Do ducks get sore throats?

[jtn42248]

I have six ducks and in the past they have all quacked up a storm. They really seem to like to hear themselves chatter. One of the Blue Swedish ducks has, over the last couple of days, just been able to barely make a raspy peeping quack. Other than they she seems to be fine. Eats well, runs around with the rest of them, forages just fine. In fact, she is the fattest of the Blue Swedish that I have. Do ducks loose their voice or get quack-colds or something. Is there something I should be doing. The only thing that is not the same has been the weather. It has been dancing with 100+ the last few days.

 

[Amiga]

Yes they do get throat problems. They can range from mild to serious.

Try some apple cider vinegar in their water, a tablespoon per gallon for a few days. Make sure it's not a galvanized metal container, that could leach zinc with the acidic vinegar in there.

ACV is a general tonic and is said to have antibacterial qualities.

Some of the possibilities I can think of are

swallowed something extra large or sharp while foraging
bopped the front of her neck on a rock or something while playing hop on top
infection - fungal, bacterial, parasitic
virus
overuse - lots of long and loud quacking

 

[jtn42248]

Thanks, I will give that a try. It is possible that she got something while foraging, they go after anything shiny. I have picked over their field but may have missed something.

 

[jtn42248]

Update. It appears that she was a he. Both of my males are now quacking a quiet raspy quack and the females are doing the really loud quacking. Evidently this is normal from what I have read and is, in face, one way to tell the gender of ducks after a certain age.

 

[Going Quackers]

Update. It appears that she was a he. Both of my males are now quacking a quiet raspy quack and the females are doing the really loud quacking. Evidently this is normal from what I have read and is, in face, one way to tell the gender of ducks after a certain age.

Yep, sure is! I have two mallard derived drakes they sound like they have overused their voice. Completely normal.

 

[jem92281]

That's what I was going to suggest! My males have a lower raspy voice starting around 4-5 weeks!

 

[TracyLovesDucks]

Oh that's great

Other ways you can confirm if they are male is sometimes they are larger or have different coloring than the females. Eventually, they will get a sex feather which is one tail feather that curls upwards towards the lower back. What kind of ducks are they?

 

[jtn42248]

Mine are Khaki Campbell (one male two females) and supposed to be 3 Blue Swedish but I think actually one female Cayuga and two (one male and one female) Blue Swedish hybrid (maybe with Welsh Harlequin). It is the last time I will use this hatchery since they sent what they wanted or had and not what I ordered. There was no authorization for substitution. Don't get me wrong. I love all six ducks but the business relationship failed.