Newduckmommy1221
Chirping
I have a quick question, today I noticed one of my ducklings panting. He was sitting near the other two but only he looked to be panting but the heat lamp wasn’t as close to him. I have the heat lamp to the far left side of the brooder in order to have a warm area for them and a cooling area as well. He was sitting on a soft plush toy and panting... I’ve researched about it and it said that if there are no nasal congestion than it could have been that he was over heated? This is the duckling that sneezes sometimes when he dips his bill in water or I guess gets a bit of dust from the food in his nose... I don’t think he’s congested but I just got very worried that maybe he’s over heating? They will be 1 week old tomorrow night. So I know they stil need the heat lamp and after the 1 week mark I should lower the temp by 5% right? So tomorrow night I’ll be placing heat lamp a bit higher up to create less of a hot environment area for them. I also read that pine shavings could cause this? I bought pine shavings at a farm and placed newspaper at the bottom of the brooder, a layer of pine shavings and then soft white bedding for warmth and coziness... but I read that if they eat small pine shavings by accident it can somehow cause them to overheat or their tummies to expand? Help! I’m very nervous and worried. What do you think I should do? I moved the heat lamp further away from the brooder but still giving them enough heat for warmth but seriously he was in the middle of the brooder where he always is and I have never seen him panting like that!! Please let me know your thoughts!
