Daphne lost her voice!

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

I was hoping it was temporary, but something must have happened at the Vet’s office last week, as Daphne is now unable to quack. She makes somewhat high-pitched ”cooing” noises that make her sound like a cross between a dove and an owl. She makes this sound a lot, it’s her new conversational tone. It’s definitely a conscious sound (not abnormal breathing sounds). Anyways, I haven’t told her Vet yet as I don’t want to sound like I’m accusing them of anything. However, she went in with a quack, and came out with a coo! She doesn’t have any trouble swallowing (although maybe she did that first night), and has no visible swelling in her throat or face. There’s no discharge from her nares or eyes. Her appetite is good. She’s still struggling with her reproductive issues, but that’s nothing new. I just don’t know if maybe someone was rough with restraint around her neck? Should I be concerned?

Note - Her new voice is now somewhat similar to the voices of her ‘Scovy sisters. I wonder if they approve?

 

[Isaac 0]

I would bring it up to your vet next time you talk.

However, I will say I've had that happen to several of my hens before, where there was significant voice loss for a week or two, only making a few "raspy" peeps occasionally.

As long as she isn't showing any respiratory difficulty, or isn't shaking her head rapidly in an attempt to dislodge anything in her throat, I'd personally leave her be for now. It should resolve itself. You can gently feel along her neck for anything stuck, If you'd like.

 

[KaleIAm]

Awww, poor Daphne. I would ask your vet about it, I'm sure you can tell them in a not accusatory way. Maybe it will help them diagnostically, or they will be able to explain it to you and you will have one less thing to worry about.

I had a duck who lost her quack, but it was due to a respiratory infection. It sounds different from what you describe. She was shaking her head and made involuntary high pitched noises. Here is a video of her making the noise and swallowing a lot:

I hope Daphne feels better and gets her quack back soon!

 

[Texag87]

We have a duckling hatched in April or May that has been doing the same thing for weeks now. She gets her quack back sometimes but more often than not it’s a hiccup sound. She is healthy otherwise. I have a theory that her windpipe( or whatever you call the duck equivalent) is getting bruised in the pool. She head bobs a lot when the pool water is changed . At least two ducks and her half brother sibling get on her in the pool. Sometimes it’s duck Duck drake for a pile of three with her on the bottom. my Theory is that she gets her neck crushed when she has all that weight on her and is leaning her neck on the side of the Kiddie pool. Anyone else have ideas on her quacks coming and going ?

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

We have a duckling hatched in April or May that has been doing the same thing for weeks now. She gets her quack back sometimes but more often than not it’s a hiccup sound. She is healthy otherwise. I have a theory that her windpipe( or whatever you call the duck equivalent) is getting bruised in the pool. She head bobs a lot when the pool water is changed . At least two ducks and her half brother sibling get on her in the pool. Sometimes it’s duck Duck drake for a pile of three with her on the bottom. my Theory is that she gets her neck crushed when she has all that weight on her and is leaning her neck on the side of the Kiddie pool. Anyone else have ideas on her quacks coming and going ?

Your explanation sounds very logical! Their voice-box must be pretty sensitive. Is there a way to keep your little lady safe from the others?

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Thank you all for your responses! I haven’t been able to contact her Vet yet, but I will do so when I am able. For now, I guess I just have an owl duck! My husband said that he’s not sure if he should be glad that she’s not making her usual ear-splitting QUACKS or disturbed that she sounds like a kazoo.

 

[Texag87]

Your explanation sounds very logical! Their voice-box must be pretty sensitive. Is there a way to keep your little lady safe from the others?

I am hoping winter ( what we get of one here) calms things down. The only other place I can put her is with her parents. Problem with that is her dad wants to kill his children. I have a plastic fence keeping the two flocks from touching through the wire fence. After 3 or 4 months of see no touch, you would think it would calm down but the drake is stubborn.

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Aaaaand it’s back! A few coughs to clear her throat this morning, and she sang the operatic song of the Rouen hen all day! I’m pretty sure that she made up for lost time... One of her sisters was temporarily hidden behind a bush? Time for the ear-splitting alarm QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! Muscovies ignoring her? They got the almighty scolding quack of annoyance. Dinner not prepared fast enough? She definitely let me know! She hasn’t laid a single egg since the monstrosity at the vet, but she’s otherwise back in business!

 

[Isaac 0]

Thanks for the update. Glad to hear everything is back to normal.