2 Year Old Runner Duck Very Thin & Sick - UPDATE

[Knucker Hatch Farms]

Hi Duck Friends,

I am looking for some advice on my poor Runner girl. She's been really good at hiding her weight loss, and it wasn't until two days ago we realized something was really wrong. We noticed that she wasn't keeping up with her free ranging duck posse and would rather stand or lay off to the side. She no longer turned in for the night back to the coop, and we are having to locate her to bring her back in. She is just a ghost of herself. Not eating, and drinking just a little. Her breathing looks good. Poop is infrequent and stringy white. She's slightly wobbly, but I imagine that is simply from weakness. I have a feeling if we don't do something in the next couple days we'll lose her.

Question: Should I hit her at all angles with Epsom salts in water for suspected botulism (the heat has been ridiculous, and torrential rains have left standing water on the farm) and also give her a round of antibiotics on the side? It is also possible that a bag of feed might be to blame, but I can't be sure. We are going on day three and she is still standing. No coma yet. What antibiotic should I attempt to use if I should try at all? Anything else I should try to get down her?

A month ago we lost a Swedish duck. I found her with her neck pulled back dead and floating on their pond. I have NO idea what caused this as she was just fine hours before. Autopsy didn't reveal anything out of sorts.

These are our first issues with our ducks and I am struggling to figure out what in the wide world of duck sports is going on. Thoughts?

Thanks so much,

Mama Knucker Hatch

 

[duckmamma]

Hi,
Yes, it sounds like you need to act quickly or you could lose her.
I haven't used Epsom salts for suspected botulism (although it doesn't sound like botulism because you didn't mention any paralyses), but I have used bentonite solution anytime I've suspected a type of bacterial poisoning or toxin, and it seemed to be effective (although like you, I was never sure what the problem was). Epsom salts may be a little harsh if your bird has an irritated system. If it's already absorbed a poison thru the intestine, then bentonite would be better and also soothing to the system.
If you want to try to treat her with something that would cover most types of infections (bacterial/viral/fungal) without causing any side effects, I've used a nanosilver solution such as Sovereign Silver successfully. Sold at better health food stores such as Vitamin Shoppe. Costs about $40 for a 16-oz. bottle. Since she's so sick, I'd give it to her straight on an empty stomach, in between meals (if she's still eating), a tablespoonful every 6 hours. You can dilute it with distilled water but I'd try to have her drink it straight first to get it into her system. Will need to continue the treatment for a month at least, but you should see improvement in a few days to a week. You could also order a nanosilver solution called Patis 30 that's only available online, which contains more nanosilver particles than the Sovereign Silver.
If you want to try both bentonite solution and the nanosilver solution, do one product for half a day, then the other, but don't use both at once, since the bentonite will bind the silver particles and render them useless.

 

[Knucker Hatch Farms]

Our Runner Black Beauty didn't make it through the night. I did an autopsy on her and found no foreign object blockages. However, towards the end of her tract things started to look off. She had what almost looked like a large paper wad in her reproductive tract. Upon further inspection and opening up the "wad" it looked like an egg shell that hadn't hardened and was the inside membrane. Also what appeared to be hardened yellow hard boiled yolk like substance. Does that sound like she was egg bound? It was almost as it it was petrified.

My trusty duck book is AOWL and there aren't a whole lot of "duck autopsies" out on the web.

No other eggs were present in the abdomen, and the lungs looked good. Further guesses anyone? I would be relieved actually if it was an egg bound issue and not a pathogen popping up on the farm.

Warm Regards,

Mama Knucker Hatch