Heartbroken!

[lisalisa0862]

At beginning of summer, we got two baby ducks at Atwood's. One male and one female. We say they were in love! But anyways, they've mated, played eggs, and the male was extremely overprotective of the female. Yesterday, we came home, and went out like always to feed and water the animals, noticed my female duck acting weird. Drinking water but not eating, wobbly on her feet. We put her in the tub in lukewarm water for a bit, she acted a little better. But today, was worse. Wouldn't stand at all, panting and moaning almost like a small child does with fevers. Heh, heh,heh, ya know? Well all of a sudden, she started spasming fell on her back, and died in like two seconds. My daughter started screaming. So now, my male, her husband is heartbroken, and is steady calling and looking for her! What can we do for him?

 

[Orca5094]

I'm so very sorry for your loss.

The best thing to do for your male is get him another duck friend (or two) as soon as possible. Ducks don't do well alone, they are a flock animal. This is why it is always best to have at least 3 ducks though, so if something happens to one of them, you are not left with one lonely duck. Again, so very sorry about your female.

 

[lisalisa0862]

Thank you, and now, since this last post, we've suffered a few losses more! I can't figure it out really, Ok... So we acquired three ducks from my friend, two females and a male. One female actually had a nest of ten eggs. So, since she wouldn't sit on them, we put them into a hova bator, still air with egg turner. Once it was time, we only had six that were alive still. One, since we weren't aware of the lockdown phase rules, (newbies!) My boyfriend opened to look in. Killed the first one to break shell open completely... Devastated us. Killers!! So we read online here, found someone willing to help. Rayvenfallen.. At last, five hatched chic's! So awesome! One was very weak, had weak neck muscles, he tried, we tried but to no avail. He passed on. Down to four. One night, I heard them chirping, I thought, so checked them and all four were dead. I still Dont understand. Only thing I can figure, is that since in a tub, must've spilled water, so hay got wet, mixed in the poop and caused ammonia smell to become to strong maybe.. Is that possible? We cleaned it out every day, but it was still a mess each day.

 

[lisalisa0862]

Plus, our mama that died? She had two eggs that actually became chic's in the bator, so the one died in the egg turner, but one started to pipp! So I put him in the other bator, and for two days approx, he was hard at it. Last night, I told my boyfriend he needed help, I Dont think he can get out. We read again on here, and it all said do not open or it will shrink wrap him. So we left him alone, breathing and pecking away and went to bed. Up this morning at seven, to find him passed too. What are we doing wrong or not doing right? Help if you can please!

 

[Amiga]

Have you checked in on this thread?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ds-w-host-sally-sunshine/124160#post_17268816

Also, here are some links about water management.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679433/water-water-everywhere/10

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/858161/feed-water-solution-for-brooder#post_12901321

http://frankiemakes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/watering-solution-for-ducks.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/259876/do-your-ducks-have-water-at-night/10#post_13568197

post number 8 from this
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/959603/ducklings-getting-stuck-on-their-backs#post_14939819

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/969751/help-baby-ducklings#post_15125952


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679433/water-water-everywhere/10

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/858161/feed-water-solution-for-brooder#post_12901321

http://frankiemakes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/watering-solution-for-ducks.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/259876/do-your-ducks-have-water-at-night/10#post_13568197

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...for-water-for-ducks-and-chicks-in-the-brooder


And there is a Sticky on Raising Ducklings (link to sticky index at top of duck forum index)