Daughter’s Pekin Died Suddenly

[R1Peacock]

One of my daughter’s female Pekin ducks died overnight. She was a year old nearly to the day. She was a normal egg layer and was otherwise healthy. About a month ago she went through what I’d consider a molting period losings a bit of feathers during a heat spell. Thereafter all of her feathers came back in thick but for the past month she stopped laying eggs. She was fed a diet of Purina Duck Pellets supplemented by a heaping handful of frozen peas probably 4-5 days a week along with niacin water supplement and Oyster shells. Last evening I went to her pen and she was laying inside just looking at the wall. She came out with the other ducks but didn‘t seem herself. We brought her inside and let her soak in a warm bathtub for an hour massaging her stomach and she remained lethargic. Within 2 hours she started having labored breathing. The breathing never got better and she passed away 2 hours ago. Any idea what it might have been? She was last out of her pen the day before. We have wild cherry trees in the area so could she have eaten one of those? We have another female and male Pekin. As a precaution I’m completely cleaning out the pen. What else should I do?

 

[DaisyBuff]

Are your ducks confined or free range? By what you tell me, it seems like she may have eaten something toxic. She was a pretty young duck. She certainly did not die of old age.

 

[R1Peacock]

The ducks are kept in a pen and only left out under supervision. We lost a female Pekin a year ago to a hawk so we are extremely cautious.

 

[DaisyBuff]

To add- The wild cherries itself probably did not hurt her duck, but cherry pits as well as peach and apricot pits can contain cyanide, it can sometimes be deadly to birds if ingested in large amounts.

 

[R1Peacock]

I just don’t know — I mean I know they are ducks but they are given ample food in and out of their pen. When they poke around the yard I’ve only seen them go through the grass and they seemed to always avoid the cherries that fall from the trees in our woods. If a duck were to eat a cherry how long would it normally take before it got sick (and or died)? She was out the day before but only for a short time because it rained. She was last out for a decent time 2 days ago.

 

[Miss Lydia]

This pertains to livestock but has info on how serious wild cherry trees can be.
https://extension.psu.edu/cyanide-poisoning-of-livestock-from-cherry-tree-leaves

Very sorry for your loss.

 

[R1Peacock]

What about being egg bound? How long does it take for a duck to die if she was egg bound? She use to lay on average of 5 eggs or so a week. About a month ago we had a hot weather spell and it appeared like she went into a molting period losing some feathers. In the weeks following she regained new feathers but egg production came to a halt. I bet in 3 weeks she might have only produced 2 eggs. Last night I had her in a tub of warm water and I rubbed her underneath. I did not feel a hard stomach or egg via exterior touch. Our other female duck is about the same. Few if any eggs in 3 weeks. We feed them a calcium supplement, Oyster shells, Niacin supplement added to their water and regular Duck food. The have their own private protected hut and get no outside stress out of the ordinary.

 

[DaisyBuff]

What about being egg bound? How long does it take for a duck to die if she was egg bound? She use to lay on average of 5 eggs or so a week. About a month ago we had a hot weather spell and it appeared like she went into a molting period losing some feathers. In the weeks following she regained new feathers but egg production came to a halt. I bet in 3 weeks she might have only produced 2 eggs. Last night I had her in a tub of warm water and I rubbed her underneath. I did not feel a hard stomach or egg via exterior touch.

About 5 eggs a week is normal for a Pekin. Hmm, you brought up a good topic, did you notice her pooping lately? Has the stool been normal?

 

[R1Peacock]

Depending on what they eat their poop can change from a somewhat solid to a bit runny. What should I look for - I can’t have this other female get sick.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Sorry for your loss
I lost one of my pekin girls at only 6 months old
We had an autopsy done and they found a penny in her stomach along with weird spots by her heart
The combo killed her
Her sister is now 2.5 years old and doing great
Sometimes they dig things out of the ground and we don’t even know
I don’t have Pennie’s so it been buried in the ground for many years
I was like you and worried about my other 2 ducks so I had to find out if she had something that would affect my other two
I do keep food grade charcoal in my emergency kit now just in case I see signs off issues