HELP — Acute Duck Sickness (Lethargic, Sleepy, Separating from flock, shivering)

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Miss Lydia said:
I saw that aquarium tubing can be used you just heat up the one end so it doesn't scratch the throat as it goes down. I think it is explained on the link? post 4-5 also you can check pet stores if you have any in your area. You'll need baby bird food too.
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Okay it looks like walmart has some fishing tube, exact baby bird food is available at petsmart, and i can get a larger syringe at tractor supply. I'm going to run out and get those products before places close so we have them on hand. If she's not eating anything voluntarily by Fri/Sat I think we're going to do some tube feeding.

I'm nervous about putting the tube too far or not far enough.
 
Galaxyfalcon said:
Okay it looks like walmart has some fishing tube, exact baby bird food is available at petsmart, and i can get a larger syringe at tractor supply. I'm going to run out and get those products before places close so we have them on hand. If she's not eating anything voluntarily by Fri/Sat I think we're going to do some tube feeding.

I'm nervous about putting the tube too far or not far enough.
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I was also nervous about that, even though my vet taught me how. I "measured" on the outside of my bird with the tubing how far it was from the tip of her bill to near the bottom of her crop. Then I wrapped duct tape around the tube where the tip of her bill was. I stopped feeding the tube down her when I got to that spot.

I don't know if that's a good way to do it, so someone please speak up if there is a better way. I tube fed my duck 3 times daily for a month without complications. She passed away from EYP, had a necropsy, and her respiratory system and crop were fine.

I got my red catheter feeding tube from my vet.
 
Hi everyone, Merry Christmas.

Just a quick little Herman update. She is continuing to drink well and I saw her do one or two watery poops. She's had a little more energy today, she's been up walking about her pen and has enough energy to "complain." Her nurse mate has been getting bored and complaining when she hears the other ducks outside, and today Herman is feeling well enough to join the complaining. Herman has also been feeling well enough to do some preening and sleep with her head tucked under wing as opposed to falling asleep otherwise (hopefully a sign she is more comfortable?)

We're giving Herman a few hours of alone naptime so she rests a little more easily.

I also found an egg this morning which was odd; no one else is laying (the other girls are only 6mo though) and Herman stopped laying in mid-autumn. I'm assuming it's hers though? Same size and color.

No signs of her eating yet. At this rate she hasn't eaten since Wednesday night so we may stick to the plan and try to tube feed her a small portion tonight and see how that goes.

I'm attaching some photos of her here. She's a little nervous of me right now because we've had to handle her so much with pilling her and everything. I was trying to bribe her with peas but no luck.

When trying to judge how full her crop looks, where should I be looking? Maybe I'm worrying too much about the tube feeding. Thanks everyone.
 

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when your looking at her face towards you the place you put the tubing is down the left side. If she is looking away from you it's on the right side looking at the back of her head. When I tube fed my Runner I just made sure the tube was down far enough the food wouldn't come back up. I didn't measure but I watched others do it and it gave me confidence [I was also a nervous wreck.]. What @KaleIAm said makes sense measuring then taping so you don't go down too far. My husband held her the first time, after that, I wrapped her in a towel to keep her still and did it by myself,
Here is more info. She also had to be drinking good before you start so she is good and hydrated.
Maybe there is more info here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-supportive-care-updated-01-17-2021.1048620/

Also one picture in the link shows what a crop looks like in a duck
 
Thank you Miss Lydia! I think we're going to wait just a bit longer...she's showing some "interest" in food (nuzzling it but not eating). I put food into separate containers (peas, scratch, pellets) rather than a mix to see if she could pick something specific and also put some oyster shells out since we found that egg this morning. She shoved her whole bill into the scratch container and stirred it around; She didn't eat anything but she DID eat some oyster shells! Which is an improvement. We also had bathtub time tonight after pilling and we got nice and clean and she even pooped.

She's continuing to drink well so I think the electrolytes and nutri-drench are helping some.

Thanks for sharing your experiences...it makes it a lot easier knowing how other people have managed. Unfortunately we don't have a scale to weigh her but with the increasing interest in food I'm hoping we can coax her to eat on her own soon (a day?) and if not we'll get her on the food tube. I'll keep posting updates on how she's doing.
 

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