how do i help my ducks nose?

[rahaf]

hello everyone, ive had this duck and stuff always gets in her nose and she seems bothered by it, she has water deep enough to clear her nose but she doesnt seem to clean her nose rlly well, today i went and found another hairs in her nose and also some discharge, she eats drinks and is active
what could it be? i tried to remove it but could there be smth else it there? what do u guys reccomend

 

[rahaf]

If you can see though her nose, she can probably breathe just fine. The discharge might be water she washed out her nose with, or it might be something to be concerned about. Take a picture when you can, and we'll take a look.

i finally got some pictures! sorry for the wait, and i think u were right about the water! cuz i havent seen anything come out of her nose since that one time, these pics r right after she woke up btw

 

[rahaf]

Good job on getting a picture! I know ducks can some times be difficult!
I think she's doing fine and just being a duck. If you see something in her nose for a prolonged period of time (like a day) or discharge that's not water, feel free to let us know.
Good job on being a dedicated duck parent!

thank you so so much for helping!! i hope she stops sneezing like she did before, and ill still keep a close eye on her! and thank u again for the help especially since im not too experianced and a bit new to this, i really appreciate it!

 

[Maddcatter]

You're more than welcome!

We were all new once. I remember the panic of not knowing how to fix my friend.

... When you know more, pay it forward.

 

[rahaf]

You have a very adorable duck!

Ducks do often have things in their nose, and they don't always clean them out very well. Can I get a closer picture of her nose? Is the thing you were concerned about still there?

My ducks will walk around with feathers stuck all over their beak for like 20 minutes. They have the ability to clean it off.... they just don't care enough to do so for lengthy periods of time.

thank u!! and i wish i could take a closer picture but its super hot out rn and i cant overheat her by chasing her ill try my best to whenever the weather cools down a bit! but u can see thro her nose but i guess there could be smth else stuck in there, i didnt wanna mess w it too much with a toothpick so i dont push it further but she breaths, eats and drinks just fine she just seems to sneeze a bit with now a bit of discharge, if that could help when we first got her she used to do the same then she stopped and now shes doing it again

 

[Maddcatter]

thank u!! and i wish i could take a closer picture but its super hot out rn and i cant overheat her by chasing her ill try my best to whenever the weather cools down a bit! but u can see thro her nose but i guess there could be smth else stuck in there, i didnt wanna mess w it too much with a toothpick so i dont push it further but she breaths, eats and drinks just fine she just seems to sneeze a bit with now a bit of discharge, if that could help when we first got her she used to do the same then she stopped and now shes doing it again

If you can see though her nose, she can probably breathe just fine. The discharge might be water she washed out her nose with, or it might be something to be concerned about. Take a picture when you can, and we'll take a look.

 

[Maddcatter]

i finally got some pictures! sorry for the wait, and i think u were right about the water! cuz i havent seen anything come out of her nose since that one time, these pics r right after she woke up btw

Good job on getting a picture! I know ducks can some times be difficult!
I think she's doing fine and just being a duck. If you see something in her nose for a prolonged period of time (like a day) or discharge that's not water, feel free to let us know.
Good job on being a dedicated duck parent!

 

[Maddcatter]

im back again! but i seem to have another issue i just found out about so she did stop sneezing! but then today i noticed her limping and sitting more, i also had another drake that does that for a while, he also has swelling in his bill but i didnt think much of that for a long time cuz it seemed on and off
so i researched today and i think its a niacin deficiency, my question is can i resolve that w nutritional yeast? or do i need to get supplements? i didnt even know ducks needed niacin since the guy at the store said they can just eat the chickens feed

Yes, get nutritional yeast. I think its supposed to be 1 tsp mixed in with 1 cup of feed.

How old are your ducks? It's super important in ducklings up to about 4-5 months, after that its still a good idea, but not as super important.

I give my adult ducks chicken feed, but I put yeast over treats that I give them a couple of times a week and my birds all free range, so they get niacin from eating bugs. As ducklings, they got duckling specific food.

 

[Maddcatter]

the black duck still hasnt started laying so she is my youngest! and for the drake i have no idea how old he is but he is sexually mature! i feel so bad i had no idea they needed niacin at all but i am learning and i dont wanna beat myself over this, nutritional yeast is super hard to find here but i ordered whatever i found for a big price but i hope it resolves the problem, can i feed either of them w a syringe? bc i also have other chickens that i dont want stealing all the treats, and do u know if chickens can have too much niacin? bc i might add some to the general feed, and thank u so much for helping u have no idea how much i appreciate it

Niacin is one of those fun vitamins that gets flushed out with water, everyday. It's not bad for your chickens, unless they eat waaaay more than they should.
That beings said, I give my ducks duck treats after my chickens go to bed, because the ducks don't turn into zombies after dark. You probably don't need or want to add it to the general feed, you'll spend way more money than you need to. Just get a can of peas and sprinkle about a tbsp on top. Feed it to the ducks after dark. They'll take care of the rest (it'll take them 5-10 minutes to figure out that they like it). I do this a couple of times a week.
Yes, you can force feed them with a syringe. I don't recommend that unless you have literally no other choice. It's stressful for everyone, and there is a chance you'll make them breathe in what ever you're feeding them.
Also, feel free to dm me if you have other questions, I might not always respond right away, but I try to check in once a day.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

BTW. Welcome from New Orleans. It is so nice to meet new members. As you can see from @Maddcatter's answers, we have lots of friendly, knowledgeable people here, who are willing to help with whatever they can.
Now that you have your duck question answered, please join us in the fun and education. I think there are threads for duck owners, you may want to start there, although you are welcome everywhere. Great job with your duck, congratulations to you @rahaf and @Maddcatter for a job well done.