Why did all my baby ducks die after eating.

[ExpLo721]

My condolences. It must have been a horrible sight to watch.

 

[Riven]

What I'm wondering about is that you say "I went to feed them"... did they not have food when you got there?

Baby ducks and chicks should have food at all times, they can starve very fast!

Also had you seen them eating? Sometimes you have to "teach" them how to eat or they don't know how.

All my baby ducks get game bird starter.

 

[DuckHoney]

There isn't enough chlorine in tap water to kill the ducks. Tap water is tested and regulated so you don't have to worry about that.

I would think the food. If it was starvation or eating too fast, they wouldn't All be dieing within 15 minutes like you said. Maybe the part that you fed them was moldy as others have suggested. Do you store the food in a clean, dry place? Nothing where pesticide could accidentally get into it? And you aren't spraying your yard with any pesticide or anything like that? If not, I would strongly think it was the food.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Its hard to loose a pet, especially having to witness it. I hope this will be your last scare.

 

[goosedragon]

Check the feed for SALT that is one of the few common chemicals that can kill that fast. You mention chlorine you didn't add bleach to the water or use bleach to clean without proper rinsing did you?
By testing for salt i mean to actually taste the feed, excessive salt will be very evident. The reason I point at salt was I was dumb enough to use it as an ice melter one winter, adults ate it and fell over in a matter of minutes. No homemade icecream lately?

 

[Paul1980]

I didn't spray any pesticides and the feed was not moldy. I have chicks eating it still and haven't had a problem. The brand is Wendlands Only One Starter Grower.

They had been eating it for several days now and nothing happened to them until that day. Something somehow "triggered" their death. I didn't use any type of chlorine or chemical to clean the feed containers.

All of them were hatched by me and appeared healthy, unless they had some defect or internal problem that I never caught.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Moldy feed wouldn't cause sudden death.
If they all died suddenly there must be something
very toxic to ducks in the feed.
You should have the maker of the feed test it
and contact the feed dealer your purchsed it from incase there is an issue with it being toxic.