Help! Something is wrong with my 5 wk old boy

[Mama_Owl_3]

I don't know what to do. He was perfectly fine last night when I put them away, but this morning there is something wrong. I have checked for wounds and made sure nothing was broken(that I could tell). He is keeping his head close to his body and any time he tries to stretch out his neck he immediately brings it back to his body. His crop(?) looks larger than the girls, almost like something is in there, I have gently felt around and felt maybe a small lump, but I am not sure. He walks, hops, and swims okay, except for not diving. He tried to groom but is having problems. I made sure to fill a pan with water because he can't seem to reach into the buckets. I did notice that his bill/nares(?) were kinda crusty from food and not clean like the girls. There seems to be no discharge or build up of discharge, was not impressed at first when I helped clean him up but then calmed down. I have included many pictures of him, standing by the gray pan in the back, with his sisters to try and show the difference of behavior and body language. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[katiebrock]

Is he acting sleepy too? One of my girls did this for a few days, almost like her neck was sore, because she would snap it back into place whenever she tried to extend it.

I mean this in the friendliest way possible... Your pool is scary! You must live in a really hot area. It is so hard to get rid of green in the pool when it is hot!

 

[casportpony]

Can you take a video of him walking, upload it to YouTube or Vimeo then copy and paste the link here?

 

[DuckyDonna]

I want the cooler weather back, my poor feathered babies have been panting in this heat. I go out and turn on a kiddie sprinkler for them and they love it. My four saxony's get a case of the zoomies and do this little happy dance. I should probably take video of it to share, it's hilarious.

Pool is going to get closed down soon, but I have to wait on the new cover first. The old one finally bit the dust and I was able to talk hubby into getting a new one.

no kidding! I can't wait for fall but it won't be this week! This is right now on my porch!

 

[Mama_Owl_3]

looking at picture 2 looks like you have more than one doing it, which would make me think something growing in the pool water if they have been in it, could be parasitic.

Actually this the first time they have been in the pool in days. Normally when the water is clear they are in the pool like crazy, but when the water turns green they avoid it like the plague. We haven't treated it because we are getting ready to close is up for the fall/winter seasons.

As for the picture, the girls are all fine, they just happen to be grooming themselves like mad. I made sure to check them all over when we first noticed the boy having some problems.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do You have activated charcoal capsules on hand? Nothing fell and hit him? Just trying to rule out what this could be. Can he see the other ducks?always a good idea they can see each other or put another duck in with him for company. Have you tried a treat to see if he’ll eat anything and is he drinking?

 

[Mama_Owl_3]

Do You have activated charcoal capsules on hand? Nothing fell and hit him? Just trying to rule out what this could be. Can he see the other ducks?always a good idea they can see each other or put another duck in with him for company. Have you tried a treat to see if he’ll eat anything and is he drinking?

No to the charcoal. As far as I know nothing hit him in the head, there is nothing above there heads in their enclosure except the wire.

We have him in the enclosure by himself and he can see the other ducks. As a matter of fact the other ducks seem to be taking it in turns to walk over and have a chat through the wire.

As for food, he wont take anything from my hand but I have food with some meal worms and nutritional yeast in a bowl. I happened to catch him TRY to eat, by lowering his head but it seemed to bother him. I went ahead and put the bowl on a block to make it higher and hopefully easier for him to eat.

He is up and walking around ok, but he is walking around with his bill open and occasionally makes these little noises. Not peeps or rasp.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@casportpony would you please have a look.

 

[Mama_Owl_3]

Also no luck on the poop front, unless it looks like everyone else's. He is in their enclosure and I haven't seen any poop pile that looks different from the others.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Is that his normal noise he makes? And you say he is extending his neck more now? That’s a good sign I’d say. @casportpony