year to this. When they run out of water, as they often do, they will guzzle. And there's some combination of the amount they guzzle, the temperature of the water they guzzle, and the temperature of their enclosed that causes this.

I have found that the best way to keep it from happening is to give them really warm water (103-104 degrees) and watch them closely. If they start looking off, I wrap them in a warm towel and stick them in a ratty sleeping bag until they are nice and warm.

Thank you
I'll try to avoid this, but I'm glad to know I didn't do something unusally wrong

 

[casportpony]

Thank you
I'll try to avoid this, but I'm glad to know I didn't do something unusally wrong

You're welcome. I spend a lot of time at the sink waiting for the water to warm up. Which reminds me, I have one brooder that needs new water. I'll measure the temp and let you know (103-104 was a guess).

 

[-Shade-]

This happened again with this new hatch- one of the most energetic ones from the bath today suddenly started seizing and is now gone

I don't know what happened, the water was warm. I was gone all day and no one at home took care of them, so I gave them a warm bath and they drank a bunch. Dried them off in front of the heater and waited until they were completely dry to return them to the box

 

[casportpony]

Oh no, I am so sorry.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

This happened again with this new hatch- one of the most energetic ones from the bath today suddenly started seizing and is now gone

I don't know what happened, the water was warm. I was gone all day and no one at home took care of them, so I gave them a warm bath and they drank a bunch. Dried them off in front of the heater and waited until they were completely dry to return them to the box

So sorry that this happened again.

I wish I could be of more help. I don't if this is anything, but is this one related to the last batch? (I'm asking because I'm questioning if there's a genetic thing here.) Also, was the incubator (I'm assuming that you used an incubator) washed since the last batch?

 

[-Shade-]

So sorry that this happened again.

I wish I could be of more help. I don't if this is anything, but is this one related to the last batch? (I'm asking because I'm questioning if there's a genetic thing here.) Also, was the incubator (I'm assuming that you used an incubator) washed since the last batch?

All of our ducklings are hatched from a healthy breeding pair. We only have two permanent ducks on our farm.

The incubator is washed thoroughly after each incubation and we make sure that there is no residue or any trace of bleach left over after the cleanings.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

A random thought: How old are the ducklings when you have given them baths? Ducks have oil they put on their feathers before swimming to keep the water out, and I almost think that mother ducks help their ducklings with this when they're younger? I'm not entirely sure, but perhaps they're getting "water logged" by not having the proper preening or oil yet. It's a far fetch, but I thought I'd bring it up just in case it does have anything to do in this situation.

 

[-Shade-]

A random thought: How old are the ducklings when you have given them baths? Ducks have oil they put on their feathers before swimming to keep the water out, and I almost think that mother ducks help their ducklings with this when they're younger? I'm not entirely sure, but perhaps they're getting "water logged" by not having the proper preening or oil yet. It's a far fetch, but I thought I'd bring it up just in case it does have anything to do in this situation.

I've heard of the water logging.

They are about a week and a half to only a week old. It was a very uneven hatch, again. Strangely, the one that died was of the slightly older/medium age of the batch, whereas the thoroughly soaked youngest, Charlie, wasn't affected much at all

 

[-Shade-]

Again this morning, two more. It seems that it’s mostly the middle ones. The four oldest and ironically, the youngest one, are all fine

Gave them a small glass a water first thing. They drank it, I came back half an hour and one was seizing. Trying to help that one when I came back and found another just starting to seize

Both gone now

 

[-Shade-]

Again this morning, two more. It seems that it’s mostly the middle ones. The four oldest and ironically, the youngest one, are all fine

Gave them a small glass a water first thing. They drank it, I came back half an hour and one was seizing. Trying to help that one when I came back and found another just starting to seize

Both gone now

I spoke too soon. The youngest, Charlie, seems to be seizing now. It’s been almost an hour