Are my ducks going to be okay?

[AlleyKat213]

My ducklings have been sneezing (no discharge), and Huey (our biggest duck) has been whistling when he breathes... Their behaviors haven't changed... They still cheep and drink and eat... I'm just worried cause I'd hate to lose one of them... Especially now that Huey is gaining his white feathers... They also dont look like their baby feathers are withered and they're not lethargic...

 

[Kiki]

Can you take a video of them and upload it to YouTube?

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I have had a lot of occasions of ducks sneezing and making respiratory noises.
I have yet to have a respiratory problem.
If there's no discharge, I would just continue to monitor and not worry too much.

 

[Quatie]

Depending on what food they are eating, like crumble food, they sometimes inhale it and sneeze. I usually see that more in adult ducks. They also sometimes sneeze to try and clean out their nares. If you think it is trying to clean it's nares, you can give them a bath. Despite having deep water in the brooder, I usually find ducklings clean their nares better when swimming. They sound overall healthy if they are eating, drinking, and acting normally.

 

[AlleyKat213]

Thank you! Might run to walmart and grab a baby bather to try to give them a bath to see if that helps... It does look their nares might be a little clogged... But no discharge when they sneeze, and they're more active at night....

 

[AlleyKat213]

Also, does this poop look normal? I've been noticing this kind of poop for the past two or three days and it's been kinda scaring me...

 

[AlleyKat213]

Also, think they may be molting too... I've started noticing white feathers, but looks like they're starting to lose feathers... does this look normal too? sorry, I never owned ducks so dont know their behavior too good...

 

[Quatie]

If you give them a bath, make sure it is warm water. You can also do it in a bath tub if you want. All my ducklings love to splash lots of water everywhere.

That is completely normal for their feathers when they grow in. Some ducks are better at removing their baby feathers than others.

Their droppings I am not sure about. It looks like their is hay or straw bits in their droppings. If you are not providing chick grit, I would give them some to help break it down. You just put it in a bowl on the side and they take what they need. If that is not what is going on, the grit won't hurt.

 

[AlleyKat213]

Could that be why their poop is coming out like that? They do like to eat their shavings, even with their food bowl in there with them... and they've been having really watery poop... I can see about getting chick grit at TSC...

 

[Quatie]

Could that be why their poop is coming out like that? They do like to eat their shavings, even with their food bowl in there with them... and they've been having really watery poop... I can see about getting chick grit at TSC...

Watery poop is completely normal. Some ducks drink lots more water and will have more watery poop. I found them to be far more watery with pekin. Other ducks will have more solid poops like the dropping in the picture. They will also can produce droppings of mostly liquid that is their equivalent of pee. If it is the solidity that worries you, that is pretty normal. You will see a range is droppings. When my ducks eat olives that fall off the tree, their poop is black. So the color can also change depending on what they eat.

The straw and hay bedding has seeds in it that they like to eat. They natural eat grass so that is normal. I find ducks like to eat it when you put fresh beddinng down and noodle through it.