HELP!!!! Ducklings not doing so well!!!!

[CocoNUT]

HELP! I've had my ducklings for about a week now....I went and watered adn fed them less than an hour ago and they were fine. I heard one of them chirping and went to investigate....found one dead. In the next 15 minutes two more died...they were panting and just basically went to sleep.

I took two more groggy ones and put them in the bathtub with some cooler water adn have been holding them and chatting them up. One still seems kinda groggy...but awake...

what's going on? any advice?

 

[mominoz]

Where do you have them, are they under a light? What are you feeding them? Too much heat, too little heat, bad/wrong feed,chemicals....

 

[CocoNUT]

They're under a heat lamp (they're only a week old)...and they're getting chick feed (NON-medicated)...fresh water. I'm wondering if they got over-heated. The groggy one is still kinda wobbly...but they're sleeping now and not breathing as heavily. But I'm so worried that if I leave them alone...the last three will croak. My poor 8-year old has already had a MASSIVE melt down...and I'm a little 'raw'. they're in a brooder.

I know losses happen...but they were all fine not even an hour before the massive die off!

 

[CocoNUT]

Ok...now the groggy one has gone all flopy...which is what teh others did before dying. can't hold her head up....

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

Oh no. I have an 8 yr old too, so I can imagine. I don't even know at this point if there's anything you CAN do. Maybe try a little apple cider vinegar in the water. Were you using any kind of vitamins?

I'm so sorry this is going on!

 

[Trefoil]

Were they able to get away from the heat? Were you giving them extra niacin? My 3 are in the house and haven't been staying under the light (heat) at all. They didn't run out of water did they? I put about a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and a crushed 250mg niacin pill per quart of water. Panting sounds like overheat, what temp is it under the lamp vs away from the lamp? I hope you don' lose them all.

 

[clbarley]

I guess as I am a new duck owner what are the signs of both to little heat and to much heat. The reason why I ask is because I have been suggested on here that my ducklings are to warm but they huddle so much under the heat lamp and even if I angle it differently they move to where it is and huddle under it.

Where do you have them, are they under a light? What are you feeding them? Too much heat, too little heat, bad/wrong feed,chemicals....

 

[Amiga]

Is there water and food with them all the time?

Aside from heat or dehydration, they could have picked up a respiratory problem. Is there any sign of mold where they are? Have they recently been exposed to a lot of dust or fumes?

So sad to read you are having problems. Whatever little details about their environment you can share may help someone recognize the problem.

 

[CocoNUT]

Well...the fourth one passed away (in my husband's hands.....) last night. I've got two left. To answer everyone's questions:

Food & water at all times (I was topping off the water all day - and have been since we got them.) No niacin in the water...didn't know it was required.
They were able to get away from the heat lamp (I thought they had over-heated as well.

Hubby said he thought they were just getting sick. It was SO out of the blue...that's what was so shocking. I've lost chicks before (chicken chicks)...but these ducklings are just so darned cute! Thankfully, of the two that are left, the one who was kinda droopy last night has come back around and it running around and having all kinds of fun today.

I don't know if we'll ever really know what happened...but it certainly was NOT fun...talk about the nightmares I had last night.....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well...the fourth one passed away (in my husband's hands.....) last night. I've got two left. To answer everyone's questions:

Food & water at all times (I was topping off the water all day - and have been since we got them.) No niacin in the water...didn't know it was required.
They were able to get away from the heat lamp (I thought they had over-heated as well.

Hubby said he thought they were just getting sick. It was SO out of the blue...that's what was so shocking. I've lost chicks before (chicken chicks)...but these ducklings are just so darned cute! Thankfully, of the two that are left, the one who was kinda droopy last night has come back around and it running around and having all kinds of fun today.

I don't know if we'll ever really know what happened...but it certainly was NOT fun...talk about the nightmares I had last night.....

I can't help but think over heated too, do you keep a thermomator in the brooder, if not you should that way you can keep an eye on the temps. I am relieved to hear the 2 left are doing good. So sorry for your loss