Breathing heavy **UPDATE back from the vet**

Miss Ducky

Chirping
9 Years
Jun 29, 2010
156
1
99
Michigan
One of my girls is breathing really heavily-I can see her whole body move with each breath. I noticed it this afternoon when I got back from school. She's drinking, and went in earlier to eat. Is there anything I can do for her? Isn't there vitamins and such I could get to put in her water? I'm really worried about her. I lost one of my babies to a raccoon earlier this summer and really don't want to lost another
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My BR hen was really sick when I got her and breathing heavy like that. At first I thought it was respiratory illness but couldn't hear any rattling or gurgling sounds. After 3 days of antibiotic injections she stopped doing it. I think it was a symptom of the pain she was in from a skin infection she had. Is she panting? Does she lay eggs yet? If so, has she gone a while without laying? Have you checked her for injuries?
 
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It is so tough to begin to figure out what is causing ducks to have trouble. They often don't show signs till they are really struggling.

That said, there are some things you can try. Vitamins is a good start. There are poultry vitamins (I like the ones that include probiotics and electrolytes) available at feed stores and online. I think it would be good to give her some. In the meantime, some probiotics can be given to her by adding a tablespoon of plain unsweetened yogurt to a cup of water. Some ducks don't like it, some do. Worth a try.

You can give her electrolytes by giving her some pedialyte. Check the topics here on BYC to see if it needs to be diluted. It's best not to overdo it.

One of my ducks, Sieben, is not the most robust runner in the flock. She hates the cold, she isn't too keen on heat, she lays big eggs but has had trouble getting enough calcium. When that was at its worst, she would plod, and labor, and breathe heavily. Poor girl.

I took her to the vet because I had recently lost Neun and just couldn't bear to lose another, not so soon.

Anyway. sometimes it can be a nutrient deficiency (not your fault - ducks seem to vary quite a bit with what they need nutrition wise), so vitamins can help.

It can also be an infection, which is scarier. Those require antibiotics. We have not had to give antibiotics yet, so I cannot tell you more than if you can have someone look at the duck and recommend antibiotics (or not), and if so which kind and at what dosage.

Many people make the call on their own and there are topics about how much to give and how, here on BYC.

Another thing people give their ducks as a tonic is apple cider vinegar. I add a few teaspoons per gallon of water.

If the duck is eggbound, you may be able to feel the egg (careful - don't want to break it - big problem, that) or see that she has an egg belly. If so, I am told that often a nice warm bath for at least half an hour can help relax her muscles so she can lay.

Those are my thoughts - I hope there is something helpful in there.
 
She isn't panting. She is laying eggs, though we have been an egg or two short for the last few days, though it is possible that we just aren't finding them. I haven't gone over her thoroughly for injuries yet, I don't like to handle them if it isn't completely necessary, it stresses them out too much, I think. I will do that tomorrow. I did notice a bare spot on each wing. Not completely bare, just the feathers look a thin in one area, and if I remember correctly, it was on both wings. I forgot to mention that in my original post.
 
Thanks you Amiga! I will definitely try one of those, probably starting with the yogurt, and I definitely check for eggbinding.
 
They didn't like the yogurt. She looks worse to me today, and is panting a little bit. The heat isn't helping. She looks like she could be having an egg-belly like she's egg-bound, but I can't really tell. I'm going to do some research on that, and then she if she'll let me catch her so I can check. I'll probably go out to buy vitamins for them after my mum gets home.
 
If you can get her to a vet that might be worth a try. But I understand it's not always feasible.

See if you can get her into a nice lukewarm tub for a while. Does she eat oyster shell or other calcium supplement?
 
We couldn't catch her tonight, we probably can get her when there'll all laying tomorrow morning. I'm pretty sure she's egg-bound. We haven't been giving her oyster shell before, but we got some and put it in her water today. (I've noticed her drinking a lot, but not eating very much) I don't think she's had any yet. (They can drink both out of the waterer and the pond) I'm going to lubricate her vent with olive oil and massage her belly a little bit, trying to move the eggs out. I'll then put her in a warm bath for a while. I'll set it up outside where she usually forages so she'll freak out less.
 

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