My ducklings are sneezing? Help!

[Itsmackenzie]

Hello, I recently got seven ducklings that are now a week old. I have then in a brooder with a 100 watt heating lamp, pine shavings that I change daily, plenty of water and food. I have noticed that two of my ducks are starting to sneeze, a lot. The one doesn’t look to be clogged and I can’t tell the other. I have tried putting apple cider vinegar in their water and giving them a “bath” to flush it out but it still seems to be getting worse. Please help! Me, being a first time duck mom is getting really concerned...

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC, sorry your ducklings are not feeling well. Is a vet an option? If not, can you take a vdeo, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo, then copy and paste the link here?

You could try removing the shavings and use towels instead and see if the sneezing goes away. I think that's what I would try first.

 

[Itsmackenzie]

I am going to try the towels as bedding tip, thanks for that. I don’t think theres a vet in my area that would look at ducklings so probably not an option.

The video would be hard to get because they are still reaaally scared of me and my camera. I will try to get it, but I wouldn’t expect anything...

I really appreciate the help, Im starting to get really worried about the little things. They seem to act normal besides the sneezing, but I just want them to be 100% healthy

 

[casportpony]

Fingers crossed that it's just the dust in the shavings making them sneeze.

 

[Kiki]

Do you have a thermometer to measure what temp it is under your heat lamp?

 

[Jealous Gypsy]

Welcome to BYC, sorry your ducklings are not feeling well. Is a vet an option? If not, can you take a vdeo, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo, then copy and paste the link here?

You could try removing the shavings and use towels instead and see if the sneezing goes away. I think that's what I would try first.

I agree with Cas , everyone i knew told me to use pine chips, but my chicks started getting spots on their feet, at first i thought bumblefoot, turned out even though i changed them daily the combination of the pine with amonia of droppings was burning their feet. I switched to straw 0 problems since.

 

[Itsmackenzie]

@Texas Kiki I do have a thermometer in there but I think it may be broken. I honestly haven’t been concerned with the heat lamp because they normally cuddle all the time away from the light. Im not sure what that means, but Ive just let them do it. Is that wrong?

 

[Itsmackenzie]

@casportpony I hope its just dust to. I was trying to google other things it could be as a precautionary but I have found any I think could be it. Do you know of anything it could be other than dust? Any illnesses I mean?

I was reading up on bronchitis but it didnt give me exact symptoms so Im not sure if that could be it...

 

[chickens really]

Pine Shavings are fine..Possibly too dry in the Brooder. They need to dunk heads constantly to keep sinus moist.
Also Ducklings don't need the Brooder too warm like Chicks. They only need a part of the Brooder warm if they choose to use it.

 

[Kiki]

@Texas Kiki I do have a thermometer in there but I think it may be broken. I honestly haven’t been concerned with the heat lamp because they normally cuddle all the time away from the light. Im not sure what that means, but Ive just let them do it. Is that wrong?

It means that it is probably too hot in there.
Can you take a picture of the cage?