5 1/2 month old duck with cracking noises coming from inside her

[tatswell]

Initially I thought it was an egg breaking inside of her. She hadn't laid eggs yet- I started massaging her belly last week and an egg came out, partially hard. I've heard the crackling noises incrementally since then but have not seen another egg from her. I have 4 other ducks and have never heard this before. What do you suppose this is?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Initially I thought it was an egg breaking inside of her. She hadn't laid eggs yet- I started massaging her belly last week and an egg came out, partially hard. I've heard the crackling noises incrementally since then but have not seen another egg from her. I have 4 other ducks and have never heard this before. What do you suppose this is?

Gosh that's a new one, usually crackling noise means respiratory infection. How is she acting other wise and can you pick her up and listen to her chest and breathing? Soetimes when they begin to first lay they lay soft shell or no shell eggs though.

 

[tatswell]

The first time I heard it I was looking around, as if a squirrel was around eating a nut, or a tree limb cracking. It sounds like that- then I leaned in closer and it was coming from her! I couldn't believe it. I haven't heard it the last few days but I did a few days in a row last week, constantly. It was very loud, odd. I just cannot imagine it would be a respiratory infection- but I suppose it is possible. She has had a warm bill for a while now. She's had a bit of a difficult life. When I got her and her sister from McMurray, same age, a couple days old, her sister was pecking at her eyes in transit, so when she got here I had to treat them- so she can't see as well as the others. She seems a little more lethargic than the others but not a huge difference.

 

[tatswell]

There is an occasional wheezing/ whistling sound when she breathes- not constant. But no cracking.

 

[Miss Lydia]

There is an occasional wheezing/ whistling sound when she breathes- not constant. But no cracking.

I wonder if you are hearing her "chew" her food that would be like a in her chest area where they grind their food. You might try adding some ACV to their water it's like a tonic and also has some antibacterial proprieties It can't hurt. And just keep an eye on her some where down the road you may have to try an antibiotic if the wheezing got worse but that would be last resort. If you try the ACV get the kind with mother in it.

 

[tatswell]

I occasionally add acv (Bragg brand with the mother) to their water. Maybe it's chewing. Idk though it's pretty loud. A little freaky actually. I couldn't really find anything else online. I will put the acv in this week every other day and see how it goes.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I occasionally add acv (Bragg brand with the mother) to their water. Maybe it's chewing. Idk though it's pretty loud. A little freaky actually. I couldn't really find anything else online. I will put the acv in this week every other day and see how it goes.

Can't hurt. I even use it. Maybe you can do a video don't know how easy that would be getting close enough for the sound to come through?

 

[tatswell]

I've actually just found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746540/can-you-hear-a-gizzard-grinding

Sounds exactly like it! Thank you for the gizzard suggestion.
I'm going to do what she did with the acv.
I did capture a video, but let me go back and see if you can hear it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I've actually just found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/746540/can-you-hear-a-gizzard-grinding

Sounds exactly like it! Thank you for the gizzard suggestion.
I'm going to do what she did with the acv.
I did capture a video, but let me go back and see if you can hear it.