Duck acting lethargic and hardly eating

[firenkyo]

Hello! I have a magpie duck named Daffy, and she is currently acting very lethargic.

Little bit of background - I live in Maine, and it's been very cold (-11 to 20 degrees F) recently.

I live in a college dorm, but come home to visit on the weekends - so yesterday when I got home, I went to check on the ducks and noticed that Daffy was missing. I found her laying down in a little dog kennel that's in the pen (they have a heated coop that most of the other ducks were in). I offered her the lettuce I had brought out as a treat and she ripped off a leaf but dropped it and didn't eat it. I took her out and put her in front of the water bucket, and she drank a bit before doing a large poop. However, she was limping and heavily favoring her right foot so I brought her inside to recover a bit.

Inside, she was very lethargic and only perked up when I offered her small pieces of lettuce or mealworms - she didn't want to eat the normal duck food I gave her. She's pooped some more, but it's been pretty watery. I let her sleep inside and this morning she's of course made a mess, but is still lacking energy. I tried to give her some peas (normally she likes those), but she ignored them. Finally, I filled up the bathtub and let her swim for a bit. She paddled around a bit, and shook herself (I think it's called rousing), but was still just...a little off. I'm currently letting her dry off.

Any advice on how to make her feel better?

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

@Isaac 0

 

[ruthhope]

Hello! I have a magpie duck named Daffy, and she is currently acting very lethargic.

Little bit of background - I live in Maine, and it's been very cold (-11 to 20 degrees F) recently.

I live in a college dorm, but come home to visit on the weekends - so yesterday when I got home, I went to check on the ducks and noticed that Daffy was missing. I found her laying down in a little dog kennel that's in the pen (they have a heated coop that most of the other ducks were in). I offered her the lettuce I had brought out as a treat and she ripped off a leaf but dropped it and didn't eat it. I took her out and put her in front of the water bucket, and she drank a bit before doing a large poop. However, she was limping and heavily favoring her right foot so I brought her inside to recover a bit.

Inside, she was very lethargic and only perked up when I offered her small pieces of lettuce or mealworms - she didn't want to eat the normal duck food I gave her. She's pooped some more, but it's been pretty watery. I let her sleep inside and this morning she's of course made a mess, but is still lacking energy. I tried to give her some peas (normally she likes those), but she ignored them. Finally, I filled up the bathtub and let her swim for a bit. She paddled around a bit, and shook herself (I think it's called rousing), but was still just...a little off. I'm currently letting her dry off.

Any advice on how to make her feel better?

I think you need to examine Daffy's left leg and foot to see if there is sign of infection -- infection could account for all the symptoms you describe.

She may have bumble foot [search this group for advice on that]

She also needs keeping warm and sleeping on her own in an unheated dog kennel won't be good for her. You did right to bring her in the house and offer her tasty morcels to eat. Can someone else at home look after her in the house when you go back to your dorm?

 

[firenkyo]

Also, here’s a couple of her poops

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.75862/

 

[firenkyo]

I think you need to examine Daffy's left leg and food to see if there is sign of infection -- infections could account for all the symptoms you describe.

She may have bumble foot [search this group for advice on that]

She also needs keeping warm and sleeping on her own in an unheated dog kennel won't be good for her. You did right to bring her in the house and offer her tasty morcels to eat. Can someone else at home look after her in the house when you go back to your dorm?

My parents are both at home, but they are usually really busy and I’m not sure if they’ll be able to give her a lot of attention. Her right ankle (I think, it’s right where the foot meets the leg) seems a bit swollen and she didn’t like me touching it. If it is an infection, would going to the vet be the next step?
Also, I’m going to try to give her some niacin rich food and a hard boiled egg.
Thank you for responding!

 

[ruthhope]

My parents are both at home, but they are usually really busy and I’m not sure if they’ll be able to give her a lot of attention. Her right ankle (I think, it’s right where the foot meets the leg) seems a bit swollen and she didn’t like me touching it. If it is an infection, would going to the vet be the next step?
Also, I’m going to try to give her some niacin rich food and a hard boiled egg.
Thank you for responding!

If there is a vet that will see a duck and if you can afford it [I have to travel to the next county from where I live and I have to pay $300 up front before the "exotic bird" vet will see any birds. Strange that a duck is an exotic bird in NE Floridia] it is best that Daffy is seen by a vet. However, many folks on this forum treat bumblefoot and other maladies themselves. I will look out good instructions from this group to help you. I haven't worked out how to tag people but Crazy Maizie and Miss Lydia may be able to offer good advice

 

[ruthhope]

My parents are both at home, but they are usually really busy and I’m not sure if they’ll be able to give her a lot of attention. Her right ankle (I think, it’s right where the foot meets the leg) seems a bit swollen and she didn’t like me touching it. If it is an infection, would going to the vet be the next step?
Also, I’m going to try to give her some niacin rich food and a hard boiled egg.
Thank you for responding!

If there is a vet that will see your duck and if you can afford it, having Daffy seen by a vet is best. However, because there are few duck vets in many parts of the county [I have to travel to the next county to see an "exotic bird specialist"-- who would have thought of a duck as an exotic bird?] and they are expensive [mine charges $300 up front before she will see any bird] many people on this forum treat bumblefoot and other maladies themselves at home. I will look up some bumblefoot advice on this forum for you.

I haven't worked out how to tag people, but Miss Lydia and Crazy Maizie may offer good advice

https://www.backyardchickens.com/members/miss-lydia.42327/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/members/crazy-maizie.581954/

 

[firenkyo]

I’m trying to get her to drink more water, but she refuses to drink any. She’s not eating her favorite snacks either when I offer them. I’m going to try to get some yeast and maybe syringe feed it to her (mixed with water)

 

[ruthhope]

This is a recent discussion on bumblefoot:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bumblefoot-questions.1504073/#post-25187175

You can get veterinary antibiotics from Tractor Supply Inc. and perhaps feed stores near you. Or on line. Always give them orally.

May people treat with epson salt soaks until the infection comes out -- if it is scabbed the scab needs to soak off -- and neosporin triple ointment . You can buy that in supermarket pharmacies -- the neosporin is mixed with two other antibiotics but you want the one that has the largest proportion of neosporin. Then hte foot has to be wrapped to keep it clean until it has healed. Duck booties are expensive and there is often a waiting list to buy them. So you can use a non-stick dressing with micropore tape and then fashion a shoe to hold it in place from duct tape

@Miss Lydia
@Crazy Maizie