Duck makes weird noises...

[kara_leigh]

I am new to ducks, I just got mine less than two weeks ago, and they are all from different hatchings, so they are different ages. My oldest one is about 6 weeks old, and she has been making some weird noises. She is starting to get her "big girl" voice. Now, though, when she is resting she makes this weird honk-hum noise. It is hard to describe, but it sounds like she is snoring, only she is wide awake. She ONLY does it when she is relaxed and sitting. If she is up and walking around or eating, she doesn't do it.

Is this normal? Should I be concerned? None of my other ducks are doing it, so far anyway.

 

[Amiga]

This is a head-scratcher..... hmmmm.

Any drainage from her nares? How's her poop?

Try giving her a warm (85 to 90 degree F) bath, make sure she dries herself off well, and while she's in the bath listen closely to her breathing.

Worst case she may have the beginning of a respiratory infection. Or it could be she snores. Somewhere in between, she may have something caught in her throat that only bothers her when she's in a resting position.

Do they get treats?

 

[kara_leigh]

They get warm baths at least once every day, sometimes twice a day. She doesn't make this noise in the bath. I don't think she has anything stuck in her throat, and they don't get treats (although I gave them some penne a week ago, but they get grit outside in our rocky soil. For the past week they have only had feed, and this started a couple days ago. I wish I could record it, b/c it is really soft hum, like a really soft snore, but she is awake.

She did do this weird cough a couple times today, but she was eating at the time and other than that has been fine. I figured she just got a piece of food stuck for a second. I'm a stay at home mom, and they live in our living room, so I'm around them all day long. If she does have a URI, what should I do?

 

[Amiga]

Storey's Guide writes about Chronic Respiratory Disease

Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, thick mucous discharge from the nostrils, ruffled feathers, irregular or stunted growth.

Antibiotics suggested are erythromycin (Galimycin) and tetracyclines (Aureomycin and Terramycin or Agromycin)... Tylosin (Tylan) often most effective but hard to locate - ask a veterinarian.

......

If you are not seeing these symptoms and things seem otherwise okay, it is hard to make the call. I am wondering if she is just kind of mumbling to herself.

If you have poultry vitamins, I'd give everyone some vitamins in their water. And add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water as a tonic. And watch carefully.

Do a search on respiratory infection and one on antibiotics - there is good information and I cannot remember it all.

 

[kara_leigh]

No, she doesn't have any of those symptoms. She is growing like a weed, and I have seen no discharge from her nostrils. Just that one time coughing, but otherwise nothing. My husband thinks she is just cooing to herself, b/c once she actually falls asleep she doesn't do it anymore. It is only when she is relaxing. I have been giving them Poly-Vi-Sol, but I have some Braggs so I will start giving them some of that also. Thanks!

She was just doing it really loud, and it cracked me up b/c the other ducks started chattering at her like they were saying "Hey, knock it off, we're trying to sleep!" and then she stopped. haha!

 

[IsbelAcresTN]

My ducks all have their own quirky noises that either amuse or annoy the other ducks. My little black swedish did that for a week or two fairly consistently, then stopped. Like yours, she didnt have any other symptoms and was eating/ drinking/ and growing, so I let her go and she is fine.

 

[kara_leigh]

I got a video of it!! Here it is:

 

[IsbelAcresTN]

That is HILARIOUS!!! Thanks for the video, I needed a chuckle!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have never heard anything like that. I can't say there isn't anything wrong, but you can see her and judge for yourself, if she has discharge from her nose, eyes, listen to her chest can you hear weezing? or is this just something she does for no none reason? And maybe she is snoring.

Maybe her way of just being content.

I got a video of it!! Here it is:

 

[Tahai]