LOST my BABY RUNNERS-Lesson learned.......

[mominoz]

My first hatch under My mini-foster duck mom.She took good care of the 4 eggs (she is 1 yr old)- 2 hatched, one started to hatch, but I found it cold and dead with only a part of the face exposed and the other egg was not fertile. The babies did fine ,in the mini pen , I posted for advie about the water pan, her mate (who is very gentle and quiet)-Mini -Overnbergs (?sp) from Holdereads. They were running around, mom was taking care of them.I lowered the water pan level to 2" and put rocks in, they swam a bit the 2nd day and got out fine. ....(I did think about taking the pan out totally, but general advice was it should be fine.) Last night they were running around fine (4 days Old) mom making mom noises and them listening . Well today I found both dead int he water ... bellies swollen up.... I guess they maybe got too wet and cold? Or drank too much? or couldn't get Out ?
Don't know if it was from cold- or they couldn't get out . or if they just swam too much and got exhausted....?????WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was going to take them out , but thought I'd let them live with Mom............... I thought about only leaving pan in in daytime and emptying at night..... Next time .... no water pan unattended!!!!!!!!!!! and I just took a video of them..........

 

[Bleenie]

I have had the same thing happen except i didn't know she hatched the babies so they went for a swim before i discovered they were in the pen.

i am so sorry

I would give you a couple abbies if you were near me but i only have Muscovies.

 

[duckyfromoz]

So sorry to hear of your loss...Isnt it horrible that a mother duck will protect her babies - but not assist them out of the water if they are struggling...I had it happen with a pekin a few years ago....

 

[L0rraine]

I learned my lesson the VERY hard way as well. I watch them like a hawk now for the first few weeks unless their water is only ankle deep. Mine were actually a few weeks old, and I thought they had the shallow wading pool down, but a few didn't. It was a heart breaker. They are such natural swimmers and so drawn to the water almost immediately, but apparently if they get a little cold and tired they can't get out.

I'm soooo sorry for your loss and I know it will be a tough little bit (we care for those little buggers soooo much).