Duckling with liquid coming from nostrils

[HomesteadGirl1234]

Hello everyone.
I have a duckling that is no older than 2 weeks old with liquid coming from its nostrils (it kind of bubbles out sometimes) I have been researching a bit and read something saying there is a high possibility that it is salmonila which freaked me out because these are my kids ducklings and they do handle them. We wash hands every time afterward, but it really concerned me. Thoughts??? Help please!!

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

Is it after bathing? Or is it all the time?

 

[HomesteadGirl1234]

Little bit of backstory. I had a mama on eggs, and I came across a duckling at the feed store that I just had to have. They told me that I needed to get two, and it is one of the two that I got from the feed store. It appears otherwise very healthy, high energy, playing, eats well, drinks well. Anyways so they're not in the house where I can keep an eye on them all the time. They're out in the coop in a blocked-off area from the other ones. But quite honestly it seems like when my kids go to pick it up it almost startles it and water comes out of its nose? Is that unusual? Do I need to be checking every so often?

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

It could be that when they pick the duck up they’re doing it in such a way to basically make it kind of vomit. Ducks drink water all the time. If you’re picking it up after eating or drinking wrong they’ll upchuck a bit.

Salmonella is a concern even without the liquid coming out of the nose. Washing hands and cleaning up afterwards is always important. They poo everywhere, and are incapable of the sphincter control necessary for house training.

 

[HomesteadGirl1234]

No liquid at the moment, and it looks good? I just want to be sure.

 

[HomesteadGirl1234]

What kind of precautions can you take to prevent things like salmonella? This is our second year of ducks. We do have some adults, I'm just one of those that after reading something like that it momentarily freaks me out.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

They look like cute alert ducks. Try not picking them up for awhile and see if it helps.

 

[TSOWOATNKC]

What kind of precautions can you take to prevent things like salmonella? This is our second year of ducks. We do have some adults, I'm just one of those that after reading something like that it momentarily freaks me out.

We have outdoor clothes and shoes for the kids. They have “farm” clothes; insulated overalls, Carharrt Jacket, and boots that they wear for chores over their regular clothes. Washing hands is absolutely mandatory after being in the bird yard. Keeping the bird run clean is really important. No kisses, and honestly we don’t cuddle like pets either.

 

[HomesteadGirl1234]

Thanks so much for relieving me a bit. I always make sure that we all wash your hands after handling them, or taking care of them in the mornings. They are in a large shared Coop and run area with my chickens, so no worries of them pooping all over. Although when I do dump out their pool sometimes it's close to where my kids play. We need more land. Anyway thank you for your help, I'll be sure that they don't pick him up for a while!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s exactally what’s happening when they get picked up the crop is being pushed on and it causes water to come up . It can cause them to aspirate also so best to teach young ones how to pick up duckling without pushing on their crop area.