Mallard ducklings dying from Hypothermia?

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

Maybe not allow the water at night then? Pics of your set up would help.

The problem was during the day, not at night.
For now I'm assuming that the water level dropped too much so they couldn't get out.
I put a plywood board (which floats) inside the dish so hopefully they will be able to get out regardless of the water level.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sorry for your losses.

 

[Nyla]

From what I've read, did you buy the parents with their ducklings or did the parents hatch them out after buying them? If you bought them together, (already hatched), you should have taken the ducklings and put them in a brooder. The moving of a mother duck and her babies will put so much stress on her that she will not watch over them properly. Thus leaving them to die.

 

[Mrs. Light Sussex]

Very sorry for your losses.

Thank you, I value your support

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

The problem was during the day, not at night.
For now I'm assuming that the water level dropped too much so they couldn't get out.
I put a plywood board (which floats) inside the dish so hopefully they will be able to get out regardless of the water level.

I saw that - and replied to the other post. Sorry. Sometimes the way byc redirects us to a page, I miss the previous post before replying.

 

[Flamens Farm]

They slept together at night, 09:00 AM they were all fine 11:45 AM is when I found them in the water.

Oh, wow, that is a shame, I thought it happened during the night because it showed up at 6:04 am here. Did not realize you were in Isreal, so sorry.

 

[MatthewsHomestead]

They definitely can waterlog and even drown. If you can use something that acts more like a step that would be easier for them to be able to get out. Little ducklings don't have their feathers in yet that are "water proof". The parent usually will use oil from her glands to keep them from soaking through to the skin, which in this case she didn't. I too say that moving her and chicks together stressed her. Your best bet is to brood them yourself. You can use a container with holes cut just big enough for them to reach in with their heads so they can't get into their water and have this happen again. It does need to be deep enough for them to dunk their head as this helps them clean their nells and wash their eyes. This would ensure that you could monitor bathtime so they don't get cold on you. Room temp to slightly warm water would be best and as it cools you can pull them out. I set mine on a towel under the heat and let them fluff themselves back out. Swimming encourages their oil glands to start producing. But if not monitored my mom or human mom/dad it can go wrong very quick.

 

[chickens really]

Sorry that happened. I use bricks in and out of the water container so they can get in and out..