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

[Miss Lydia]

 

[Going Quackers]

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.

30mins isn't much, i drove 2.5?-3 hrs? it was hours lol with my chicks last year, and am about to do another trek like this shortly with ducklings and chicks(yes, this will be ONE long car ride) i think it's more how there handled, i wouldn't trust the mailing systems here to handle anything alive, heck they wreak my magazines and there just paper.

I know nothing about adding sugar and never add vits either, just my regular old water(were on a well) I really don't know what happened with OP's ducklings it is definitely an extreme reaction and so unfortunate.

 

[wildpeas]

Sorry about your loss OP, that really stinks.

I too am unfamiliar with the sugar water treatment. When my ducklings look a little punky I add apple cider vinegar to their water and it seems to help. Otherwise I just give them regular tap water. I have never brooded in a plastic tub but it does seem like it could get a little too hot and restrict airflow a bit. If you use it again is there a way you could cut some holes in the sides a little ways down from the top?

 

[GloryGirl]

First Time Duckling raiser here, we got 6 this morning and only two are left and they don't look good. What are We doing wrong; in A Brand new big Plastic tub, new waterer, feeder and Lamp. Put 2 Cups sugar In gallon of water and turned everything on Last night. They have the flock feeder Reced. Had sawdust Down But Took It Out And Replaced With Shelf Liner After We Lost The First 4. Added Marbles To The Water. My Last Few Look Half Dead They Are HavivNg A Hard Time Moving, Stiff. One Just Flipped On His Back And Couldnt Get Back Over. This Is Awful, HelpZ!

Pardon My AwfUl Grammer Ans Caps, Posting From My Phone.

So sorry! It would be awful to see that, and I am glad the kids didn't have to go through it too. I'm also new to ducks, but I got Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread just before our babies arrived. As I was looking through it today, I read the following quote in the Symptoms of Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies in Ducks Appendix and thought of you, "Vitamin B6 Poor appetites; extremely slow growth; nervousness; convulsions; jerky head movements; ducklings run about aimlessly, sometimes rolling over on their backs and rapidly paddling their feet; increased mortality" Does that sound like it might be the issue? Reading through every thing here, it really sounded like you were giving them great feed and such, but I just wondered.

 

[ducksinarow]

Could it be the plastic outgasing? The smell of plastic can make me sick let alone adding heat to it would cause it to fume more. I have heard of sugar for emergency energy for baby birds but not as an ongoing thing. I would give them probiotics to boost their immune system. Sorry for your lose. That is so sad.

 

[Going Quackers]

So sorry! It would be awful to see that, and I am glad the kids didn't have to go through it too. I'm also new to ducks, but I got Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread just before our babies arrived. As I was looking through it today, I read the following quote in the Symptoms of Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies in Ducks Appendix and thought of you, "Vitamin B6 Poor appetites; extremely slow growth; nervousness; convulsions; jerky head movements; ducklings run about aimlessly, sometimes rolling over on their backs and rapidly paddling their feet; increased mortality" Does that sound like it might be the issue? Reading through every thing here, it really sounded like you were giving them great feed and such, but I just wondered.

I don't think that would be it though, as OP hasn't had the birds long enough to have deficiencies.

 

[Going Quackers]

Could it be the plastic outgasing? The smell of plastic can make me sick let alone adding heat to it would cause it to fume more. I have heard of sugar for emergency energy for baby birds but not as an ongoing thing. I would give them probiotics to boost their immune system. Sorry for your lose. That is so sad.

That one i am not so sure on as many people seem to use these 'rubbermaid' brooders, that said i have no experience with them at all.

 

[ChristineR]

I don't think that would be it though, as OP hasn't had the birds long enough to have deficiencies.

That's what I was thinking.

That one i am not so sure on as many people seem to use these 'rubbermaid' brooders, that said i have no experience with them at all.

I use them all the time. I guess it's possible, though.

 

[zooweemama]

That one i am not so sure on as many people seem to use these 'rubbermaid' brooders, that said i have no experience with them at all.

That's what I was thinking.
I use them all the time. I guess it's possible, though.

I use rubbermaid containers too. This year for size- I switched to those biiiig black rubber stock tanks. That's been working great too. I have not yet tried a clear plastic one. Maybe the plastic type matters?

 

[dham]

I've just gotten two ducklings that I have in the dog kennel I used to brood my eight chicks a few months ago... Maybe that would be a good option? I'm using hay for bedding this time instead of pine shavings... we lost one chick to choking on that. The plastic is obviously pet safe in dog kennels and the heat lamp fixture squeeze handle fit perfectly through the vent holes in the top so I can have the lamp on just one corner... I have their food and water up on a landscaping brick that they can get onto without dragging bedding into it. Best of luck on your next babies!