aylesbury ducklings neck has gone solid overnight, please help i'm freaking out!

[siobhan89]

Pato 5/6 weeks old and when i got him/her out this morning their neck is really hard from the top of the neck all the way down to and including the breastbone. Pato isn't distressed and seems normal, the only reason i noticed was when i stroked him/her.
Someone please tell me this is normal

 

[Miss Lydia]

Pato 5/6 weeks old and when i got him/her out this morning their neck is really hard from the top of the neck all the way down to and including the breastbone. Pato isn't distressed and seems normal, the only reason i noticed was when i stroked him/her.
Someone please tell me this is normal

How is Pato doing now? can you post a pic?

 

[siobhan89]

Hiya, thanks for replying. I took him to work with me and at around 11 (4hours ago- i'm in the uk) i went to stroke him and it had just disappeared

I don't know how to describe it apart from it felt like his neck had become a bodybuilders and was really solid muscley, almost like he's swallowed a hard wide tube which he couldn't even physically do if he wanted, surely?
My only other thought (and this is really fetched i'm sure) is that they might "store their food like hamsters and digest it slowly? he had just had breakfast before i noticed. Last night was also the first night he spent in his outside bed with hay so maybe an allergy?
Like i said he wasn't upset or distressed at all it was so weird

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hiya, thanks for replying. I took him to work with me and at around 11 (4hours ago- i'm in the uk) i went to stroke him and it had just disappeared

I don't know how to describe it apart from it felt like his neck had become a bodybuilders and was really solid muscley, almost like he's swallowed a hard wide tube which he couldn't even physically do if he wanted, surely?
My only other thought (and this is really fetched i'm sure) is that they might "store their food like hamsters and digest it slowly? he had just had breakfast before i noticed. Last night was also the first night he spent in his outside bed with hay so maybe an allergy?
Like i said he wasn't upset or distressed at all it was so weird

They do store food like chickens the have a crop and thats where the food goes while they are "'chewing it up'"do you give them grit? they need grit to be able to grind what they eat. I'm glad he is okay and I'm sure it scared you it would have me. If he wasn't acting like he was choking or having other problems then most likely you just felt him crop full of feed. Your a good duck mommie.

heres a link to their anatomy look at the crop is this where you felt the hardness? http://www.infovisual.info/02/055_en.html

 

[siobhan89]

No i didn't

i do have grit i just thought maybe he was too young still as he's on chick crumb, i'll give it starting tomorrow.

Aw thank you, i'm a dopey duck mum

yes it was that, the whole crop had obviously expanded all the way up to his neck and that's why it felt like a wide tube in his throat- it all makes sense now! i must be giving him too much for for it to have been as hard as it was so i'll cut back on that, it's just so hard to know how much they need.
I'm going to save that picture it's really helpful. thanks for the link x

 

[Miss Lydia]

No i didn't

i do have grit i just thought maybe he was too young still as he's on chick crumb, i'll give it starting tomorrow.

Aw thank you, i'm a dopey duck mum

yes it was that, the whole crop had obviously expanded all the way up to his neck and that's why it felt like a wide tube in his throat- it all makes sense now! i must be giving him too much for for it to have been as hard as it was so i'll cut back on that, it's just so hard to know how much they need.
I'm going to save that picture it's really helpful. thanks for the link x

If they are eating chick crumb only and no other food then they don't need grit yet, it's when other food is introduced that grit needs to be added, and if they are able to get outside on ground they maybe getting enough grit out of the ground. I usually don't keep grit out in the warm months but when winter gets here and snow is on the ground i do put out grit. Duckling need feed 24/7 when very young with fresh water at all times, But 5-6 weeks can go without them at night. Never give feed without water though. and you are not a dopey mom.

 

[Amiga]

Relieved that things settled down. I want to reiterate that ducklings must have water with their feed. You may already have that covered, but in case you were withholding water due to the mess, that is not the thing to do. You can change the arrangement of their waterer, but they must, must have food and water 24/7 till they are several weeks old. I waited till mine were ten weeks to withhold food and water overnight, then only for 8 hours.

 

[siobhan89]

Relieved that things settled down. I want to reiterate that ducklings must have water with their feed. You may already have that covered, but in case you were withholding water due to the mess, that is not the thing to do. You can change the arrangement of their waterer, but they must, must have food and water 24/7 till they are several weeks old. I waited till mine were ten weeks to withhold food and water overnight, then only for 8 hours.

Yes always give water, had to laugh at the mess comment because they are messy buggers aren't they

doesn't bother me though, it would be like getting a dog then moaning when they moult

 

[Amiga]

Yes always give water, had to laugh at the mess comment because they are messy buggers aren't they

doesn't bother me though, it would be like getting a dog then moaning when they moult

right'o