Traumatic duck death/ other ducklings lethargic.

[MastrangeloFamily]

We had 6 ducklings, about 4-5 weeks old. We move them out to a pen during the day and into the brooder during the night. Yesterday my husband moved the ducks and the smallest one (our only Drake) got trampled somehow. He was dead by the time my husband got to the duck pen. Literally a 5 second walk. Ever since the ducklings have acted depressed, or lethargic and not eating or drinking much. Usually they run up to me in the morning for food. They barely got up, and only one came over to eat. I gave them nutridrench and extra nutritional yeast. Please help. We love them sooo much.

 

[CRmuscovy]

I really think he was trampled, but I don't know how. Those ducklings are still little, it's not like they weigh a lot. Could he really have been trampled? There is a thought on my head that maybe he was already sick. My husband said that when he was in the brooder before he died they were all huddled around him. It's tricky. They have a clean brooder, I clean it everyday. During the day they are brought outside for clean fresh grass, and bugs, they have access to fermented feed and lots of water that we clean and fill multiple times per day. He was always a little on the weak side, even looking a bit deformed when we first got him. But now they all seem off and I do not know if they are sick or just sad? Is that even possible?

I am also new to ducks. Mine are almost 13 weeks. No of mine have ever been sick, but yesterday a strange thing happened. I let mine "free range" in an enclosed yard during the day and at night I close them in. Yesterda, they went into their coop at 3pm and wouldn't come out. That was super unusual behavior because most of thetime it is a struggle to get them into the coop at night. I am wondering if there was a predator that passed through without my knowing. So, I have my own mystery. Hopefully, your ducklings are just wary because of the death of them male.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@MastrangeloFamily can you keep them inside so you can monitor them better like how they are eating and drinking? and how does their poop look? any other signs showing sickness?
Very sorry you lost your little drake.

 

[MastrangeloFamily]

@MastrangeloFamily can you keep them inside so you can monitor them better like how they are eating and drinking? and how does their poop look? any other signs showing sickness?
Very sorry you lost your little drake.

Well, they just look like they want to sleep. The are piled up in a corner. The poop looks normal, greenish, or white. Watery too. I picked one up and it didn't struggle as much as normal, no foamy eyes, and the nares look clean. They just look very very very tired. One did wobble around a little bit when it got up, and just went back to sleep. Not much peeping action. I have them in the brooder today.

 

[Isaac 0]

I believe a water soluble powder. It's a tablet. 250mg.

Can you post a picture of the bottle?
How many tablets do you have left?
The Terramycin would be a lot easier to administer compared to the Cephalexin you have.

 

[Isaac 0]

I would crush 2/or 3 tablets, and mix it in thoroughly with one gallon of drinking water.
Continue for seven days.
If you ensure the birds are drinking the water source throughout the day, this should correct any bacterial infection occurring in the respiratory tract.
Any birds that are particularly sick, should have the mixture delivered orally throughout the day if they are not willing to drink on their own.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
https://www.drugs.com/vet/oxytetracycline-hcl.html

 

[MastrangeloFamily]

They need to be kept inside while sick so they don’t get wet or chill. And you can monitor their food and water intake and that they are pooping normally.

We lost one. I was holding her when she died. Trying to get her to drink. It was awful. I'm pretty scarred and heart broken. The rest seem to be recovering well. They are eating now on their own, and drinking. Sleeping a lot still, but are much much better. I think the remaining 4 will pull through. I'll keep an eye on them obviously. I will not be letting them out until they are all better and it is not wet. Or too hot.

 

[MastrangeloFamily]

I am so sorry to hear your bad news. Any clues to what happened?

I really think he was trampled, but I don't know how. Those ducklings are still little, it's not like they weigh a lot. Could he really have been trampled? There is a thought on my head that maybe he was already sick. My husband said that when he was in the brooder before he died they were all huddled around him. It's tricky. They have a clean brooder, I clean it everyday. During the day they are brought outside for clean fresh grass, and bugs, they have access to fermented feed and lots of water that we clean and fill multiple times per day. He was always a little on the weak side, even looking a bit deformed when we first got him. But now they all seem off and I do not know if they are sick or just sad? Is that even possible?

 

[MastrangeloFamily]

Any chance of getting at least one to a vet. If they need meds they can treat the others from home.
Any chance they got into anything toxic outside?

No chance! They just hang out in the grass. We don't use chemicals and never have. They stay in their own and just happily splash around. We have well water, but we are fine and had it tested recently. We have chickens as well and they seem fine. I make sure that the pen is moved every day so they get fresh grass. It has been super rainy. But they have no respiratory symptoms. We have no avian vet nearby. It doesn't really seem like they are sick. Just depressed, or something. They were fine yesterday until Ollie died.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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