One of my young ducks died, help why?

[kmpcfp]

We lost our beautiful Lucy today. My 5 year old daughter is especially heartbroken. We have 5 adult 1 year old call ducks and last week introduced 3 more 6 week old (at the time) call ducks to them. They stayed in their own groups and the ducklings tried to follow the adults peeping but the adults just walked away from them. After a few days they stayed in their own groups. Fast forward to today, my female 7 week old was found floating in the pond upside down, her back legs were straight back and rigamortous had not fully set in. We saw them all fine still hanging on their own groups yesterday, the adults had never shown any attention to them.

On further inspection the back of her head is red and looks to be missing feathers. Is it possible an adult male tried to breed her and she drowned? The other two 7 week olds are male, but should I be worried about them? The existing adult males have been so docile the past few months I wasn't worried, but of course now I am.

 

[danceswithronin]

Did you introduce them in a closed pen with a barrier between them for a week or two so they could get acquainted in close quarters? Even though the adult ducks may have tolerated the ducklings tagging along behind them on land, they might have become territorial over a resource like a body of water. Ducks are massively territorial animals.

I'd try penning them together with a barrier between them for a week or two and then reintroducing the group together. Sorry you lost your duckling!

 

[the_peanut_coop]

We lost our beautiful Lucy today. My 5 year old daughter is especially heartbroken. We have 5 adult 1 year old call ducks and last week introduced 3 more 6 week old (at the time) call ducks to them. They stayed in their own groups and the ducklings tried to follow the adults peeping but the adults just walked away from them. After a few days they stayed in their own groups. Fast forward to today, my female 7 week old was found floating in the pond upside down, her back legs were straight back and rigamortous had not fully set in. We saw them all fine still hanging on their own groups yesterday, the adults had never shown any attention to them.

On further inspection the back of her head is red and looks to be missing feathers. Is it possible an adult male tried to breed her and she drowned? The other two 7 week olds are male, but should I be worried about them? The existing adult males have been so docile the past few months I wasn't worried, but of course now I am.

I'm so sorry. My beutiful chicken Pistachio just died as well and I am crying so hard. It probably was the breeding.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I'm sorry for your loss! Absolutely an adult drake could kill a 7 week old hen by mating. At 7 weeks their reproductive system is not fully developed and they should not be mixed with older ducks. I usually wait until around 4 months to introduce (the breed I have sexually matures at 16 weeks).

 

[kmpcfp]

Did you introduce them in a closed pen with a barrier between them for a week or two so they could get acquainted in close quarters? Even though the adult ducks may have tolerated the ducklings tagging along behind them on land, they might have become territorial over a resource like a body of water. Ducks are massively territorial animals.

I'd try penning them together with a barrier between them for a week or two and then reintroducing the group together.

We did keep them in a dog pen inside of the enclosed run for a few days I was more concerned about the chickens but the ducklings tried to attack them when they got too close, and chased them off.

Okay so another question then, I have another call hen sitting on 8 eggs that are due to hatch around the 18th (best guess after candling a "surprise" clutch). Should I separate her out from the rest of the flock before her eggs hatch? As soon as she gets off the nest she runs over to socialize with the rest of the flock, but now I am worried about her ducklings.

 

[KaleIAm]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

The way to know for sure is to have a necropsy performed. I would also lean towards mating, though it is just a guess and could be wrong.