Asking for your thoughts

[Maryam.]

Hi,
I haven’t posted in a while, I was so busy with the exams and deadlines.
I’ve been recently concerned about Cookie and Daisy. I figured Cookie is losing weight while she’s eating normal and thankfully she’s not laying any egg( just those abnorml eggs rarely), her wings’ feather doesn’t look so good and she’s kinda molting I guess for a 3rd or 4th time since spring! On the other hand, Daisy looks depressed, Her nostrils are blocked most of the day but her weight is fine! Her weight was so important for me Especially after the surgery she had a few months ago. She doesn’t lay eggs since then which I have no complains.
But a few days ago I found something odd, the feathers around her vent was messy when I had a colser look it was dried with poop! Which is odd, I’ve never seen an adult duck or hen like this. I mean they always clean that area. I washed it in an epsom salt bath. I figured her poop is diarrhetic and white-ish and then I checked cookie’s poop and she had diarrhoea and her poop is too smelly.
First I had a guess that its bacterial infection so I added doxy to their water for three days mixed with AD3E(I wasn’t sure if it is infection). And today I added levamisole to their water in case it’s worms. Are the worms visible in their poops? Cause I’ve never seen worms in their poops but I use dewormer for them every 6months anyway.
I would like to ask about your thoughts

 

[Isaac 0]

How often do they get to bathe in water?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since duck butts lay on the ground when they are laying around poop can build up and if they aren’t bathing much especially the back end area it can dry and stick. Bathing and preening and good feed will be the best for feather quality. You shouldn’t be seeing molting so often though unless it’s just a few feathers off an on. That’s normal

 

[Miss Lydia]

@casportpony is poop specialist lets see what she thinks. Could be meds too be sure to list all they are on.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Only a pretty heavy worm load would show up in their poop. Tell us again what you are feeding them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If they drink the Epsom salt it can make them have runny poop since it’s also a laxative. If you gently put them in the pool will they then bathe or do they freak out?

 

[Isaac 0]

They have a little pool with fresh water available all the time(everyday), they do the preening and duck their head in it but they never actually jump in the pool! They had the fear of water since they were ducklings.
I put them in the epsom salt tub a few times a week anyway.

I think that's the problem, Ducks need to bathe full body in water frequently or they are going to end up with problems like you have listed.

 

[Isaac 0]

Oh, I’ve been relieved. I thought I am making the wrong call giving them levamisole.
Pretty much everything, veggies, wheat,oats, powdered corn, chickens pellets, boiled eggs sometimes, rice/pasta once in a while, mealworms ..

Chicken feed or duck feed should make up most of there diet. Treats should only be given on occasion. Could you post a picture of them so we know how bad they look?It sounds like they are more than likely suffering from wet feather.

 

[Maryam.]

I think that's the problem, Ducks need to bathe full body in water frequently or they are going to end up with problems like you have listed.

Chicken feed or duck feed should make up most of there diet. Treats should only be given on occasion. Could you post a picture of them so we know how bad they look?It sounds like they are more than likely suffering from wet feather.

Before I adopted them ,they underwent a trauma with water when they were ducklings. I purchased different pools and tried so many ways in the past two years , and still no progress. I bathe them gently every other days in the tub.
They have access to chicken food 24/7

 

[Maryam.]

Sorry, you are having so many problems with them!


You have the best judgement with them so if you don't think they would react well in a pool don't put them in. I realize you bathe them every week but they obviously have some health problems related to lack of water/preening/diet. I would focus on ways to (slowly) incorporate regular preening and bathing habits into there life.

Is that one of you're ducks swimming in the pool(Avatar picture)

Thank you, I will surely try new approachs to make them love swimming.
Yes, that was a one time thing. We went on a picnic, there was a big pool I put them in the water and they didn’t panic for once!