Duck not eating

[Discord]

I have a female pekin duck that is about a year old. She has recently started looking thinner than the rest. I have noticed she barely eats anything. She still walks around with the other ducks, swims, drinks, digs around in puddles when I water their area. I have put food in their water so she at least gets some nutrition. What else can I do? I am really concerned since it has become noticeable that she isn't eating and losing weight.

 

[Discord]

Bump

 

[Amiga]

Hi,

If you can get her to a good duck vet, that is best - and I know not always possible.

Worst case, she might have egg yolk peritonitis. That can be helped, she would need antibiotics. She may be at the point she needs tube feeding or syringe feeding. casportpony seems to recommend going with tubing when necessary, and has written a number of posts about it. This device won't tag, so feel free to contact her, or write that name with an @ sign in front, and if the letters turn blue, it will notify her.

She also could have metal poisoning - that is also treatable, and needs a vet's help unless you have access to chelating agents and know how to use them.

If she has a more mild toxicity problem, charcoal slurry may help - there is a recipe for that at the top of the Duck Forum - there is a Duck Forum, and for some reason, that's where most of the duck people are active. I apologize, it's been rather a busy time for me here lately and I just saw this post.

How is she today? I will be going to bed soon, but plan to check back tomorrow.

She might have some kind of other virus or infection. How are her eyes, her nares, how is her breathing?

Have you tried any kind of treatment yet? It is so hard to know what to do sometimes.

 

[Amiga]

Hi,

If you can get her to a good duck vet, that is best - and I know not always possible.

Worst case, she might have egg yolk peritonitis. That can be helped, she would need antibiotics. She may be at the point she needs tube feeding or syringe feeding. casportpony seems to recommend going with tubing when necessary, and has written a number of posts about it. This device won't tag, so feel free to contact her, or write that name with an @ sign in front, and if the letters turn blue, it will notify her.

She also could have metal poisoning - that is also treatable, and needs a vet's help unless you have access to chelating agents and know how to use them.

If she has a more mild toxicity problem, charcoal slurry may help - there is a recipe for that at the top of the Duck Forum - there is a Duck Forum, and for some reason, that's where most of the duck people are active. I apologize, it's been rather a busy time for me here lately and I just saw this post.

How is she today? I will be going to bed soon, but plan to check back tomorrow.

She might have some kind of other virus or infection. How are her eyes, her nares, how is her breathing?

Have you tried any kind of treatment yet? It is so hard to know what to do sometimes.

 

[Discord]

She is fine in every other way. She drinks plenty (i started putting epsom salt in her water), she is social as normal. Swims with the rest of the flock, etc. Its just her eating that I am concerned with. She eats very little. I use fermented food and scratch. Yesterday I noticed she preferred dry, so I gave her dry food but she lost interest after a few bites. I give her weeds and grass to eat, but she barely nibbles on it. Could it be some sort of emotional thing? I lost a different duck recently due to a fox attack.

 

[Amiga]

They can get depressed and lose appetite. Are you trying to give her a flush with the Epsom salt? It is a laxative and can leave her dehydrated with electrolyte imbalance if she does not get complementary treatment, if I recall correctly. How long has she been getting the Epsom salt? If you do not thnk she has botulism or similar, I don't feel it would be good to do a flush.