Almost lost a duck last night

[hearthnsoul]

We almost lost one of our ducks last night. My husband and youngest son were feeding the ducks, when one of the baby ducks apparently started having alot of mucus come out of it's mouth/nose then it started to stagger and fall. By the time I got there my husband was trying to hold the duck and give it water through the straw. I took the duck from him and held it while he managed to give the ducks water. It suddenly came back and I put it back down and it started to drink water itself.
My husband said he thought it had too much food and couldn't get to the water, because the rest were in front of him, in time to wash it down. Well great in theory but then I noticed a few more ducks had these mucus/bubbles coming from their mouths as well. I also noticed they seemed to be eating some of the pine shavings that the feed and grain insisted belonged on the bottom of the brooder. I cleaned them all up and covered the shavings with a rubber shelf liner and newspaper, not ideal but I had no alternative. I am going back to the feed and grain today and ask for some hay and see how that works out. I really can't be certain why it happened at this point, but I am very nervous now.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I'm glad your little guys are ok.

This is weird, because I had the same problem yesterday. One of my ducklings seems to have eaten a pine shaving . . . (I thought it was weird that the pine shavings were smaller than I am accustomed to, when I opened the plastic "bale.") Well, my duckling was trying to swallow the thing, but couldn't. I know big ducks will drink water to dislodge things from their throats, but when I tried to get him to drink some water, he started having the same foaming at the bill problem, so I knew it was the wrong thing to do. I wiped his bill off to get rid of the foam so it wouldn't cause more problems.

I know for big ducks, if they choke you need to stick something down their throat to clear it. I read the section in my book about it and had to think what would be soft and just the right size to stick down the little guy's throat. I was all upset and happened to walk outside to calm down and see some grass trying to send up "flowerheads." I plucked one off and used the stiff, yet pliant, grass stem. My book said to hold the head out, so that the neck is in a straight line and then poke the instrument down the neck. So, I took a deep breath and did it. Well, it worked! Instead of chocking, the little guy's whole body started to convulse, because the shaving had been moved further down the neck. But he only convulsed a few times and that did it. PHEW!!!!

I hope no one ever has to try this, but if you need to, take it from me -- it works!

 

[hearthnsoul]

Quote:
Oh My gosh your so brave!!! Yay for you,..how amazing... I don't know if I could have done it. I find myself watching them in a paranoid sense. I have not been back to work since I brought them home,..tommorow is the first day I can't manage to stay home all day with them. So needless to say I will be useless at work with my mind back home.
They eat every darn things,..I tried wood shavings,..they eat them,..paper towels,..they eat them,..newspaper yep you got it they eat them. I was thinking about sand but then I read stories on here and I think I will wait that idea out til they are outside.
Just the same I have been feeling more confident that they aren't going to croak on me, getting a bit more secure as they are getting bigger and bigger the worst may be behind has entered my mind. Well I guess never get too comfy because tonight my oldest son said we have a problem, and he brought me 5 more really small ducks. He said his friend tried it and couldn't manage so they figured I wouldn't mind,...Yikes huh...I have to be honest,..it's overwhelming,...but how do you just say no,...I don't remember my babes being so small,..my husband says they were, but of course these are mallards so they would be smaller I would imagine,..but now I am thinking how am I ever going to leave home this month??!!! On the upside,..they are mallards,..so most likely will fly off during the winter,..so during the winter I have a good shot at having a smaller bunch.

 

[Lilyflufflebutt]

one of my ducklings just had this problem...im scared for his life...