Duckling Help Requested

[basicjim]

My daughter got 6 Khaki Campbell ducks for 4-H and it's our first foray into fowl.

The ducks were 2 days old when we got them. We purchased them from a reputable hatchery and they weren't shipped in the mail. We are feeding them crumble that is 18% and designed for ducks and meat chicks (ADM Pen Pals Meat Maker).

The second night one of the ducklings died. Last night, 4 days after having them home, another became lethargic and only occasionally took water. It wouldn't eat at all and died last night.


We have them in a 5' swimming pool lined with straw. We have a 1 gallon waterer that is changed twice daily. The straw is changed every other day. The food is always available. No cars are parked in the garage.

There is a heat lamp to one side and the pool is in our heated garage. The ducklings sleep about 18" - 24" from the lamp, so I believe they are warm enough.

My daughter (12 years old) handles them with care and doesn't handle them more than a couple minutes per day.

The garage lights are on during the day, off at night.

Are we doing something wrong? We are reading books about them and see no signs of parasites. Is it normal to lose 2 out of 6 ducklings? What should we expect for duckling mortality rate?

Any help, suggestions, etc would be GREATLY appreciated!!

Thanks,

Jim

[luvmycalls]

I have had this happen on some occasion. With orders especially. As long as the feed is good, water is clean, living is kept clean and they have heat you are doing things right.

[Katy]

Is the straw soaked? And are the crumbles getting wet and becoming spoiled in the wet bedding? It sounds like you are being very diligent in keeping up with everything, but my question is based on my own experience of ducklings in a kiddie pool...the bedding got soaked after just a few hours of them splashing and eating. I changed bedding every few hours. I ended up using a rotation of beach towels for the bedding because the shavings got so disgusting. I was doing a couple loads of laundry per day but it was much less smelly and there was always a layer of towels that was warm, dry, and cozy for the peeps under the lamp, even when the towel under the waterer was wet. I had 12 babies so it was quite a group to keep up with. Hopefully your remaining ducklings will thrive and be healthy.

[basicjim]

Is the straw soaked? And are the crumbles getting wet and becoming spoiled in the wet bedding?

We're changing the bedding daily if they get real sloppy and get water all over, every other day if not. I'll keep an eye out for that, though.

Here is a pic of my current setup. If you see something I am doing wrong, please let me know.

I am also posting a pic of one of the ducklings I am concerned about. If you look at the pic, you can see he's darker than the others and smaller as well. He isn't as excited about eating and drinking as the rest. He kinda moseys from water to crumble where as the others seem to race back and forth.

Thoughts?

http://cdn-3-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1048971_3923682_69427997_Web_3/0_0_189290bb464d2fbbc9dd2a80f90fbbe2_1

http://cdn-3-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1048971_3923682_69427998_Web_3/0_0_609a79182c15df9770beab2ca37be1cc_1

http://cdn-3-service.phanfare.com/images/external/1048971_3923682_69428000_Web_3/0_0_5cf9aff290958db5987b819f62666ec4_1

Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

Jim

[Evy]

If I'm reading the thermometer right, it's over 90 in there...too hot. Unlike chicks, ducklings don't need that much heat. I use a 40w ceramic bulb indoors for a week, then they go outside to the wet-brooder so they can swim at will. That has a 100w ceramic bulb in the sheltered part. It's been below freezing nights but they're doing fine.
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/649344

[Leo]

One thing I noticed is the feeder. For the first few days I put their feed in a low shallow pan that they can get in and out of to eat. After about a week I start putting their feed in a regular feeder.