Just curious if you called the hatcheries to see if they’ve had other reports... I’m so sorry this happened
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Thoughts:
- Mazuri starter has plenty of niacin, and low niacin is not a flock killer.
- The incubation period for duck viral hepatitis is 1-2 days, so this would not come from a hatchery if they are 3 weeks old.
- My friend recently lost more than half her flock and the state vet thinks it was most likely botulism. She had a dog house with a plasic bottom that held water and one side had wet hay + duck poop. The vet thinks that might have been the source. One factor he considered was not just the fact of the deaths but their pattern.
- Because yours died at about the same time point, this may point to a common source of poison or disease. Your good biosecurity makes me think this might NOT be a contagious disease.
Questions:
- Salt easily kills ducklings. Do you have a new water softener? Is there any way salt might have gotten into their food or water?
- Did you take them outside for an outing where there might have been ant granules, insect spray, or poisonous plants?
- I believe the contents of puppy pads are not safe for ducklings. Is it possible that one opened up and they ate the contents?
My state vet autopsies a duck for about $90. I did have to drive the duck down there (a two hour drive each way), but he was able to rule out the common communicable diseases, which was a big relief. If you have one of your ducklings and can put the body in the refrigerator, then get it to your state vet, it might help you know how to protect your other ducks. My vet got results within a few days, some longer, but he kept in touch and let me know as he ruled ou more and more things.
Myer hatchery has had it too