Help- Thought my duckling died

[valewife]

Hi group,
I am new to ducks, but have other poultry.
I have two two week old Runners. Last night when I made
the last check of the night, I found one duckling upside down
with her neck turned back as if dead/dying. I grabbed her up and she was very limp
but began to move and "wake up". I made a quick sugar water slurry and got her to drink some.
She was alittle unstable on her feet and would lie down at first but within a few minutes was walking,
eating, peeping loudly, pooping well. The other duckling was fine.
I was afraid to leave her so the three of us slept (very little) on the couch, and
both ducklings seem to be ok this morning.
Any ideas what might have happened??
I'm feeding crumbles that I already have for my other birds- gamebird and layer crumbles,
also alittle scratch. Could it be from the diet? I haven't found duck feed anywhere.
They have been outside in a grassy pen during the day for the last 2 days,
temps in the low 80's, and inside under heat at night.
Any suggestions are welcomed.
Thanks.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Hard to know exactly what the cause may have been as there are a number of possibilities- but once on her back if she was away from the lamp she may have chilled - this could have resulted in the position and limpness of her body. She may have also weakened from struggling to get up.

 

[Duckles]

That's happened to my crested blue swedish a couple of times, but he seems to have grown out of it. One time my fiance saw him flopping around and having a seizure before he went limp. So we know it was seizures. Some people on here have mentioned that it is more common in crested ducks. Soo... we put "sav-a-chick" vitamins in their water and it stopped happening. Hope your duckling is ok!

 

[veronicasmom]

Hope your baby is okay!
I have always wanted ducklings, but after I read posts like this, I am thinking maybe not. I might have to stick with the grown ones.
Keep us updated.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

The heat lamp my be to hot for them. They do need very little heat if any at all at two weeks. A 40 watt bulb is usually more then enough. I brood mine in the house and they are usually off the lamp when they are 2 weeks old. Make sure they are getting a vitamin supplement in their water. Your feed store should have some.

 

[valewife]

The Duck ABC's :

The heat lamp my be to hot for them. They do need very little heat if any at all at two weeks. A 40 watt bulb is usually more then enough. I brood mine in the house and they are usually off the lamp when they are 2 weeks old. Make sure they are getting a vitamin supplement in their water. Your feed store should have some.

In fact, when I found her 'almost dead', their heat lamp was off. I was checking on them one last time before bed
to make sure they were warm. I had noticed they were staying at the cooler end of their tub,
away from the lamp, for the last couple of nights, and figured they didn't need the heat anymore.
I will mix up some vitamin water right now and begin adding Brewer's yeast to their food, too.
So far, she is acting like all is well. I, on the other hand, need a nap desperately.
Didn't get much sleep last night with two ducklings under my chin, peeping and poking a beak up my nose or in my ear.
Just too precious.
Thanks.​