HELP! Duck Black Vent, Painful, Runny Feces, Missing Feathers

[Fawkes]

I can't tell from the picture, but do you know if there's yeast on her vent? You can identify it by its smell (I'm not actually sure how to describe the smell, its a particular odor, but it's not good) and if you see soft white/yellow bits that are kind of like cheese or tofu in consistency.

Sometimes the outer layer of yeast will be black and crusty but the layer underneath that will be whiteish and softer.

 

[Tales from Duckingham]

I can't tell from the picture, but do you know if there's yeast on her vent? You can identify it by its smell (I'm not actually sure how to describe the smell, its a particular odor, but it's not good) and if you see soft white/yellow bits that are kind of like cheese or tofu in consistency.

Sometimes the outer layer of yeast will be black and crusty but the layer underneath that will be whiteish and softer.

Before it changed over to this horrible crusty layer, she definitely had a weird white skin layer all around her vent almost on top of the skin layer, this summer. She didn't necessarily have white or yellow 'ooze' or chunky bits but she smells horrible. I don't see any blood in her stool either for what its worth.

 

[Tales from Duckingham]

I can't tell from the picture, but do you know if there's yeast on her vent? You can identify it by its smell (I'm not actually sure how to describe the smell, its a particular odor, but it's not good) and if you see soft white/yellow bits that are kind of like cheese or tofu in consistency.

Sometimes the outer layer of yeast will be black and crusty but the layer underneath that will be whiteish and softer.

If it were yeast, what is your go to treatment method?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here is one place to buy antibiotics if @Eggcessive thinks she needs them

 

[Miss Lydia]

Then, unfortunately, at best, they're getting Italian flavored feed, the amounts of helpful components in dried oregano are little but can vary. At worst, all that is happening is continual feeding low, low doses of antibiotics. Natural or not, it's still antibiotics.
If you ever need to use real medical grade oregano oil (the stuff that you'd use for infection) it may not work since there's a possibility of resistance from exposure.
Though most feed anymore have oregano in it to satisfy the clamor, mine does.

Now I know why when they quack the have a greek accent

 

[Fawkes]

If it were yeast, what is your go to treatment method?

If it's yeast, antibiotics won't help, and could actually make it worse.

I'd also be careful doing anything that could aggravate the skin, as that could also make it worse.

What I'd try first:

1. Daily baths (just plain water) to keep her vent area clean. During this time, gently wipe your hand over the area to remove any dried poop, etc.

2. Apple cider vinegar in the drinking water. With the mother in it - Braggs is a good brand and you can buy it by the gallon. 1 tablespoon per gallon of water. Shake the bottle of vinegar before use.

3. After her bath, clean the vent with chlorhexidine. It's a disinfectant. You can soak cotton balls in chlorhexidine and then wipe her with them. See this thread for the mixture: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-diluted-yeast-on-vent.1609006/#post-27429652

4. Keep her accommodation as dry and clean as possible.

 

[Fawkes]

The trouble is, I believe yeast and bacterial infections can often go hand in hand together, so it's possible she has both. But if she's still eating and acting ok, and if signs point towards it being yeast, I'd try to treat it as just a yeast infection first.

 

[nuthatched]

Now I know why when they quack the have a greek accent

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

If it’s a fungal infection she will need fungal antibiotics
I have gone through this with a duck last year
My story on her is long
Her vent was swollen with hard bits stuck outside
She got a slight prolapse from trying to push poo through the glued area
Her inside of her vent also had it
Hard fungal gleet stuck on her urethra and another area
Vet tried 3 antibiotics
I used fungal cream , colloidal silver as well
First noticed it in December 2022
By march after over 15 vet appointments both regular and avian
I pushed for fungal testing
Finally we had answers
Tests came back positive for aspergillosis
Meds started in April till July
90 days at 250.00 per month
It cleared up but came back in sept or October of 2023
This time I knew much faster when I felt a tiny area on the outside with gleet. Inside was clear
My local vet tried what the zoo uses instead
30.00 for 60 days of meds and it cleared her up
Been good on that ever since
I check her weekly now
I had to learn to pull the stuck gleet from inside and outside her vent
Poor duck got to know me very well
If it’s what I think it is
Then getting her on fungal meds for 60 to 90 days is the only way to clear it
My duck was still
Acting normal
Eating , drinking and never even missed a day laying eggs through all of that
Her poo was runny , very smelly and would be loud coming out
Also at times was like a projectile
Maybe from trying to push it out with a swollen stuck vent
I’ll find a picture of the meds I was given
My girl is 4.5 to 5 Pounds
1/4 pill crushed and mixed with 3ml water. Give 1.5 ml twice a day

 

[my spoiled chickens]

sound like a week in the bathtub for her