My name is Samantha and I bought six baby ducks from Tractor Supply, I've kept them inside my house in a cage with clean cedar chips three times each day and I've been feeding them Starter Grower Medicated Dry Feed and giving them clean water multiple times a day. Well they have been doing awesome then today I went to walmart and came back and one of the little ducks looks very weak and can't walk and it's skin looks red and dry like all the feathers or down came off in an hour or something!! I'm worried sick and the other duckling look like they have some red places on them tooo! Also, the other ducklings are laying on top of the sick duckling and I'm afraid they will hurt it so i took it out of the pin and put it in a pin alone and it started peeping loud and freaking out so i put it back with the others because i was afraid it was scared! I don't know what to do!! Can someone please help me!! I don't want the little guy to die!!
! Pleased you joined us! Sorry to hear about your ailing ducks. I have read on BYC that giving medicated feed to ducks is a no-no! I don't know this from experience but I hear it can kill them. Another problem might be the cedar chips - I know cedar chips are bad for chickens - not sure about ducks. Best advice, post your concerns in the duck thread below and good luck!!
I had the same thought - cedar chips - maybe an allergic reaction, or maybe the duckling ate some. Very young chicks often try eating the litter till they find out what food is.
Some people cover the litter with newspaper for a couple of days - until the chicks are eating from the feeder
1. Ditch the medicated feed. Try unmedicated chick starter or use Flock Raiser.
2. Start all of your birds on electrolytes.
3. Start all of your birds on Niacin supplements.
