dewormers

[rAZinBaBEEZ]

Hello everyone.

I have a question that I am hoping that someone can answer.

Do I need to deworm my ducks? I have 3 mallard ducks that are 8 months old, and 1 of the females always acts like she is starving. She is constantly looking for food in the dirt. I have the pellet / cracked corn that she has access to 24/7.

Yesterday, I witnessed her thowing up. When I looked at what she had thown up, it was mostly cracked corn and grit from the dirt. If this is not a sign that she might need dewormed, could she le lacking something in her diet, to make her constantly want to eat? Is it normal for ducks to thow-up? I read that if you hold your duck too hard, or if they are scared, they can throw up, but this was not the case. This is the 2nd time that I have seen her actually throw-up, she gets this strange lokk on her face, then it just shoots out of her mouth.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Ducks do not need routine deworming.
What you describe is not normal, although I have no idea if this means she has worms.
I would recommend putting a post about this in the injuries and illness forum.
Please keep us updated about your hens condition.

 

[houndit]

We have never wormed a duck. They are so hardy I can hardly imagine them getting worms, but I suppose that they could. I have a drake who often picks up shell corn so fast that it gets stuck and he coughs it all out. Your situation does sound a little unusual.

 

[rainplace]

I've saved a few articles on ducks and worms:

This one was written by Chris Ashton:
http://www.smallholder.co.uk/poultry/976875.worms_in_waterfowl_and_poultry/

Here's another:
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page12.htm

I spoke with Dave Holderread about worming and he mostly worms at sell time. I think I will do a yearly worming (after molt) as well as a worming when letting ducks go. I was reluctant to enter this thread because I haven't done it yet. But my understanding is that you use IVOMEC

(ivermectin) 1% Injection for Cattle and Swine. When he wormed the last ducks I got from him, he used two sets of hands. One to hold the duck with it's mouth open, and the other to squirt a few drops of the ivermectin into the ducks mouth.

Use at your own risk. Again, I haven't done this yet.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Now you got me thinking, I have a new drake who is coughing. I put the hen I bought him with with the other ducks because I didn't want her to get sick too. Now I think maybe I should find some Ivermectin for all of them. Good thing no one is laying right now.
Would DE clean out the soil??

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Can you just buy Ivermectin off the shelf?

 

[rainplace]

Yes you can. I would call the feed store and ask them first.

 

[Dances with Ducks]

Thanks Rainplace!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I was told to worm ducks in the fall. I use regular horse ivermectin paste, 1.87%. Just use a bb sized amount and open their mouth and put it on their tounge.