My ducks are dying!

[wagoncab]

Help! I have never seen this before. I found 3 of my ducks dead in the pond this morning. One young adult and 2 half grown babies. 2 weeks ago I found another young adult dead. Not a mark on them. All are related birds hatched here at home. I have geese also. There are fish and frogs in the pond. I have not seen any dead fish.
I have had ducks for many years.. This is something new to me..
Cindy

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Help! I have never seen this before. I found 3 of my ducks dead in the pond this morning. One young adult and 2 half grown babies. 2 weeks ago I found another young adult dead. Not a mark on them. All are related birds hatched here at home. I have geese also. There are fish and frogs in the pond. I have not seen any dead fish.
I have had ducks for many years.. This is something new to me..
Cindy

Toxic algae?

 

[Isaac 0]

Very sorry for your losses.

The first thing that comes to mind is botulism, but it's impossible to know without a necropsy done. Do you still have their bodies? It might be worth contacting a "pond expert", or your state extension office, and ask if they could test some of your pond water for, clostridium botulism, etc.

 

[Vickischics]

I'm so sorry about your Ducks.
Too sad.
What is your ponds water temperature. Could it be too hot or contain amoebas. I have a pond here in Florida and not dare put water
fowl in it because, it gets too hot here and the pond waters are known to get killing Amoebas in it.

Best to take a water sample to be tested.

 

[wagoncab]

No algae in the pond. No dead fish or frogs. I talked to my neighbor yesterday who I had given some babies to earlier in the year. They died too. No pond. Related birds. Also lost some that came from the local far store. Feed?? That is what we are leaning toward now. Geese and chickens are fine. Again, I have never had anything like this happen.

 

[shineandrise]

Their feed could be a major part, where are you getting your feed? Is it possible they got overheated, do you remember if they died after a large rain? There could have been toxics washed into the pond. Are there any streams leading into the pond or is it man-made? You could try going down the streams a little way to see if there is any possible pollution. Toxic plant species maybe? Just trying to think of ideas. I am so sorry for your losses.

 

[Vickischics]

No algae in the pond. No dead fish or frogs. I talked to my neighbor yesterday who I had given some babies to earlier in the year. They died too. No pond. Related birds. Also lost some that came from the local far store. Feed?? That is what we are leaning toward now. Geese and chickens are fine. Again, I have never had anything like this happen.

Thats so sad. I'm sorry y'all had to experience the death of your birds.

 

[wagoncab]

Pond is man made many years ago. Only gets water when it rains. No heavy rain in a couple of weeks. Weather has cooled down here in Tennessee. All birds eat the same food. Again the geese and chickens are all o k.

 

[AgnesGray]

Does your neighbor feed the same thing? I would lean more toward a genetic issue, I think, since the neighbor's birds also died. I had a chicken die out of the blue and looking into it further, the year her flock was imported had a heart defect/weakness that is a known issue with the lines she came from. I wonder if there might be something being passed from a parent duck that shortens their lives. Especially if your geese and chickens are ok. I am very sorry for your loss and hope you can pinpoint what's going on.

 

[wagoncab]

Does your neighbor feed the same thing? I would lean more toward a genetic issue, I think, since the neighbor's birds also died. I had a chicken die out of the blue and looking into it further, the year her flock was imported had a heart defect/weakness that is a known issue with the lines she came from. I wonder if there might be something being passed from a parent duck that shortens their lives. Especially if your geese and chickens are ok. I am very sorry for your loss and hope you can pinpoint what's going on.