I posted under duck forum but received no responses so am coming here to see if anyone can help me.
I received an order of day old Campbells and a separate order of Ancona ducklings about 3 weeks ago. When I received the campbells 1/2 were dead. I accredited that to shipping distress as I only lost one in the next 2 days and all seemed well. After several days without losses, I combined the group of ducklings. All seemed well for about 10 days.
Then they started to get sick. Symptoms: Breathing hard, don't clean themselves, get weak and die. At first I thought it was just a couple weaker ducklings but whatever this is has spread through the batch. I've lost 2/3 of the ducklings. The other thing that is apparent is that they are hardly growing and act like ducklings less than a week old staying under the heat lamp though it's not cold. They also have bald spots in their plumage as if they are pecking each other but I haven't seen any of that behavior. They also don't eat much.
I'm feeding an organic 16% grain mix with soy bean meal added to boost protein to about 18%, greens (dandelions and grass), and brewers yeast over their food and vitamins in their water.
I've added Tetracycline to their water in case this is a respiratory infection though I fear it is a virus that I can't treat.
I'm at wits end...I'm going to buy some starter crumbles today in case there is something wrong with their food (though my mature ducks and chickens are all healthy and fine eating it). I also plan on bathing them all to get them clean as they just aren't cleaning themselves, then I'll bring them into the house where I can a watchful eye on them.
I'm hoping someone here has dealt with something similar? This is so frustrating I was on a waiting list for these ducklings, finally got them and now this!
I received an order of day old Campbells and a separate order of Ancona ducklings about 3 weeks ago. When I received the campbells 1/2 were dead. I accredited that to shipping distress as I only lost one in the next 2 days and all seemed well. After several days without losses, I combined the group of ducklings. All seemed well for about 10 days.
Then they started to get sick. Symptoms: Breathing hard, don't clean themselves, get weak and die. At first I thought it was just a couple weaker ducklings but whatever this is has spread through the batch. I've lost 2/3 of the ducklings. The other thing that is apparent is that they are hardly growing and act like ducklings less than a week old staying under the heat lamp though it's not cold. They also have bald spots in their plumage as if they are pecking each other but I haven't seen any of that behavior. They also don't eat much.
I'm feeding an organic 16% grain mix with soy bean meal added to boost protein to about 18%, greens (dandelions and grass), and brewers yeast over their food and vitamins in their water.
I've added Tetracycline to their water in case this is a respiratory infection though I fear it is a virus that I can't treat.
I'm at wits end...I'm going to buy some starter crumbles today in case there is something wrong with their food (though my mature ducks and chickens are all healthy and fine eating it). I also plan on bathing them all to get them clean as they just aren't cleaning themselves, then I'll bring them into the house where I can a watchful eye on them.
I'm hoping someone here has dealt with something similar? This is so frustrating I was on a waiting list for these ducklings, finally got them and now this!
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