emilyanderson
In the Brooder
I had 6 Ducklings, all hatched 2 weeks ago, this morning and found one suddenly dead this morning.
I am currently very ill myself, so my partner has been looking after them the past few days.
I'm in Australia and poultry supplies are very hard to find, Duck supplies are almost non-existant in my state.
They were all healthy the past week and a half.
When preparing for the hatch, I read many guides that pointed out Ducklings should have fine chick grit. I couldnt find "chick grit" at all and the only option I had was fine oyster grit, or avian grit (which seemed too sand like, so I got the fine oyster grit).
When they moved from the incubator to the brooder, I put a small amount next to their food dish as instructed.
However, they all gobbled it up until it was gone, which gave me a weird gut feeling. But I tried to reassure myself that everything I had read in guides and forums said they will only eat as much as they need. Still, I didnt put any more out for them for the rest of the first week.
3 Days ago, I figured I would put a small shallow dish out again of the fine oyster grit. After this I became very ill, so my partner is the main eye witness.
He said the 2 days following it being added to their brooder they didnt eat too much of the grit and seemed perfectly fine.
Then this morning, I find the biggest duckling dead next to the brooder plate. Inspecting the body, the neck seemed strange so I suspected wry neck and immediately added brewers yeast to their food and Vit B complex + Vitamin E oil to their water just incase (they are on Laucke Duckling starter, which has all the essential vitamins).
Then as the 5 remaining ducklings perked up and ate, it became apparent they all had varying levels of swollen crops.
Running back and forth to do research it occured to me the entire plate of grit was empty. My partner said it was only all gone this morning.
Feeling their crops it is obvious they all are filled with oyster grit.
The ones with the biggest crops I just saw vomiting what looked like water (through the baby monitor, as its late night).
Their water dishes both have grit in them, presumably thrown up. Their poop is green with what seems to be grit in it.
They perked up throughout the day and are eating and drinking alot, but the more they eat, the more swollen it obviously looks.
I am devastated and wracked with guilt. Especially now I have searched over and over, I have found occasional forum post replies mentioning to others that ducklings on starter only dont really need grit yet anyway, and Oyster Grit isnt the best option.
I tried massaging all of their crops earlier today, but I am not experienced enough to feel comfortable doing it more without advice incase I hurt them.
They are 2 weeks old, so I'm afraid to start guessing and witholding food or doing anything else drastic without advice.
Theres so little information on this specific age and situation, some say isolate the impacted duckling (presumably for impacted food, not grit?) but this is all of them to some extent, and others say they do best together.
But I've already lost the strongest and biggest duckling and dont want to lose them all....
What do I do?!?
Please, anyone, help.
I am currently very ill myself, so my partner has been looking after them the past few days.
I'm in Australia and poultry supplies are very hard to find, Duck supplies are almost non-existant in my state.
They were all healthy the past week and a half.
When preparing for the hatch, I read many guides that pointed out Ducklings should have fine chick grit. I couldnt find "chick grit" at all and the only option I had was fine oyster grit, or avian grit (which seemed too sand like, so I got the fine oyster grit).
When they moved from the incubator to the brooder, I put a small amount next to their food dish as instructed.
However, they all gobbled it up until it was gone, which gave me a weird gut feeling. But I tried to reassure myself that everything I had read in guides and forums said they will only eat as much as they need. Still, I didnt put any more out for them for the rest of the first week.
3 Days ago, I figured I would put a small shallow dish out again of the fine oyster grit. After this I became very ill, so my partner is the main eye witness.
He said the 2 days following it being added to their brooder they didnt eat too much of the grit and seemed perfectly fine.
Then this morning, I find the biggest duckling dead next to the brooder plate. Inspecting the body, the neck seemed strange so I suspected wry neck and immediately added brewers yeast to their food and Vit B complex + Vitamin E oil to their water just incase (they are on Laucke Duckling starter, which has all the essential vitamins).
Then as the 5 remaining ducklings perked up and ate, it became apparent they all had varying levels of swollen crops.
Running back and forth to do research it occured to me the entire plate of grit was empty. My partner said it was only all gone this morning.
Feeling their crops it is obvious they all are filled with oyster grit.
The ones with the biggest crops I just saw vomiting what looked like water (through the baby monitor, as its late night).
Their water dishes both have grit in them, presumably thrown up. Their poop is green with what seems to be grit in it.
They perked up throughout the day and are eating and drinking alot, but the more they eat, the more swollen it obviously looks.
I am devastated and wracked with guilt. Especially now I have searched over and over, I have found occasional forum post replies mentioning to others that ducklings on starter only dont really need grit yet anyway, and Oyster Grit isnt the best option.
I tried massaging all of their crops earlier today, but I am not experienced enough to feel comfortable doing it more without advice incase I hurt them.
They are 2 weeks old, so I'm afraid to start guessing and witholding food or doing anything else drastic without advice.
Theres so little information on this specific age and situation, some say isolate the impacted duckling (presumably for impacted food, not grit?) but this is all of them to some extent, and others say they do best together.
But I've already lost the strongest and biggest duckling and dont want to lose them all....
What do I do?!?
Please, anyone, help.
