duckling clogged with water!

[nuthatched]

Oh, I heard they stored water somewhere-- didn't know it was for food! But I do think I know why he has water coming out now that you say that..
I've been putting a small amount of water in his food so he could eat it better (when he was younger) and I've been giving him dry food with a little water in it and I've noticed that his food is completely soaked when I checked on him a bit after I give him food. I'm thinking since he likes to hangout in his water and then go in his food, he gets it all wet and stores the water with the food?
I'm planning on giving him all dry food crushed up starting today when I switch his food out. I could give him a bottle of water and cut a hole in it so he can't get it in but his brooder doesn't have enough space since he has a huge heat plate. I can try a water bottle though until it's time to switch his heat plate to a different position?

The crop is like the first stomach on a cow, it holds everything the bird eats to be moved down and digested at night, so it will all come up if he's excited or jostled (like a baby). :] I'm not sure on how to feed him, I've only had ducks briefly while my friends were on vacation.

 

[quackkquack_]

The crop is like the first stomach on a cow, it holds everything the bird eats to be moved down and digested at night, so it will all come up if he's excited or jostled (like a baby). :] I'm not sure on how to feed him, I've only had ducks briefly while my friends were on vacation.

Hmm.. well the two times it happened it was because I took him out and hes not a fan of being held so he kinda freaked out the first time and water came up so I think that was the problem?
I'm gonna start giving him just dry food and hope he improves, I don't want him to choke on it and die. He's been pretty good when it happens though, he stays still and breathes softly.
Well thank you for telling me the crop was for food and not water lol.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Hi
Just read through all the comments
I never wet my feed and I also keep my feed dish away from the water so they don’t get it wet. Reason being the feed will go mouldy so if it’s getting wet you need to make sure this is cleaned out regular
When using any vitamins in water it’s best to have 2 water dishes. One with regular water and one with the vitamin
Also it’s much better if you get nutritional yeast
Do 1 tbsp to 1 cup feed till 10-12
weeks
Some ducklings don’t need as much as others but giving this amount makes it good for all ducklings
After that sprinkling it on the feed a little
It will never hurt them
Sounds like his crop maybe full
When they do that yawn type thing they are adjusting the feed down ( it’s normal ) I use to think my ducks were trying to talk but nothing came out lol )
The wing twitching is normal as well
As for the heat plate my ducks at 3 weeks don’t use any heat at all
They are outside all day then when they come in they would lay away from it. This has happened to all my batches of ducklings so far so now I just remove it at week 3
I would start giving him dry feed
Place it a good 6 steps away from the water. They will eat them walk to the water and back
This keeps the feed dry for the most part and helps to avoid mould

 

[Quatie]

Hmm.. well the two times it happened it was because I took him out and hes not a fan of being held so he kinda freaked out the first time and water came up so I think that was the problem?

If you accidentally pressed on his crop when you picked him up, this would definitely cause him to spew up water. Even lightly stroking their chest can cause them to puke, especially if they have a full crop.

If they are not getting any other treats and only eat crumble, he shouldn't be impacted. That would be the only possible issue I could see.

 

[quackkquack_]

Hi
Just read through all the comments
I never wet my feed and I also keep my feed dish away from the water so they don’t get it wet. Reason being the feed will go mouldy so if it’s getting wet you need to make sure this is cleaned out regular
When using any vitamins in water it’s best to have 2 water dishes. One with regular water and one with the vitamin
Also it’s much better if you get nutritional yeast
Do 1 tbsp to 1 cup feed till 10-12
weeks
Some ducklings don’t need as much as others but giving this amount makes it good for all ducklings
After that sprinkling it on the feed a little
It will never hurt them
Sounds like his crop maybe full
When they do that yawn type thing they are adjusting the feed down ( it’s normal ) I use to think my ducks were trying to talk but nothing came out lol )
The wing twitching is normal as well
As for the heat plate my ducks at 3 weeks don’t use any heat at all
They are outside all day then when they come in they would lay away from it. This has happened to all my batches of ducklings so far so now I just remove it at week 3
I would start giving him dry feed
Place it a good 6 steps away from the water. They will eat them walk to the water and back
This keeps the feed dry for the most part and helps to avoid mould

Oh, alright I'll try that. Currently I just switched his water to a big water bottle with a huge cut in it and hes pretty terrified of it so I might just switch it back to his bowl and put both bowls on opposite sides of the brooder.
I'm going to be removing his heat plate within the next 3 days too.

 

[quackkquack_]

If you accidentally pressed on his crop when you picked him up, this would definitely cause him to spew up water. Even lightly stroking their chest can cause them to puke, especially if they have a full crop.

If they are not getting any other treats and only eat crumble, he shouldn't be impacted. That would be the only possible issue I could see.

We haven't really introduced him to treats yet, I have given him some applesauce but he doesn't really like it so hes only had it once which was a few days ago.
I just think the water in his food stored in the crop with the food and came up because I might've pressed on his crop or when he freaked out that one time it came up.
I'm just hoping me switching him on just dry food and a water dish he can't get into and get his food wet, he'll be fine.

 

[Quatie]

We haven't really introduced him to treats yet, I have given him some applesauce but he doesn't really like it so hes only had it once which was a few days ago.
I just think the water in his food stored in the crop with the food and came up because I might've pressed on his crop or when he freaked out that one time it came up.
I'm just hoping me switching him on just dry food and a water dish he can't get into and get his food wet, he'll be fine.

It definitely sounds like his crop being pushed on. It is certainly scary the first time you see it if you don't know that is happening.

For water dishes, I like to use modified Tupperware containers with holes on the top. They work really well. I use slightly different sizes depending on how big they are.

Here are a couple examples.

 

[quackkquack_]

It definitely sounds like his crop being pushed on. It is certainly scary the first time you see it if you don't know that is happening.

For water dishes, I like to use modified Tupperware containers with holes on the top. They work really well. I use slightly different sizes depending on how big they are.

Here are a couple examples.
View attachment 3213555View attachment 3213554

I was thinking of that! To be honest, I think that'd work better than the water bottle.
Thank you for that suggestion, I'll be switching it to that soon!

 

[quackkquack_]

Well I checked Newt's crop last night, I didn't feel or see any lumps. Same with this morning.
He's using the water bottle finally (because he ran out of water in his bowl I gave him) and I put two of my crystals in it to weigh it down since he keeps trying to knock it over and hes having fun nibbling at them. Hes using both his water bottle and bowl and his food finally isn't wet! (they are on different sides of the brooder)
The water bottle has his sav-a-chick water in it and the bowl has plain water in it.
The only thing is.. he still sounds like a squeaky toy/clown nose sometimes but I think he'll be fine?

 

[Quatie]

Well I checked Newt's crop last night, I didn't feel or see any lumps. Same with this morning.
He's using the water bottle finally (because he ran out of water in his bowl I gave him) and I put two of my crystals in it to weigh it down since he keeps trying to knock it over and hes having fun nibbling at them. Hes using both his water bottle and bowl and his food finally isn't wet! (they are on different sides of the brooder)
The water bottle has his sav-a-chick water in it and the bowl has plain water in it.
The only thing is.. he still sounds like a squeaky toy/clown nose sometimes but I think he'll be fine?

He most likely will be fine. You can post a video of what you are hearing. I would suggest short little bath to help clean his nares out. But it is also possible, that it is just his voice starting to change. It can happen at a lot different ages.