I bought ducklings from a local feed store. 2 weeks ago yesterday. They said they were likely a day old when I got them. From the beginning I was given not so great advice (this is literally what I was told: ducks are stupid. you cannot give them food and water at the same time or they will overeat and choke and die. give them their water for 15 minutes and wait a half hour and offer food. then after a half hour give them back their water.) It's not actually all that easy to gather specific info on caring for ducks. I had read the opposite of that BUT I thought hey this is a mom&pop shop that is been here over 50 years- they gotta know their stuff right?
Well over the course of 3 days- 2 ducklings died. After the 2nd death- I began offering their food moistened PLUS water at the same time. They did FANtastic. Occasionally I would see a duckling do something weird- a random sneeze here and there, stumbling but would be ok 10 minutes later, even once or twice found a duck on their pack paddling unable to get up- but then I would hold them for a minute set them back on their feet and they were fine and never did those things again.
Well when they were about 5 days old I noticed one had a swollen eye and it had ickies on it- crusty. No bubbles or foam though. A day prior to that I had noticed there was a small wood chip in ones eye (a black one and I have 4 black ones and 3 look identical). I assumed it was from that wood chip. I offered that one a clean bath, neosporin and back in the bin with the rest. I did this for 3 days and her eye was really looking better. She was not sneezing- just rubbing her annoyed eye.
Everyone was eating and drinking fabulous. Alert, active, noisy- normal stuff.
Then around day 10 I noticed one of yellow ducklings (not Pekins ones) sneezing quite a bit. I made sure fresh water was offered. One day 11 I noticed her bff was also sneezing- I separated them into a 'sick brooder'. Day 12 I heard one of them 'coughing' and one of the black ducklings began sneezing. All 3 were now in the same bin. The rest of the black ones (3) were in another bin and were fine no sneezing or anything. My Pekins (4) were in their own bin also just dandy.
Until day 14. I hear some occasional sneezing from Pekin bin and the blacks bin. GAH! I moved the one Pekin I could pick out that was sneezing into the sick bin.
But at this point- it's totally pointless moving anyone. They've all been exposed to one another. This entire time I have been putting an electrolyte/immune system booster in their water. I have been trying my hardest to keep their bins dry- daily removing soiled wet bedding and adding fresh clean bedding.
What I do note NOW though is that the bedding I had been using up until Day 10/11 is a very very dusty pine shaving. It made ME sneeze. I switched to a triple screen kind and there is very very little dust and when I do add it I have been taking great care since day 12 to add it slowly and then spread it out once I have laid it down. I am sure this did not help (the dusty stuff). But I had hoped changing to the triple screened it would have improved.
I have not changed their diets- same waterfowl starter. They do get fresh water all through out the day. Plenty deep enough to submerge their entire head. But they did have a 2 day spread that I did not realize they could not do this in their waterer (I feel so bad about that).
And despite the fast that about half of them are sneezing- everyone is still eating like ginormous pigs and drinking water like mad. They are all also very active and alert. Even the ones that had been 'coughing' are still otherwise acting normal.
My concerns: I have a fresh batch of ducklings coming April 24th. The first batch will be moved into the coop (they will be almost 3 weeks old) but will not have access outdoors and will be safe from drafts and predators. I will be using the triple screen on the bottom of the coop floor to fill in cracks etc then topped off with a thick pile of straw. Their room to move with very large- much bigger than what they have been used to.
Does this sound like CRD or some other infectious disease? I'm afraid my new babies will get sick. They will be kept away from (or my plans before most started sneezing) was keeping the new babies in for 3 weeks before also adding them to the coop. Now I'm stressing.
I have no doubt I have stressed them out some- moving them around from bin to bin when they got bigger- then moving them again with new bin buddies because of the sneezing. And the Pekins recently have REALLY started freaking out whenever I do ANYthing with their bin. Water them, feed them, fiddle with bedding- they flip out and do a quivering huddle like I am going to murder them. The other sets (sickos and the blackies) all great me with curiosity and mostly pretty darn calm. Is that weird Pekin thing? They are going to hurt themselves with how much they flip out. I always approach each bin with a soft voice, using the same phrase "hi guys. how are you guys doing?" and call them by name for those that have them. When I reach in I reach in slowly- the Pekins no longer care they just flip out.
I just wish I knew if I caused all this somehow- if it's horribly contagious- if they are going to die or get my new batch sick...I am just at a loss. If they ACTED sick beyond the sneezing (and 2 would cough a little on day 12 but aren't anymore) - I'd cry like a baby but I would cull the flock to prevent the new batch from getting sick. I want a strong flock not a sick one.
ETA: I don't know if this is related but my big fatty Pekin (bigger than the others) has a wing that looks tender. Like someone started plucking the down off it. I can get pictures if needed. I have never kept birds before and ALL my supplies are brand spanking new so I hope I didn't do some huge mistake.
Anyone have any words of wisdom or advice? Thanks so much!
Well over the course of 3 days- 2 ducklings died. After the 2nd death- I began offering their food moistened PLUS water at the same time. They did FANtastic. Occasionally I would see a duckling do something weird- a random sneeze here and there, stumbling but would be ok 10 minutes later, even once or twice found a duck on their pack paddling unable to get up- but then I would hold them for a minute set them back on their feet and they were fine and never did those things again.
Well when they were about 5 days old I noticed one had a swollen eye and it had ickies on it- crusty. No bubbles or foam though. A day prior to that I had noticed there was a small wood chip in ones eye (a black one and I have 4 black ones and 3 look identical). I assumed it was from that wood chip. I offered that one a clean bath, neosporin and back in the bin with the rest. I did this for 3 days and her eye was really looking better. She was not sneezing- just rubbing her annoyed eye.
Everyone was eating and drinking fabulous. Alert, active, noisy- normal stuff.
Then around day 10 I noticed one of yellow ducklings (not Pekins ones) sneezing quite a bit. I made sure fresh water was offered. One day 11 I noticed her bff was also sneezing- I separated them into a 'sick brooder'. Day 12 I heard one of them 'coughing' and one of the black ducklings began sneezing. All 3 were now in the same bin. The rest of the black ones (3) were in another bin and were fine no sneezing or anything. My Pekins (4) were in their own bin also just dandy.
Until day 14. I hear some occasional sneezing from Pekin bin and the blacks bin. GAH! I moved the one Pekin I could pick out that was sneezing into the sick bin.
But at this point- it's totally pointless moving anyone. They've all been exposed to one another. This entire time I have been putting an electrolyte/immune system booster in their water. I have been trying my hardest to keep their bins dry- daily removing soiled wet bedding and adding fresh clean bedding.
What I do note NOW though is that the bedding I had been using up until Day 10/11 is a very very dusty pine shaving. It made ME sneeze. I switched to a triple screen kind and there is very very little dust and when I do add it I have been taking great care since day 12 to add it slowly and then spread it out once I have laid it down. I am sure this did not help (the dusty stuff). But I had hoped changing to the triple screened it would have improved.
I have not changed their diets- same waterfowl starter. They do get fresh water all through out the day. Plenty deep enough to submerge their entire head. But they did have a 2 day spread that I did not realize they could not do this in their waterer (I feel so bad about that).
And despite the fast that about half of them are sneezing- everyone is still eating like ginormous pigs and drinking water like mad. They are all also very active and alert. Even the ones that had been 'coughing' are still otherwise acting normal.
My concerns: I have a fresh batch of ducklings coming April 24th. The first batch will be moved into the coop (they will be almost 3 weeks old) but will not have access outdoors and will be safe from drafts and predators. I will be using the triple screen on the bottom of the coop floor to fill in cracks etc then topped off with a thick pile of straw. Their room to move with very large- much bigger than what they have been used to.
Does this sound like CRD or some other infectious disease? I'm afraid my new babies will get sick. They will be kept away from (or my plans before most started sneezing) was keeping the new babies in for 3 weeks before also adding them to the coop. Now I'm stressing.
I have no doubt I have stressed them out some- moving them around from bin to bin when they got bigger- then moving them again with new bin buddies because of the sneezing. And the Pekins recently have REALLY started freaking out whenever I do ANYthing with their bin. Water them, feed them, fiddle with bedding- they flip out and do a quivering huddle like I am going to murder them. The other sets (sickos and the blackies) all great me with curiosity and mostly pretty darn calm. Is that weird Pekin thing? They are going to hurt themselves with how much they flip out. I always approach each bin with a soft voice, using the same phrase "hi guys. how are you guys doing?" and call them by name for those that have them. When I reach in I reach in slowly- the Pekins no longer care they just flip out.
I just wish I knew if I caused all this somehow- if it's horribly contagious- if they are going to die or get my new batch sick...I am just at a loss. If they ACTED sick beyond the sneezing (and 2 would cough a little on day 12 but aren't anymore) - I'd cry like a baby but I would cull the flock to prevent the new batch from getting sick. I want a strong flock not a sick one.
ETA: I don't know if this is related but my big fatty Pekin (bigger than the others) has a wing that looks tender. Like someone started plucking the down off it. I can get pictures if needed. I have never kept birds before and ALL my supplies are brand spanking new so I hope I didn't do some huge mistake.
Anyone have any words of wisdom or advice? Thanks so much!
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