Raising ducklings

[Quacking Pigeon]

Hello, I have kept ducks for quite a lot of years now but one problem I have been facing since the start is raising ducklings. I loose 90% of all batches and the survival rate is very low. I’m thinking that they may be overheating in the brooder but I’m not too sure. What is a good brooder design which you have luck with?

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Do they have a way to get out from under the heat lamp?

 

[karissapaul]

You need to make sure that part of the brooder is cold and the other side hot so that they can have a choice

 

[Bills vs Beaks]

use a thermometer, first of all, and then your gut. Thermometer helps you get the general idea but all ducklings are different and will prefer the temp a little less or more than others, which is when your gut comes in. if the book says 90* but they are hot and want it at 82*, then 82* it is (true story )

get a nice long rectangular box, so they can regulate themselves somewhat. if you see them squished into the furthest corner from the light, theyre too hot. all piled up under the light, probably too cold. you basically want them all a decent distance from each other under the lamp when they sleep. thats what I look for.

what makes you think they died from overheating? it could be other things too...

 

[casportpony]

Can you post a picture of your brooder?

What type of food do you feed them?

Do they all die while in the brooder?

Is your heat lamp bulb safe for use with birds? Check the box and make sure it not "shatter proof" or "shatter resistant" because those are Teflon coated and toxic to birds.

What symptoms are they showing before they die?

What age do they usually die?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

They would usually die at a day or a few days later. They never look sick at all and they are active but in the morning when I check on them they're just dead. I'll take a photo of the brooder this afternoon and I'll have a look at the globes box. And also I feed them chick starter.

Here's a photo of a batch I had in 2016, they all ended up dying after a couple of days.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So sorry

@onaharley and @Soon2BChixMom both had awesome brooders.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

They look to have nowhere to get away from heat,they must be allowed to get out of heat,give them a shaded area and lighted area so they have a choice.On top of that that’s way too small of a cage.Did you do research before getting them?

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Last year I hatched 3 ducklings and out of the three, two survived. The reason I think they survived is that I kept them in the incubator a bit longer and changed the temperature so it was right for them but as soon as I moved them into the brooder one of them died a few days later.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

I had a duck hatch that 2016 brood but she lost interest after a while so I put them in a homemade brooder that was originally used for chickens.