My duckling is dying please help

[newduckdad]

Hi There,

I had around 5 ducklings and 3 died during 2nd week. I currently have a couple of ducklings which is 5 weeks old. I could see the male duckling is not able to stand up and crawl the body if I am standing behind. I don't have any Vet access.
I am worried that this symptom is familiar for other ducklings the day before it died. I am helpless and I don't know how to save this duck. It will leave another duckling alone.
Anything I could do to save this duckling?? I really don't want it to die.

 

[LaylaJane]

I don't have any advice other than try calling a vet if you can, someone may be able to help over the phone... Otherwise, I would add as many more details and some photos of your babies behavior so that maybe someone here can help. The more details the better! I hope your baby is able to recover, BOL!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

What is the brooder set up
Do you still have heat on them
Do they have dried poo blocking their vent
Do they have water deep enough to dunk the whole head
What is their feed and do you provide extra niacin like nutritional yeast to the feed
Are you giving chick grit to help digest feed other then regular pellets
Can you provide pictures of your set up and the bird

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hi There,

I had around 5 ducklings and 3 died during 2nd week. I currently have a couple of ducklings which is 5 weeks old. I could see the male duckling is not able to stand up and crawl the body if I am standing behind. I don't have any Vet access.
I am worried that this symptom is familiar for other ducklings the day before it died. I am helpless and I don't know how to save this duck. It will leave another duckling alone.
Anything I could do to save this duckling?? I really don't want it to die.

It sounds like this could be niacin deficiency
What are the ducklings being fed? What kind of food, are you supplementing niacin? What temp are they in?

Photos would help.
In the meantime, I would immediately get durvet B complex. They sell it in feedstores, I believe Tractor Supply. It says injectable but give it orally, one ml over a piece of food or treat. If they have any treats they need chick grit to digest it.

I urge you to be quick and get this B complex, if you can't find it, get flush effect (not flush free) niacin capsules from your nearest pharmacy or health store and mix them with their water. One capsule is usually okay per gallon.

 

[newduckdad]

What is the brooder set up
Do you still have heat on them
Do they have dried poo blocking their vent
Do they have water deep enough to dunk the whole head
What is their feed and do you provide extra niacin like nutritional yeast to the feed
Are you giving chick grit to help digest feed other then regular pellets
Can you provide pictures of your set up and the bird

They are out of the brooder after 3rd week, at the garden, there is no heat lamp currently
I have given them a small pond with fresh water every day, & I have been adding B-complex with water for the last 1 week or so
Their poop is normal and usual
I provide probiotic feed since it was gradually growing, with veggies, grounded corn sometimes
They have been using grit from the garden sand itself
The coop setup is a wooden/ bamboo cage, it uses only at the night

 

[Quarterhorses1]

They are out of the brooder after 3rd week, at the garden, there is no heat lamp currently
I have given them a small pond with fresh water every day, & I have been adding B-complex with water for the last 1 week or so
Their poop is normal and usual
I provide probiotic feed since it was gradually growing, with veggies, grounded corn sometimes
They have been using grit from the garden sand itself
The coop setup is a wooden/ bamboo cage, it uses only at the night

Pictures?

 

[Isadora]

I provide probiotic feed since it was gradually growing, with veggies, grounded corn sometimes

What do you mean by probiotic feed?

 

[BelovedBirds]

They are out of the brooder after 3rd week, at the garden, there is no heat lamp currently
I have given them a small pond with fresh water every day, & I have been adding B-complex with water for the last 1 week or so
Their poop is normal and usual
I provide probiotic feed since it was gradually growing, with veggies, grounded corn sometimes
They have been using grit from the garden sand itself
The coop setup is a wooden/ bamboo cage, it uses only at the night

Are they fully feathered? They shouldn't be without heat until they are feathered fully.
And in my opinion they are way too young to be outside in this cold weather without a heat source.

As for the pond, ducklings need supervising in water until 8 weeks, as they aren't guaranteed to be able to waterproof themselves fully.

Its good you've started the B complex but putting 1ml in water will be too dilute. The 1 ml needs to be directed fed to each duckling daily.

What brand is the probiotic feed, is it formulated for ducklings?
I would cease all treats (veggies and corn) until we've got this sorted. As they'll just take away from the nutrients in the feed.

The cage sounds worrying, bamboo... is it draft free? Could you get a photo? Also photos of the ducklings would be so helpful

I think at this point we may be looking at a deficiency, combined with them possibly being too cold. Where abouts are you located, what are the temps like?
If the weather is cold- Could you bring them indoors until you've gotten to the bottom of this and treated them?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I would get them some duck feed as their main feed and add nutritional yeast 1tbs to 1cup feed
The B complex should be given directly as the water dilutes it and no guarantee they drink enough to get the full dose
You can mix up a few peas with the B complex so you know they get the proper amount
This would be the only treat I give till their issues are fixed
I keep my brooded inside so my ducks stop using the heat at 3 weeks
But temps at night outside with one that young could be causing them to get to cold
You said at 3 weeks is when you moved them outdoors and that’s also the age they started to die
My guess is to cold and vitamin deficiency
Could you bring them back in for nights and only take them out in the garden if the weather is warm enough

 

[newduckdad]

The brown male one is not well, it kinda having difficulty getting up and sometimes standing up with difficulty.