Advice needed for rescued a bonded ducks.

[Jlw0903]

As of yesterday I have obtained a drake and a hen that were abandoned. They hen seems to be a bit underweight and I noticed some sneezing but other wise seems okay . She does seem to be growing her flight feathers back so I'm guessing she just finished molting which may explain the weight.

The drake is in more rough shape. He has a bump or scab on his that that might be from a new or old injury, has a few cuts on hill bill (one is a bit pussy) has some pretty nasty bumblefoot on one of his feet at least and definitely has something respiratory going on. He has a wet sounding cough and when he sneezed some white foam was in his nostrils.

I'm planning on calling the vet tomorrow but I could use advice on best ways to care for these guys and any quarantine precautions you have/ suggest.

Currently They are in my garage at night and during the day in a sectioned off portion at the far end of the dog yard - my ducks pen Is outside the yard on the opposite end and so far enough away that the ducks will not come in contact with each other. Below is a link for a video of them, towards the end you can hear the drake sneeze/cough and I tried to get a close up of his bill. He's a big boy and not too tolerant of being held so it's almost impossible for me to give him a really good look over

 

[Debbie292d]

Both sound like they could use a vitamin boost. I'd put some Nutri Drench in their water every other day for a week or two which should help with both the molting and the drake fighting a possible respiratory infection.

Can you try catch him at night and try rinse his beak off with saline solution to see how bad that pussy injury is? I'd put some triple antibiotic (without painkiller) on that each night.

He may need antibiotics for the respiratory issue, but helping him out with vitamin support would be useful regardless. I assume your vet will prescribe something for him.

It's good you're quarantining them. I would keep them separate for at least a couple of weeks from your other ones until these two are back in tip-top shape. That protects them as well from being susceptible to something the other ones are around but are immune to.

That's great you adopted them and are trying to get them healthy again! I hope they both get well fast!

 

[Jlw0903]

Both sound like they could use a vitamin boost. I'd put some Nutri Drench in their water every other day for a week or two which should help with both the molting and the drake fighting a possible respiratory infection.

Can you try catch him at night and try rinse his beak off with saline solution to see how bad that pussy injury is? I'd put some triple antibiotic (without painkiller) on that each night.

He may need antibiotics for the respiratory issue, but helping him out with vitamin support would be useful regardless. I assume your vet will prescribe something for him.

It's good you're quarantining them. I would keep them separate for at least a couple of weeks from your other ones until these two are back in tip-top shape. That protects them as well from being susceptible to something the other ones are around but are immune to.

That's great you adopted them and are trying to get them healthy again! I hope they both get well fast!

I do have nutridrench in their water and I have probiotics supplements that go into my ducks regular food anyways that I sprinkled on their food. I do a saline flush for sure and I should have some antibiotic salve that I should be able to put on it at well.

I just hope that whatever he has isn't deadly or super contagious... If anything happened to my ducks because I took in a few strays i don't think I'd be able to handle it.

 

[ruthhope]

Thank you for taking these abandoned ducks in.

I keep rescued ducks from unknown or poor circumstances quarantined for 28 days. I only cut it to 14 days for healthy ducks being rehomed from known good care.

That boy may not like being handled but he has to be held -- wrap him in a towel -- so you can wash his wounded bill and bumblefoot twice a day initially. I use home made saline solution for washing wounds: 1 tablespoon salt in 1 cup of boiled and cooled water.

Be sure to wash your hands well after handling the new ducks. If you can wear a plastic apron and then discard it after handling the sick boy, that would be excellent.

Let us know what the vet says about the respiratory symptoms.

 

[Canadian Wind]

They seem nice and alert at least. Poor dears! Thank you for taking them in! Nothing I can add to the excellent advice you've gotten so far.

Please keep us updated on their progress!

 

[Jlw0903]

Also noticed the drake likely has some serious bumblefoot. I have stuff to treat it though I'm really not going to worry to much about it at the moment. Hoping to get his respiratory stuff taken care of first and him more comfortable with me before I start messing with his feet and stuff unless who ever is willing to be their forever home will be able to treat it.