Little Duckling Passed

[IvysAnimals]

Hello. My little duckling passed on April 14, 2022. I waited a very long 28 days ( Felt like 4 months ) for my duckling to hatch. At one point I even thought he had died, but he didn't. I was very sad that he might've died, for some reason he was very special. He looked healthy and growing and moving around a lot in the egg. The temperature and humidity stayed the same and correct amount. When he was hatching ( April 14, 2022) I was very excited. I left him alone so that he could hatch peacefully and so I did not harm him, as well as I had to go to see my grandparents/uncle/ and great grandmother. When I got home around 8:00 P.M, I saw that he had hatched. I was really happy and even had some happy tears. He hatch maybe a few - 2 hours ago. There was no one else hatching so I quickly took him out and put him in the brooder. I have 13 chicks that were born on April 9, 2022 so I put him in a little basket that they couldn't get in and hurt him. I put him in a spot where it wasn't too hot or too cold, just the perfect temp. I took a shower and I kissed him goodnight. I woke up in the morning quite early to see him, 6:14 A.M. I went up there and he was sitting abnormal, on his back. So I was worried that maybe he didn't make it, something's wrong, or maybe he's just sleeping. I picked him up and he was limp. His body was still warm so he didn't freeze to death, but he didn't get too hot. I was upset and cried and went downstairs to where my family was. My dad asked me," How's my baby ducker?" I just started crying and I told him that he died. Everyone else was upset and cried, too. I was upset the whole day. I've hatched chicks and ducks before so the passing away or raising them wasn't new to me, I knew what I had to do to raise them. However, for some reason, this baby meant so much to me. Was it maybe genetics? Sickness? Weakness? Something else? When I was holding him, he felt like the chunky-est duckling I've ever felt, so it wasn't like he didn't form right or get enough nutrition from his egg. His foot looked a little chunky and was a little weird but I think I was because of him just hatching and being a different breed from the rest of what I hatch. I hatched Pekins, Runner, Runner mixes, Cayugas, And more, but he was the first and only Blue swede I hatched before since I only have one blue swede. I'm going to bury him by where I buried my female goose, Lelia. By the ledge of my house where the creek is and where the sun always hits. It's a pretty place and I want to plant some flowers or Flowering trees there for them both. I named the baby margarine because the last duckling I hatched last year was named Butters. She was a female that loved me more than any other duck I've ever owned. She hatched on Father's days so my dad named her Butters thinking she was a male. She followed me around even after she had all of her grown-up feathers. She drank out of the dog's water bowl, walked around the house, We would talk to each other and answer every time, we would sleep together, she'd Bob her head at me, and even cuddled with me for a while. So I wanted to name this baby something like butter, but different. I thought It would also be funny if the baby was a boy with more of a girl name like Butters has a more male name.


EDIT- This was him-

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm so sorry you lost your little duckling it's very hard for any of us to say what may have caused it. it could have been genetic or something just did not go right during incubation.
Was this egg from some of your ducks?
It's always heartbreaking to lose one when we waited so long for them to hatch, many of us have experienced this loss.

 

[Sara S]

Hello. My little duckling passed on April 14, 2022. I waited a very long 28 days ( Felt like 4 months ) for my duckling to hatch. At one point I even thought he had died, but he didn't. I was very sad that he might've died, for some reason he was very special. He looked healthy and growing and moving around a lot in the egg. The temperature and humidity stayed the same and correct amount. When he was hatching ( April 14, 2022) I was very excited. I left him alone so that he could hatch peacefully and so I did not harm him, as well as I had to go to see my grandparents/uncle/ and great grandmother. When I got home around 8:00 P.M, I saw that he had hatched. I was really happy and even had some happy tears. He hatch maybe a few - 2 hours ago. There was no one else hatching so I quickly took him out and put him in the brooder. I have 13 chicks that were born on April 9, 2022 so I put him in a little basket that they couldn't get in and hurt him. I put him in a spot where it wasn't too hot or too cold, just the perfect temp. I took a shower and I kissed him goodnight. I woke up in the morning quite early to see him, 6:14 A.M. I went up there and he was sitting abnormal, on his back. So I was worried that maybe he didn't make it, something's wrong, or maybe he's just sleeping. I picked him up and he was limp. His body was still warm so he didn't freeze to death, but he didn't get too hot. I was upset and cried and went downstairs to where my family was. My dad asked me," How's my baby ducker?" I just started crying and I told him that he died. Everyone else was upset and cried, too. I was upset the whole day. I've hatched chicks and ducks before so the passing away or raising them wasn't new to me, I knew what I had to do to raise them. However, for some reason, this baby meant so much to me. Was it maybe genetics? Sickness? Weakness? Something else? When I was holding him, he felt like the chunky-est duckling I've ever felt, so it wasn't like he didn't form right or get enough nutrition from his egg. His foot looked a little chunky and was a little weird but I think I was because of him just hatching and being a different breed from the rest of what I hatch. I hatched Pekins, Runner, Runner mixes, Cayugas, And more, but he was the first and only Blue swede I hatched before since I only have one blue swede. I'm going to bury him by where I buried my female goose, Lelia. By the ledge of my house where the creek is and where the sun always hits. It's a pretty place and I want to plant some flowers or Flowering trees there for them both.

Awww, I’m so sorry, I had one exact the same. So special and I hadn’t even seen them yet, it hurts. If you ever need anything just ask me or anyone else here. He’s swimming in little baby duck heaven, with a bunch of buddies and snacks. That’s so amazing that you are going to plant them a little flower garden thing, that you care.

 

[IvysAnimals]

I'm so sorry you lost your little duckling it's very hard for any of us to say what may have caused it. it could have been genetic or something just did not go right during incubation.
Was this egg from some of your ducks?
It's always heartbreaking to lose one when we waited so long for them to hatch, many of us have experienced this loss.

I've had a lot more I hatched from my ducks in the past including this little one. The other's seemed healthy so I don't know why he was not

 

[SilverBirds]

So sorry about your little duckling. Not sure what went wrong but it happens.

 

[addctd2plnts]

Sorry about your baby. It's hard to say what caused it but if you continue to have ducklings that die right before or after hatching, there are poultry journal articles that say it is usually a nutritional deficiency, usually Vitamin E &/or Vitamin C. You can supplement Vitamin E by using a salad oil spritzer (find on Amazon) and spraying their feed 2-3 times a week with Wheat Germ Oil. Do not give Vitamin E in larger amounts or daily because too much can be toxic. It's a fat stored vitamin, so ducks can store Vitamin E and use it later. This is why many duck breeders only supplement Vitamin E in the Winter before breeding season starts, then they stop once the breeding season starts. For Vitamin C, in the winter till it warms up and I give them more fresh fruit, I use 1/8-1/4 teaspoon 2-3 times a week of Vitamin C Powder https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...ItemGUID=F5EAB8C1-D698-4BDD-9D58-2A00C17363D5 If you give a few grapes 2-3 times a week to each duck, and they have access to fresh grass daily, it will should be enough for their Vitamin C. It's more of an issue in the colder months if ducks don't get fresh/frozen fruits and veggies. Even fresh kale/cabbage contains some Vitamin C. I hope this helps you and am so very sorry this baby didn't make it. It's nice to see people who care so much about ducks. They are my favorite poultry too!

 

[IvysAnimals]

Sorry about your baby. It's hard to say what caused it but if you continue to have ducklings that die right before or after hatching, there are poultry journal articles that say it is usually a nutritional deficiency, usually Vitamin E &/or Vitamin C. You can supplement Vitamin E by using a salad oil spritzer (find on Amazon) and spraying their feed 2-3 times a week with Wheat Germ Oil. Do not give Vitamin E in larger amounts or daily because too much can be toxic. It's a fat stored vitamin, so ducks can store Vitamin E and use it later. This is why many duck breeders only supplement Vitamin E in the Winter before breeding season starts, then they stop once the breeding season starts. For Vitamin C, in the winter till it warms up and I give them more fresh fruit, I use 1/8-1/4 teaspoon 2-3 times a week of Vitamin C Powder https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...ItemGUID=F5EAB8C1-D698-4BDD-9D58-2A00C17363D5 If you give a few grapes 2-3 times a week to each duck, and they have access to fresh grass daily, it will should be enough for their Vitamin C. It's more of an issue in the colder months if ducks don't get fresh/frozen fruits and veggies. Even fresh kale/cabbage contains some Vitamin C. I hope this helps you and am so very sorry this baby didn't make it. It's nice to see people who care so much about ducks. They are my favorite poultry too!

He's the first duckling I've had that died right after for no visible reason

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

I'm sorry you lost the special duckling, it's never fun losing any.
One of my pekin ducks a few years ago almost hatched what would have been pekin cayuga cross but the egg broke when it was still developing it didn't really have its bill formed yet. I was a little sad cause my pekin duck "Angel" all her hard work and my stressing about her getting water and food went down the drain, I really wanted a duckling from her (she is almost 8 maybe 9 years old now). I buried the little duckling on the outskirts of my property I just made a tiny hole with my fingers and buried it there in its egg. But a year or so after that my cayuga duck "Totoro" hatched two ducklings, sadly last year the female "Maria" from that hatch passed away. But her brother "Haru" and their dad "Chiharu" their mom "Totoro" are all still happy and being silly ducks.
Totoro hatching Maria and Haru were the first ever ducks any of my ducks hatched. None of my chickens could get anything to form smh.

 

[KaleIAm]

I'm so sorry that you had to say goodbye to your sweet baby duckling.

 

[charliehorse13]

I am so sorry I don’t want that to happen to anyone you’ll be ok. Just don’t let your head seap down too much.