Sudden death in Ducks? More Dead!

redtailross

Songster
10 Years
May 18, 2009
126
4
111
Salcha, Alaska
Hello
I hope you can help me...
I have had two ducks die with no apparent reason, one saturday morning, a 6 week old Rouen, and then this monring, Monday a 6 week old runner? No symptoms at all, no indication that anythign is wrong?
No slime in the bill or nostrils, no feed jammed ion throat or crop, clean vent?

Any ideas, coudl they be a little cold its about 60 deg at night with 75 deg days...or is it they are not getting enough greens? they are being fed a mixture of meat bird and duck and goose. average 5 of protein about 20%.


this happened to us last year but the necropsy showed nothing, the pond they are on is clean with no contaminants, they are penned in so they can not eat something they shouldn't?

the only similarity is that they were bought form the same place as last year...

Has anyone else experienced this? I only have 7 geese and 4 ducks left...

Please help?
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**Update**
This time it was my baby African Goose... getting a necropsy tomorrow? I'm thinking its water contamination, we have pulled them off the pond, they are living with the sheep.
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I'll keep you posted
 
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Just a shot in the dark but do you have black flies there? Most of the streams in the lower 48 are too dirty to support black flies. Any way the black fly can carry a disease that is fatal for ducks. since it is rarely seem in the lower 48 not much study has been done and no cure developed. I read about this in an old magazine that isn't printed anymore called Ducks & Geese, they did a series on 2 familys that tried to move to Alaska with their flocks of ducks and geese in the early 60's According to the story you will know if you have black flies because they bite ever worse than your state bird the mosquito. I am sorry this is no real help but it might be an explantion for the unexplained deaths. If I remember correctly geese might become ill but usually recover on their own. I hope this was of some help. If I find anything more I will post it but you might want to ask your vet about diseases vectored by the black fly if you have them. ( protozoan parasites, leucocytozoonosis to turkeys and wild birds)
 
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That is scary? By black flies do you mean gnats or no-see-ums. I live in Alaska and we have quite a few of those.... I hope they don't interfere with me raising ducks.... : ( Do you have a copy of the article or remember where you saw it.....

Where do you live goosedragon??? Our weather is a bit cooler than yours I believe.

Tia
 
It is important for any diagnosis to provide the symptoms leading up to the death. If it was sudden and you did not see the death then what position was the body in? Was it stretched out and stiff, was it just clumped and limp, was the head stretched toward the front or back, etc.? Otherwise it is just a crap-shoot guess what it could be.

Example: Duck Virus hepatitis
Duck virus hepatitis is a highly fatal contagious disease of young ducklings, 1-28 days of age. Ducklings are most susceptible at the younger ages and gradually become more resistant as they grow older. The disease is rarely seen in ducklings over 4 weeks of age. The onset of the disease is very rapid, it spreads quickly through the flock and may cause up to 90% mortality. Sick ducklings develop spasmodic contractions of their legs and die within an hour in a typical "arched-backward" position. The liver is enlarged and shows hemorrhagic spots. To prevent this disease, keep age groups isolated and vaccinate breeder ducks with an attenuated live virus duck hepatitis vaccine (to produce maternally immune ducklings).
 
It is important for any diagnosis to provide the symptoms leading up to the death.  If it was sudden and you did not see the death then what position was the body in? Was it stretched out and stiff, was it just clumped and limp, was the head stretched toward the front or back, etc.?  Otherwise it is just a crap-shoot guess what it could be.

Example: Duck Virus hepatitis

Duck virus hepatitis is a highly fatal contagious disease of young ducklings, 1-28 days of age. Ducklings are most susceptible at the younger ages and gradually become more resistant as they grow older. The disease is rarely seen in ducklings over 4 weeks of age. The onset of the disease is very rapid, it spreads quickly through the flock and may cause up to 90% mortality. Sick ducklings develop spasmodic contractions of their legs and die within an hour in a typical "arched-backward" position. The liver is enlarged and shows hemorrhagic spots. To prevent this disease, keep age groups isolated and vaccinate breeder ducks with an attenuated live virus duck hepatitis vaccine (to produce maternally immune ducklings).
J
 
Just had one of my Pekin ducks die. Was fine yesterday this morning was in coop stretch all the way out, feet all the way back, head straight forward. My other Pekin was laying on top protecting. My poir duck had already survived 2 attacks on of cats that killed one duck and five chickens all young, and then another attack from dogs. The one Pekin who was laying on top survived the last dog attack which we thought we were gonna loose her. But the one duck that died last night was her protector. Any idea, plenty of water, food!
 
Just had one of my Pekin ducks die. Was fine yesterday this morning was in coop stretch all the way out, feet all the way back, head straight forward. My other Pekin was laying on top protecting. My poir duck had already survived 2 attacks on of cats that killed one duck and five chickens all young, and then another attack from dogs. The one Pekin who was laying on top survived the last dog attack which we thought we were gonna loose her. But the one duck that died last night was her protector. Any idea, plenty of water, food!


Welcome to BCY and so sorry for you loss.

Would be best to have a necropsy done. Contact your state vet.

-kathy
 

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