Ducklings sick - help, please

[kodiakchicken]

Well, I think two of my 2 week old ducklings are sick. When I got home yesterday Zipper, my black cayuga, was breathing hard and it was sort of raspy. Not congested, I just could hear it audibly. His little chest was really heaving in and out when he breathed. I read through my poultry books (darn duck book still hasn't arrived) and couldn't find anything that sounded exactly like what was going on. I called the feed store and of course, they don't have any terramyacin. I spent some time listening to him and petting him and then we let them out on a blanket, like we always do, while I cleaned their brooder. He didn't seem to have any problems other than breathing hard. He ran all over, nibbled at anything and everything, and even pooped (although it looked more watery than normal).

After I put them back in I heard Baby Blue, the blue swede, sneeze. Throughout the night I heard him sneeze several times and then I heard Zipper sneeze too. These are the only symptoms. No runny eyes or nose, no inflamed or weepy eyes. They seem alert and bright. All are still eating and drinking. Zipper isn't peeping as much, but he never was the loudest unless he was trying to tell you something.

Can ducks catch cold? I had them outside on Saturday and it was about 40 degrees and damp, but they never seemed bothered by it. We sat with them and they ran around peeping and playing. We checked them several times to make sure they weren't shivering and we made sure they didn't get wet.

I've read through all the horrible poultry diseases and none of the symptoms seem to match, so any advice would be appreciated. I'm really worried. I love these little guys so much and would be devastated if something happened to them!

Thanks in advance.

Erin

 

[Paegglvr]

I have a little Pekin duckling with similar symptoms starting last week. He had a little trouble breathing (he was sort of panting with his mouth open), so we put him on 200mg/gal of Terramycin and made sure he stayed dry (very hard to do with a duck) and had plenty of heat. After the Terramycin, he sneezed a little and had some discharge from one of his nostrils, and had a couple runny stools. That seemed to clear up after 48 hours of the Terramycin and his breathing is somewhat better, but still not 100% yet... but getting better. He's still eating and growing like mad so we're hoping for a full recovery.

You might want to try ordering Terramycin online if you can't find it locally... and put some pebbles in his water so he can't splash and play in it and get wet.

Hope he gets better!!!!

 

[kodiakchicken]

Thanks.

I might see if the pet store has terramyacin. I really don't want to give any antibiotics unless I know they need it though.

I'd take them to the vet but I'm dead broke right now. I don't even know if our vet would treat a duck, but I think he'd try since he's the only vet on the island.

I guess I'll just wait and watch. I did change their bedding this morning since they'd already soaked it. The marbles or pebbles in the waterer is a good idea. They are so messy!

Any other suggestions are welcome though!

 

[tblystone]

My indian runner is doing the same thing-newbie to poultry and Defidently new to duckling-singular. Kitty is in with some chicks of the same age. Water is elevated to keep debri out of it but accessible. Am I suppose to have a small bowl for her to dip her head in? I worried about the chicks drowning and I looked at images of brooders and most didn't have water bowls in them for such young ducks-suggestions? She is the sme as listed above from a concerned owner.