Antibotics or other solution?????

[croddey19]

Hey y'all I'm new to the BYC site and new to being a duck momma!

I was wondering, I have a pack of 4 Pekin ducklings but one duck ( they are about 5 weeks old now ) seems to be "coughing" - now he/she seems to be the one trying to quack more than the others. I wasn't sure if I should maybe get some antibotics from my local TS and treat him/her or if it would hurt him/her if she didn't need it? Any other suggestions before I have to make a long ( closetest vet that handles ducks is an hour and a half away) and expensive trip to the vet ( minimum $160 for first hour - that's not including any labs ).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey y'all I'm new to the BYC site and new to being a duck momma!

I was wondering, I have a pack of 4 Pekin ducklings but one duck ( they are about 5 weeks old now ) seems to be "coughing" - now he/she seems to be the one trying to quack more than the others. I wasn't sure if I should maybe get some antibotics from my local TS and treat him/her or if it would hurt him/her if she didn't need it? Any other suggestions before I have to make a long ( closetest vet that handles ducks is an hour and a half away) and expensive trip to the vet ( minimum $160 for first hour - that's not including any labs ).

Welcome to BYC

Can you tell us a little about your set up[brooder] what your using for bedding what your feeding do they have a bowl or bucket deep enough to wash their entire head in? what are the temps in your brooder and is the bedding wet? all of these can contribute to coughing getting dust in the throat dry food and not having access to water while eating wet bedding can cause mold and that can cause respiratory issues. Before doing antibiotics how about trying some ACV for a couple of days 1-2 tab to 1 gallon of drinking water. if you can get Braggs or another with the mother in it that would be best. Is there any other symptoms?

 

[croddey19]

Thank you for responding! Currently we have them set up in a kiddie pool in our extra bedroom. Our house stays at 70 but I have the heat lamp on for them on one side so they can get warmer if the want. Currently we have pine shaving in the bottom for them. It does get wet from time to time from them playing in the water but I do clean their pin out every night. They love their swim time at night

. We are feeding them the Dumor chick starter / grower. I've started mixing in a little bit of grit in with the food because I've been giving them a bit of milworms and lettuce at night. I've been putting the save-a-chick in their water. We've been using the plastic gallon water feeder. My husband is making one that they can make a hole in a big container so they can dunk their heads.

 

[LoveThemBirds]

Antibiotics,KILLS ducklings,therefore,use probiotics.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for responding! Currently we have them set up in a kiddie pool in our extra bedroom. Our house stays at 70 but I have the heat lamp on for them on one side so they can get warmer if the want. Currently we have pine shaving in the bottom for them. It does get wet from time to time from them playing in the water but I do clean their pin out every night. They love their swim time at night

. We are feeding them the Dumor chick starter / grower. I've started mixing in a little bit of grit in with the food because I've been giving them a bit of milworms and lettuce at night. I've been putting the save-a-chick in their water. We've been using the plastic gallon water feeder. My husband is making one that they can make a hole in a big container so they can dunk their heads.

Sounds like a good set up, putting grit into a separate container would be better then they aren't filling up on grit but can use it as needed. It's very important they can dunk their heads as often as they want and especially when eating yep it's going to be messy but you can use a pan of some kind under the container your dh is making to help control the water. some even use an old broiler pan. A small cat of dog carrier [bottom half] filled with old towels placed inside the brooder with the water container in it so they have to walk into it to get a drink and keep the water there then you can change out the towels as needed. Let us know how the ACV works and trying to quack more sounds like you may have a girl.

if it's loud quacking

 

[croddey19]

Yay! Now I feel better because I've felt like I don't know what I've been doing. They are such cute little things! I have some more questions if you don't mind. The same duckling seems to me to be a bit bow legged. ( my husband says I'm looking too much into everything but again, I'm new to this and we almost lost one when we started out because he/she was a runt and the others wouldn't let him/her eat drink. I'm thrilled to say we've now nursed him/her back to complete health and he/she runs them around now ) he/she seems to be putting on feathers faster than all the others. Is that okay?

 

[Kaessa]

Yay! Now I feel better because I've felt like I don't know what I've been doing. They are such cute little things! I have some more questions if you don't mind. The same duckling seems to me to be a bit bow legged.

Are you giving them a niacin supplement?

 

[croddey19]

I went to my local TS to get some yesterday but when I looked on the bag of food that they have been eating it has the niacin in it. I've read that if you give too much it could hurt them so I didn't get any.

Are you giving them a niacin supplement? 

 

[Miss Lydia]

I went to my local TS to get some yesterday but when I looked on the bag of food that they have been eating it has the niacin in it. I've read that if you give too much it could hurt them so I didn't get any.

Just get Brewers yeast it's B's in a more natural state and safe, so sprinkle on about 1-2Tab to every cup of feed and see if you noticed any difference in the legs after about a week. Nutritional yeast can be used to.

 

[croddey19]

Okay, I will get some today. Yay! Now I feel better because I've felt like I don't know what I've been doing. They are such cute little things! I have some more questions if you don't mind. The same duckling seems to me to be a bit bow legged. ( my husband says I'm looking too much into everything but again, I'm new to this and we almost lost one when we started out because he/she was a runt and the others wouldn't let him/her eat drink. I'm thrilled to say we've now nursed him/her back to complete health and he/she runs them around now ) he/she seems to be putting on feathers faster than all the others. Is that okay? Also I have one that has one shakey leg when it stands up. Any cause or natural fix for that? Or is it normal?

Just get Brewers yeast it's B's in a more natural state and safe, so sprinkle on about 1-2Tab to every cup of feed and see if you noticed any difference in the legs after about a week. Nutritional yeast can be used to.