Seizing duckling?!?

[CarlieO]

I am thinking this is not the same gene as fainting goats and is a neurological issue and most like a niacin dif. just as when a person has an epileptic seizure certain things trigger it and excitement is one of them. Hopefully you can find plain niacin but Brewers yeast will work too. and I have a link to ordering niacin on line that's plain if you have to resort to ordering. I have never heard of ducklings playing dead. Try to keep movements slow around them and soft lightening. Has your adult met the ducklings yet? once you get some niacin into your duckling and he is stable I'd begin bringing your adult into the barn so she can meet them, not face to face but with some kind of fencing between them, this will make it easier when you can actually put them all together. She may not like them at first so getting them all use to each other is very important. Does she sleep in the barn? 

The original hen came with the house when we purchased it last summer. She wasn't socialized much so she doesn't let people touch her. They had her free ranging and living in the pond 24/7. When we moved in we put up a coop for her near the pond so she'd have shelter to go in but she refused to use it. I was hoping that these new guys will show her we aren't all that scary lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The original hen came with the house when we purchased it last summer. She wasn't socialized much so she doesn't let people touch her. They had her free ranging and living in the pond 24/7. When we moved in we put up a coop for her near the pond so she'd have shelter to go in but she refused to use it. I was hoping that these new guys will show her we aren't all that scary lol.

Do you know what breed she is? and training isn't that hard as long as you start them by always feeding them in their pen or house each evening then when they come off the pond to eat you walk up and close the door. Mine don't have a "pond" just a kiddy pool but the older ones have always taught the younger to go to bed of an evening, in your case it will be the younger teaching the older one.

 

[CarlieO]

Do you know what breed she is? and training isn't that hard as long as you start them by always feeding them in their pen or house each evening then when they come off the pond to eat you walk up and close the door. Mine don't have a "pond" just a kiddy pool but the older ones have always taught the younger to go to bed of an evening, in your case it will be the younger teaching the older one. 

I will definitely try that! She is a pekin. Whenever the wild mallards fly in she immediately joins them and swims with them, eats with them, lays on the shore with them. She seems to enjoy their company and makes a loud ruckus when she's alone, poor thing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I will definitely try that! She is a pekin. Whenever the wild mallards fly in she immediately joins them and swims with them, eats with them, lays on the shore with them. She seems to enjoy their company and makes a loud ruckus when she's alone, poor thing.

I bet she'll love having the company of your ducks once she gets use to them.

 

[jenniemig]

I put shavings down on top of the hardware cloth to cushion their feet. I'm just trying to keep them out of the watery mess they were creating. Lol

I have been fighting the duckling "sludge" too. I have mine on pine shavings that are somewhat absorbent. Everyday I dig out the wettest, turn and fluff the rest to try and get them to dry as much as I can, then I change them completely every 3 days. Even though I am going to miss them when they're not in the house anymore I am not going to miss the mess and smell!

 

[subhanalah]

A lot of guides say to just add fresh being over soiled bedding until they are ready to go outside, instead of cleaning out and replacing the old stuff.
A lot of people put the watering station inside a casserole dish or put wire mesh over the case role dish and set the watered on top of that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

A lot of guides say to just add fresh being over soiled bedding until they are ready to go outside, instead of cleaning out and replacing the old stuff.
A lot of people put the watering station inside a casserole dish or put wire mesh over the case role dish and set the watered on top of that.

I could never do that it could create too much ammonia build up which would be harmful to the ducklings and those who care for them.

 

[jenniemig]

I do that layering with my chicks. I guess it is a deep litter method. But it wouldn't work for my ducklings, their poop is very stinky and the ammonia smell is strong. I tried the water dish on a pan covered with hardware cloth, they made the same mess either way.

 

[CarlieO]

OK so 3 things:

1: I laid a Costco milk jug on its side and cut out a hole (small) in one end for water. Hopefully this will help prevent spillage. I was going through several gallons of water a day. Not good.

2: I found brewers yeast for poultry in Seattle. My question is how much do I give them mixed in their feed?

3: I put shavings over the hardware cloth except where their water is. That way they have a soft place to walk but if they spill their water it will still go under the wire and they won't be standing in it.

Thanks!

 

[jenniemig]

OK so 3 things:

1: I laid a Costco milk jug on its side and cut out a hole (small) in one end for water. Hopefully this will help prevent spillage. I was going through several gallons of water a day. Not good.

2: I found brewers yeast for poultry in Seattle. My question is how much do I give them mixed in their feed?

3: I put shavings over the hardware cloth except where their water is. That way they have a soft place to walk but if they spill their water it will still go under the wire and they won't be standing in it.

Thanks!

Sound's like a good set up

I've read 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of food. I think that's what Miss Lydia recommends.