The Duck Thread

[gander007]

someone please help I don't know what to do I have 8 baby ducks 1 was jerking its neck back and forth so I thought it was choking or something (turns out it wasn't choking) but I put it along with the rest of the baby ducks in the bathtub with its food and water they ate they drank so I put them back and now ALL of them are jerking their necks side to side. are they ok? is it something in the food? any information will be greatly appreciated!!!

Nice video you have of your baby's and I did not see anything odd at all but try getting some egg's and cook them up and feed the egg's to your ducklings and it will also help them grow big and strong .....



Some of my chicks eating scrambled egg's .....





One hour old, One day old, One week old and all were eating
cooked egg's from day one and grow to be big and strong ....

 

[rancher hicks]

and ive also seen a few of my fully grown ducks do the same neck/head jerk but they turned out to be fine ive never seen it with a baby and where does one get brewers yeast and niacin?

What are you feeding them? Basic commercial chick/duck starter should have everything they need. I would not add things unless you are sure they need it.

Where is this heating pad? Not on the floor of the basket I hope.

Too you must know Ducks need a lot of water and are very messy. They should have food and water on demand.

 

[WeatheredWings]

I wish you best of luck!!

Just wanted to give an update on the ducklings. The one passed away last night but the others are doing great. They aren't gasping and they are eating and drinking a ton. Hopefully all will be well now!

 

[LittleBlu]

Just wanted to give an update on the ducklings. The one passed away last night but the others are doing great. They aren't gasping and they are eating and drinking a ton. Hopefully all will be well now!

Thanks for keeping me posted! I'm so sorry about your loss. I hope that you're taking all the advice and started doing the things requested? I'm glad the others are well, just be cautious from now on! I hope to see them

 

[ducklover31]

You seem like a very conscientious person! I have noticed that some ducklings are just more sensitive to things like niacin - I don't know why, we don't see problems with all ducklings that eat chick feed, just some.

Please check back in tomorrow to let us know how things are going. I need to go to sleep now - I will check back in the morning.

Prayers for all of you.

If they are getting some grit, so that it is safe for them to eat something other than crumbles, you could give them some worms - those have a little niacin in them. But the ducklings need to have had a little bit of chick grit first.

Goodnight.

ok i checked them this morning and none of them were doing the neck/head jerk thing so thats good but i let them eat the first time and put them back they were fine and sometime later i let them eat again and this time when i put them in the basket and a few minutes later some of them were doing wired things like moving their necks but nothing too bad but not acting normal but about an hour later they were normal again i dont know whats wrong i guess their not developed but ive been keeping an eye on them

 

[WeatheredWings]

Thanks for keeping me posted! I'm so sorry about your loss. I hope that you're taking all the advice and started doing the things requested? I'm glad the others are well, just be cautious from now on! I hope to see them

Absolutely! No more swimming without being dried off!

 

[LittleBlu]

Absolutely! No more swimming without being dried off!

Awww!so many! And extremely cute. And no back heat and cold heat and cold

 

[Amiga]

They need food with water 24/7.

 

[kada6305]

So I think our Duck may be going broody? I am not sure. She is not sitting on the eggs yet. Every morning when I go to collect everyone eggs I have to uncover them. I am leaving the Ducks eggs just to see if she is going broody. Once she sits on them I am going to replace them with Chicken eggs. She isn't really hanging with the other Ducks like she usually does and I notice she does get upset when you go near the Coop she doesnt attack but she keeps her mouth open and knd of does a biting action in the air at you...is she going broody??

 

[Pyxis]

So I think our Duck may be going broody? I am not sure. She is not sitting on the eggs yet. Every morning when I go to collect everyone eggs I have to uncover them. I am leaving the Ducks eggs just to see if she is going broody. Once she sits on them I am going to replace them with Chicken eggs. She isn't really hanging with the other Ducks like she usually does and I notice she does get upset when you go near the Coop she doesnt attack but she keeps her mouth open and knd of does a biting action in the air at you...is she going broody??

Could be! They do lay a whole clutch before going broody so she might be building one up for herself. The hanging back from the others and being defensive of the nest site could also be indications that she's thinking about it.