CarlaD87
In the Brooder
- Aug 1, 2015
- 7
- 3
- 42
Hi there! I had 9 duck eggs incubating. 8 of them had hatched as of Saturday night (2 minimally assisted, 6 hatched completely unassisted). It is now Monday night, and 4 of those ducklings have died. 2 deaths were the 2 assists, and I can understand why they may have died. The other 2 were the first 2 ducklings to hatch, and were seemingly very strong and healthy. All were eating, drinking, and pooping without issue (no sticky butt or umbilical issues). They had been in a large plastic tub with a heat lamp, pine bedding, and I had a mini-waterer that I made sure to keep full. I was giving them a mixture of waterfowl and chicken starter feed, both un-medicated. Since the 4 deaths, I have moved them into a larger cardboard box with an old towel for bedding (was worried that the pine may have been treated with something), I have made their feed into a very wet mash using only the chicken starter for now, added a small amount of sugar into their waterer, and added a deeper bowl in case they couldn’t clear their beaks well enough. I’m noticing tonight that 1 of the remaining 4 alive is sneezing or just clearing its nostrils every once in a while. Does anyone have any other suggestions? I’m feeling very helpless