Small duckling being kicked out of the group

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Sorry to hear that you've lost the little one!
It sometimes happens that something is wrong right from the beginning. The other's knew that something was wrong and therefore shunned it. Mother Nature can be brutal but is always honest.
I doubt that the little guy had a disease or was contagious in any way, i assume a genetic defect, so i wouldn't be too worried about the other's. Adding extra nutrition and vitamins is always good for ducklings, just make sure they have also plenty of exercise, because fat ducklings will develop into ducks with leg and hip problems.
If you can, do buy the vitamin B supply that @Jpat has recommended and give them some extra, you can't overdose b-vitamins, the excess will just be peed out.
And if you have some pictures fur us duckling starved duck junkies, here are the two current duckling-threads:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/2020-spring-ducklings-are-here.1351487/https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/show-off-your-little-swimmers-2020.1351541/

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very sorry you lost the little one. I'd def start the others on the liquid B complex. Also if your feeding meal worms they will need chick grit. Any time we feed anything other that their reg feed they need chick grit. That is how they 'chew' their food. They only need a small bowl close to their feed bowl and they will use it as needed.

 

[WVduckchick]

So very sorry. I lost one yesterday also, so I feel your pain.

I’d hold off on the meal worms for now. Just their normal feed is fine.
Are they all over the brooder, like not huddling directly under the light, and not staying totally away from it?

Also, have you used that heat bulb before? There have been some rare cases where folks get the wrong bulbs that have a coating that can kill by the fumes it releases. Just trying to rule out the easy stuff, not meaning to be rude at all.

 

[Miss Lydia]

yes it's Teflon isn't it @WVduckchick I have used a 250 heat bulb but ordered from premier 1 they are great safe bulbs.

 

[Isaac 0]

So sorry for your loss!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Very sorry you lost the little one. I'd def start the others on the liquid B complex. Also if your feeding meal worms they will need chick grit. Any time we feed anything other that their reg feed they need chick grit. That is how they 'chew' their food. They only need a small bowl close to their feed bowl and they will use it as needed.

As an alternative to grit, you can send the ducklings on a supervised field trip outside, if the outside temperatures allow, and they will pick up the necessary grit material there.

 

[Jpat]

yes it's Teflon isn't it @WVduckchick I have used a 250 heat bulb but ordered from premier 1 they are great safe bulbs.

ceramic bulbs are my favorite, No light and no chance of broken glass

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

yes it's Teflon isn't it @WVduckchick I have used a 250 heat bulb but ordered from premier 1 they are great safe bulbs.

I have used non luminous reptile infrared lamps in the past with great success:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-110V-1...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649Reptiles are also very sensitive to teflon fumes, as well as us humons too:
https://greenlivingideas.com/2012/06/13/how-toxic-is-teflon/

 

[WVduckchick]

I prefer the ceramic reptile bulbs now also, even more so than my brooder plates.

Yes TEFLON! Brain freeze.

I honestly don't know whether ducks are more or less affected by them, or similar. @BantyChooks wrote a lovely article about them. Banty, do you know the effect on ducks compared to chicks?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/polytetrafluoroethylene-toxicity-in-chickens.73482/

 

[BantyChooks]

I prefer the ceramic reptile bulbs now also, even more so than my brooder plates.

Yes TEFLON! Brain freeze.

I honestly don't know whether ducks are more or less affected by them, or similar. @BantyChooks wrote a lovely article about them. Banty, do you know the effect on ducks compared to chicks?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/polytetrafluoroethylene-toxicity-in-chickens.73482/

No, I have no duck-specific sources in my research, but as far as I know, ducks have the same respiratory features that make chickens and other birds so susceptible to the products of polytetrafluoroethylene-based coatings. You bring up a good point, though! I've been thinking of doing some more in-depth research on avian respiratory symptoms, and a comparison of various species such as ducks and chickens would be a worthwhile addition.