dumb ducklings

I had a very successful hatch of welsh harlequins that I got from fuzzylittlefriend. I put them in the brooder with the eco brooder. Had to scootch them under the heat. They loved it. Checked on them from time to time, they were out running about and then heading back under to get warm. Get home from work find all of them out from under the brooder (brinsea, eco 50) huddled together trying to stay warm, with a few dead ones laying about that didn't join the group. Shooshed the remainder back under the under heat, they settle in, enjoying the warmth. Check on them in the morning, a couple more dead ones, obviously not wanting to be part of the flock and left the warmth and didn't go back. I have never had such dumb birds before.I get concerned with them not wanting to get away from the warmth, usually, not wanting to return to it.

That is the only downfall to the ecobrooders, babies are attracted to the light not the heat, so hang a little light where the brooder is and then they will go there more likely. I know in the commercial brooders they have a little light that hangs with them so the chicks/ducks will go to it.

The other thing is water, are they able to get wet? I only give my ducklings a water font for water for their first week to avoid the chilling.

I will try the heat lamps for the ducklings from now on. They have a little water fount, nothing they can crawl into. Just dumb I think.