The Duck Thread

HELP!!!!! I had 7 mallard ducklings and over the weekend 3 of them mysteriously died. Last night there were 4, and this morning only two were still alive. I don't think it is predator related as they were all just found dead in the coop with no signs of injury. The two still alive are wobbly on their feet as if they don't have energy, and I'm worried they don't have much longer. They are fed Dumor chick starter and/or Dumor layer pellets and have plenty of water. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I need help fast, I really enjoyed my flock. could this be an avian disease? Is their feed not appropriate? They are wild mallards that I hatched from eggs I found/rescued on a boat. 

ETA they are no longer ducklings but in that in between teenager stage, almost done getting their adult feathers


Are you only feeding duMor? Are you supplementing niacin in any way? Brewers yeast mixed into the food or vitamin B complex crushed and dissolved in the water? Dumor alone is not adequate for ducks... and layer feed should never be given to young birds... too much calcium is very detrimental...

I'm thinking either niacin deficiency or renal failure... kidney failure...


@Amiga

@Miss Lydia
 
HELP!!!!! I had 7 mallard ducklings and over the weekend 3 of them mysteriously died. Last night there were 4, and this morning only two were still alive. I don't think it is predator related as they were all just found dead in the coop with no signs of injury. The two still alive are wobbly on their feet as if they don't have energy, and I'm worried they don't have much longer. They are fed Dumor chick starter and/or Dumor layer pellets and have plenty of water. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I need help fast, I really enjoyed my flock. could this be an avian disease? Is their feed not appropriate? They are wild mallards that I hatched from eggs I found/rescued on a boat. 

ETA they are no longer ducklings but in that in between teenager stage, almost done getting their adult feathers


Are you only feeding duMor? Are you supplementing niacin in any way? Brewers yeast mixed into the food or vitamin B complex crushed and dissolved in the water? Dumor alone is not adequate for ducks... and layer feed should never be given to young birds... too much calcium is very detrimental...

I'm thinking either niacin deficiency or renal failure... kidney failure...


@Amiga

@Miss Lydia
Well they have a large pen to forage in, but other than the layer feed and chick starter (I alternate now that they're older, did the same for my runner and never had problems) when they were younger they just had the starter though... I feel like its not the diet although it's possible ive never had problems and ive had many many poultry.. Theyre very wobbly though now, still eating and drinking a little but stumbling every few steps. It seems to have gotten worse with one of them, but ive been away all weekend and havent been keeping a close watch on them . No supplements...
 
400

Hard to monitor but i think they also have runny watery poop, unless they were just drinking a lot like ducks do..
 
Well they have a large pen to forage in, but other than the layer feed and chick starter (I alternate now that they're older, did the same for my runner and never had problems) when they were younger they just had the starter though... I feel like its not the diet although it's possible ive never had problems and ive had many many poultry.. Theyre very wobbly though now, still eating and drinking a little but stumbling every few steps. It seems to have gotten worse with one of them, but ive been away all weekend and havent been keeping a close watch on them . No supplements...


Waterfowl have different needs and requirements than poultry to stay healthy...


The chick starter says it has niacin supplements in it and they're starting to eat more vigorously since ive been sitting here


Yes, it has niacin... but not enough to meet duck needs... they have a niacin deficiency so they require more than chicks do... leg weakness is a classic sign... many have never had issues not supplementing, but then it crops up...


400

Hard to monitor but i think they also have runny watery poop, unless they were just drinking a lot like ducks do..


Could be water intake... might be cocci... ducks aren't as susceptible to it as chickens, but they can still get it...
 
Well they have a large pen to forage in, but other than the layer feed and chick starter (I alternate now that they're older, did the same for my runner and never had problems) when they were younger they just had the starter though... I feel like its not the diet although it's possible ive never had problems and ive had many many poultry.. Theyre very wobbly though now, still eating and drinking a little but stumbling every few steps. It seems to have gotten worse with one of them, but ive been away all weekend and havent been keeping a close watch on them . No supplements...

Botulism, some other kind of toxin?
 
Well they have a large pen to forage in, but other than the layer feed and chick starter (I alternate now that they're older, did the same for my runner and never had problems) when they were younger they just had the starter though... I feel like its not the diet although it's possible ive never had problems and ive had many many poultry.. Theyre very wobbly though now, still eating and drinking a little but stumbling every few steps. It seems to have gotten worse with one of them, but ive been away all weekend and havent been keeping a close watch on them . No supplements...
Did you recently start a new bag of feed? Are you getting a lot of rain where you are? Run off coming into pen? Are there mushrooms growing in your pen? I would stop feeding from the bags you have now to be safe. Make sure they have plenty of fresh drinking water.
 

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