Help!! Sick duckling!!

[samantha28]

I bought six ducklings from Tractor Supply two weeks ago, they have all been healthy and fine until today. About three hours ago I went in to change their water and one of the little yellow ducklings looked very weak and it can barely walk.. The other ducklings were pecking it and sitting on top of it and stuff. It looks like it's skin is red too and all this literally happened within the two hours I was gone to the grocery store. I have them in a pin with duckling wood chips and I'm feeding them medicated starter grower and I changed their wood chips and water about three or four times a day, more if it needs it. I'm really worried about it! I took the sick duckling out of the cage with the other and put it in a pin alone and it started peeping really loud and trying to stand and it looked scared so i put it back in the pin with the others. I'm not sure what happened or what to do? Can someone help me out??

 

[ChristineR]

If he's getting trampled, maybe try separating him with just one buddy. Are they panting at all like they're too hot? What kind of wood shavings are you using?

 

[ChristineR]

I looked at your other posts and saw that you're using cedar chips. You don't want to use cedar. Cedar is too aromatic for healthy breathing and the oils in it are very irritating to skin. I would take them off the cedar chips immediately and use an old bath towel for bedding.

 

[countrygirl74]

x2 on the cedar

I use paper towels the first few days and then switch to an "animal bedding". It's like a pine crumble. I find it easier to deal with than pine shavings when they are little.

Also, might want to add niacin to their water. Ducklings need 3x's the amount of chicks and most feeds do not contain enough. As soon as you can, get some niacin capsules from your health food store. I use the 100mg ones, but up to 150mg is safe. It's usually about 100-125mg per gallon of water. Provide this for all of them for about 10-12 weeks. It will generally help "heal" any leg/weakness issues. Do NOT get the niacin that says "flush-free", "time-release", or "no-flush" - just need regular niacin.

 

[samantha28]

Okay! Thank you guys soo much!! This is my first time raising ducklings and I'm just a little lost! I'll get some niacin in the morning and I put them in a pin with a beach towel on the bottom instead of cedar bedding! I hope this helps! It's breaking my heart!