Update: Duckling pictures Edit: All dead :(. Help! My ducklings are all dying!

[dham]

I'm SO sorry to hear this and know exactly how bad it hurts. I don't have any advice except to use a different farm than Metzers! My first experience with ducks ( all runner) I ordered three and they all died of the EXACT same symptoms. Metzers sent three replacements... SAME THING! I was heartbroken and didn't get back into ducks until just yesterday when I saved my little Han Solo from a feed store who had it in a cage with adult pekins. It was horrible to have them all die on me like that. Metzers didn't have any answers for me and wouldn't send a second set of replacements. I wasn't going to take them anyway I just figured I would see if they would honor it again. Again, I am so sorry for your loss and just keep your head up. Here's a picture of Han Solo.

 

[ChristineR]

I'm SO sorry to hear this and know exactly how bad it hurts. I don't have any advice except to use a different farm than Metzers! My first experience with ducks ( all runner) I ordered three and they all died of the EXACT same symptoms. Metzers sent three replacements... SAME THING! I was heartbroken and didn't get back into ducks until just yesterday when I saved my little Han Solo from a feed store who had it in a cage with adult pekins. It was horrible to have them all die on me like that. Metzers didn't have any answers for me and wouldn't send a second set of replacements. I wasn't going to take them anyway I just figured I would see if they would honor it again. Again, I am so sorry for your loss and just keep your head up. Here's a picture of Han Solo.

I really doubt that its Metzer's fault. They are very reputable and other hatcheries actually sell Metzer's ducklings. What kind of box were you brooding them in? I would throw out the feed in case it was a bad or old lot. I don't use wood shavings with my new babies. I use old dish towels that are easy to shake out and wash. I use a Brinsea EcoGlow brooder instead of a heat lamp, but that's not very economical if you're not planning on having many ducklings or chicks. I still wonder if they were exposed to something toxic during shipping. So sorry. What an awful day for you.

 

[dham]

It may not have been. I mainly didn't appreciate the way they handled the issue and this post was interesting to me seeing as I had the same problem. Not so quickly but within a couple days. All eating and drinking and comfortable then dead. Just like that. Mostly flipping backwards without being able to flip over. If held upright they just tried to flip backward. No amount of research gave me an answer though...

 

[bribre]

Wow this must be vary hard for you I'm so sorry..

 

[bearstrains]

hi,
i use probiotic for all my birds and its not the lamps,i have 3 starting boxes going now,one with 6 brown runner ducks that are 11 days old and doing fine use 20% chick starter feed,i think its the food,smell it if it smells musty or sour toss it,70 chicks and 6 ducks and lost 3 and had 6 show up dead.don't use more then 4 teaspoons of sugar per gallon for 40 chicks for the first day only. bear

 

[billw]

I wonder if the sugar was actually sugar. Any chance you grabbed salt instead? We have salt and sugar in glass jars and every once in a while I get the wrong one.

 

[jdywntr]

So sorry that this happened. The first time that I had ducklings shipped, I lost 4 of 11. They came from Metzers and shipped cross country to FL. I think it was shipping stress.

Are you in north CA? I'm going off of your user ID. That isn't very far for shipping.

Using sugar is recommended if they are stressed and not very active when they arrive. It gives them a boost. I also received active, perky ducklings and offered sugar water and lost a few. I think that if they are doing okay the sugar water may be counterproductive.

I would get the gro-gel, avoid the sugar water and keep a VERY close eye on the replacements. I would check on them every 20 or so minutes and dip their bills in the water each time to ensure that they are drinking on the first day. I think very young ducklings are not as good at "remembering" where everything is. I think I lost a few because I saw them drink and thought they would be fine.

Again, so sorry.

 

[Going Quackers]

whew i am so sorry, what a horrible intro to the world of ducks.

I really am not sure what more you could have done here, most of us were just tossing ideas out because i admit i was a bit lost as well.

Again, to repeat myself, i use a wood brooder.. it's an old ship crate, i have a carnam heat lamp with a bulb meant/made for heat lamps, regular old shavings which i mix with horse pellet bedding around 2wks of age... flock raiser and a typical chick waterer, i add and do NOTHING else.

I have raised all ducklings like that and the only change i do is if i have mama's which i do it seems every year, so upgrade the waterer as i said a big old 3GAL is what is in with my dusty and her brood of 4(2kws old) and that is that.

I am glad Metzers is replacing them, i have no knowledge of them though, as i am not in there area of purchase. I only hope this time round goes better for you. They are a joy to have and worth the heartache of trying again.

 

[Going Quackers]

So sorry that this happened. The first time that I had ducklings shipped, I lost 4 of 11. They came from Metzers and shipped cross country to FL. I think it was shipping stress.

I was leaning in that direction too but having zero experience with it, i wasn't sure... you cannot do that here, most will not ship within my province, i am about to drive hours out this spring to get mine, just like i did before. I bring a kid so that keeps the fluffy kids happy lol

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I will just add my $0.02. I've never used sugar. Vitamins, yes, but only the water soluable tabs from the feed store. Never marbles, just a shallow waterer for chicks from TSC, and various plastic bowls that ive recycled from the kitchen. My newest waterer is a 1qt deal from FFH and that is quite small and shallow, perfect for just a few ducklings. Never had ducklings shipped either. But I have seen that they little ones get sort of stressed just during a 30minute car ride, so I imagine shipping could be a factor. The last one might have just given up too, I don't think they will do well alone. Previous Posters are all correct, you need to look at the whole set up, feed, water, heat... Everything. Right now I have 3 ducklings (from TSC) and no light, but 2 Broody Moms. They are fine and it is cold here. I use straw bedding and my broody moms chose the brooder area, an inside cozy corner of the barn.

I'm sorry for your loss OP and I hope you get everything figured out. Ducks are hardy, tough critters and what OP described is definitely not normal in my experience with ducklings.