Help - 3 week old ducklings dead in 18 hours!

[ValerieJ]

That is heartbreaking.

 

[casportpony]

I am so sorry.

 

[townchicks]

I'd treat this immediately..keep them dry & warm & give niacin (water soluble vitamin b supplements) & electrolytes. Don't worry, poultry cannot overdose on vitamin b as the excess will transfer to waste & the more electrolyte ingested right away the better.

I'm sorry for your loss, @Dees ducks
I know it's too late now, but just to clarify, ducks do need extra niacin, but when treating coccidiosis it is important to know you must not give vitamins. at the same time. Amprolium works by blocking the B vitamins that coccidia need to survive, thus reducing the number to the point that the birds can build up a resistance to the coccidia. If you add vitamins it can negate the effect of the amprolium.

 

[Dees ducks]

Thank you all for your advice and support, I feel lucky to be part of this forum.
All the little duckies were so precious but the last one who hung on and tried so hard was doubly special. I named him Bullseye as he had a doghnut shaped marking on his little head. He hatched with the yolk not fully absorbed and very weak and I nursed him for the first few days through that - he was a real little fighter.
Thanks for the advice about the coccid liquid and vitamins - I'll certainly bear that in mind for the future if I find the strength to hatch again.

 

[Dees ducks]

Just another point which I couldn't fathom how it related to the ducklings sudden death and that is, here in the UK, it's been unusually hot and sunny during the day and very wet/raining heavily during the night. Absolutely prime conditions for the cocci to thrive and multiply.

 

[gtaus]

Last duckling died yesterday afternoon. I'm so so so devastated, upset, heartbroken and angry in equal measures. I only had the 5 ducklings 24 days but they were already part of the family and I loved each and every one.

Sorry for your loss. I have only raised ducks twice, but never had such a terrible experience as yours. I talked to a guy who has been raising poultry for years and knows what he is doing. He told me that sometimes you do everything right and still everything goes wrong. Sometimes we never figure out what went wrong. Sounds like your adult ducks are doing fine. I hope you can pick yourself up and start over when the time is right. Best wishes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

From what I read it hits the young and goes through them fast. If you ever do hatch again you’ll be prepared with knowledge to get them through. That helpless feeling of not knowing what to do is awful I’ve been there as I am sure most on here have.