Help 4 mon old duck sick!

[duckins]

I have 41/2 mon old crested duck that is sick noticed this morning she was nodding off neck to the side and acting very tired walked up and woke her she seemed dazed as the morning went she was sluggish but did her normal activities other than dozing off occasionally let them out this p.m. She's worse very slow confused and sleepy she enve goes to sleep in my arms unusual for her. She is housed with 7 other hens no signs of physical prob. tummy little swollen she has pooped it looks normal and she not eating or drinking I did get some nutri drench in her slowly. No signs of mold anywhere she eats Purina layer pellets and oyster shell no drake contact her run stays clean the other 7 seem fine. Long shot but one of my girls are laying and the egg was cracked this a.m. Is it possible she ate some. My first thought was egg bound Maybe or touch much calcium ? All I know is she's getting worse she's in house now in a old brooder box with food and water just standing there no bird vet in our area any help would be great my first year with ducks no experience on sickness.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 41/2 mon old crested duck that is sick noticed this morning she was nodding off neck to the side and acting very tired walked up and woke her she seemed dazed as the morning went she was sluggish but did her normal activities other than dozing off occasionally let them out this p.m. She's worse very slow confused and sleepy she enve goes to sleep in my arms unusual for her. She is housed with 7 other hens no signs of physical prob. tummy little swollen she has pooped it looks normal and she not eating or drinking I did get some nutri drench in her slowly. No signs of mold anywhere she eats Purina layer pellets and oyster shell no drake contact her run stays clean the other 7 seem fine. Long shot but one of my girls are laying and the egg was cracked this a.m. Is it possible she ate some. My first thought was egg bound Maybe or touch much calcium ? All I know is she's getting worse she's in house now in a old brooder box with food and water just standing there no bird vet in our area any help would be great my first year with ducks no experience on sickness.

Hi duckins so sorry to hear about your duck, have you tried putting in in a warm tub and seeing how she act? if she swims floats cleans herself. has she laid yet? Since she is creasted has she had problems before? how long as she been on layer? I really don't think the contents of a cracked egg would hurt her. Could she have eaten anything outside plants, somekind of metal or anything not normal in the food chain?

 

[Kevin565]

How badly is she moving her neck to the side? How swollen is her abdomen? Has she been laying lately?

 

[jdywntr]

What breed? She is a little young for layer. With ducks its recommended you switch at first egg. If you feed layer, you really don't need oyster shells.

Is she laying? I don't think they usually get egg bound with a first egg.

Eating egg or shell wouldn't cause a problem unless it was rotten.

Is she with other ducks or chickens?

Crested ducks can suffer from some problems that can start at any time. There is alot of debate about this but it is still a posibility.

Monitor her to see if she eats. Offer favorite treats if she isn't eating. If she is drinking but not eating. Mix feed with water until it is a very thin consistency and offer that.

I am also not great with illnesses (luckily I don't have much experience with them) but hopefully more will reply.

 

[bradfielder]

This sounds simuler to what our 1 year old female is experiencing right now. We saw a post below yours about a defiency in Niacin (B3 vitamin) we are going to try supplementing her with that by giving her some nutritional yeast and see what happens. I would appreciate you sharing anything you find out. Thanks Bradfielder

 

[Amiga]

Since you are on your own, it's tough to decide.

But aside from egg binding, it is possible that her egg-laying system has matured but there's a problem with it. Tummy swelling and the way she's acting could indicate egg yolk peritonitis, which might be worst case. It is a systemic infection, and does kill ducks. But it may be that if she does have such an infection and it's early enough, that oral antibiotics might help. I just don't know. It's more of a hope and a feeling I have. I have lost two, perhaps three (first one was not necropsied) to eyp.

I want to throw this possibility out here and see if other duck people have ever dealt successfully with it, and how one might be able to diagnose it without the help of a vet.

 

[duckins]

Her neck was going limp like and she would close her eyes hasn't done that in 2 hours now she just stands there occasionally moving her head offerd a pea water and feed nothing it doesn't even seem to registers hat I'm there. She has not started egg laying yet but buff girl has that's why I put them all on layer feed sinced their housed in same run. We keep yard chemical free no new plants I've noticed wild onions popping up could that be. It's almost like a brain thing though and yes she is crested always acted normal. I would hate to see anything happen but could accept if a crested issue better than a disease really worried about other 19. I will try mushy feed and a bath.

 

[duckins]

She's in tub now a little quacking but just floating she took a sip of water and has pooped 3 times. This is so strange it's like she's zoned out other than that she looks normal no more head falling to the side. After her swim/float I will try mushy feed.

 

[Amiga]

Do you have or can you get any activated charcoal supplement? Not briquettes, this is like a vitamin you buy in capsule form. Three capsules in a quart of water is about what I use. It absorbs toxins, is harmless so they can all drink it if she's not separated.

 

[duckins]

She's separated ate a few Cheerios in tub couldn't find charcoal in drugstore but will try to find it tomorrow she's still standing in her box nothing else.