How to diagnose a sick duck that is off but doesn't have symptoms

austroberta

Songster
5 Years
Oct 1, 2017
484
669
213
Oakland CA
My husband caught one of my adult Welsh Harlequins hiding in the bushes by herself, acting very quiet. He says that she is eating some and I did see one of her poops -- it was normal...looked like peas--but it's not normal for her to hide in the bushes like that herself. She seemed fine this morning, when I saw her around 9. I checked her feet for bumblefoot--her feet looked great. I felt her stomach for an egg-- but couldn't feel anything. She's not panting or showing unusual signs of respiratory distress. What else should I be checking?
 
Check her eye function, shining a light to see if her pupils contract evenly.

Encourage her to walk so you can check her gait and balance.

Has it been very warm? Are there any toxic plants or berries in the yard? How about weird caterpillars? Any leaking yard machines contaminating the soil? Recent insecticide use?
 
I gave her a few worms and then she went with 2 of her sisters to take a nap underneath our car, which is a usual napping spot for them when it's sunny. She seems slow and lethargic, but her gait seemed fine.

It's in the 70s today and breezy. We do have a trumpet flower tree (all parts are poisonous), but the leaves/flowers are too high up for her to nibble on and I usually clear away anything that might fall to the ground. I never use pesticides, or chemicals of any kind, in the garden. I haven't seen any strange caterpillars that she might have access to. If it's something toxic she might have ingested, I do have some activated charcoal I can give her.

When I gave her something to drink, to rinse the worms off, she seemed hesitant to drink, for some reason, although she did end up taking a drink in the end.

I don't see that she is puffed up, but her neck feathers did seem a little raised.
 
My husband caught one of my adult Welsh Harlequins hiding in the bushes by herself, acting very quiet. He says that she is eating some and I did see one of her poops -- it was normal...looked like peas--but it's not normal for her to hide in the bushes like that herself. She seemed fine this morning, when I saw her around 9. I checked her feet for bumblefoot--her feet looked great. I felt her stomach for an egg-- but couldn't feel anything. She's not panting or showing unusual signs of respiratory distress. What else should I be checking?
Could she just be coming in to lay? Sometimes when they are a new layer or just at the beginning of the laying season they act like that.
 
Has she laid today?
My husband said he didn't find but one egg in the duck house from the Welshies yesterday and today (We have 2 Welsh Harlequins), although that is sometimes the case, as they will occasionally lay them in some hidden place outside. That being said, she usually scarfs the oyster shell, but I just her go to reach for the OS bowl and then turn away.


She does have some appetite, but not much. My husband gave everyone some peas and she usually goes Nazi on them, but today she just nibbled a few. She seems to have an endless appetite for Red Wrigglers, so I've been giving her as many as I can. I also see that she does the hesitation thing with her water. She'll dip her beak in and then quickly withdraw it, like she thinks twice about drinking.
 
When my Runner was going to lay a soft shell she acted like your WH. She was off by herself wasn't really hungry, just wasn't her usual piggy self. This went on for half a day until she laid it. Then she was fine. Not saying that is what is going on It's just hard to know what it could be.
 
When my Runner was going to lay a soft shell she acted like your WH. She was off by herself wasn't really hungry, just wasn't her usual piggy self. This went on for half a day until she laid it. Then she was fine. Not saying that is what is going on It's just hard to know what it could be.
I've been dealing with 2 ducks with early stages of bumblefoot, so I'm just getting a chance to respond now. She laid an egg the next morning and was bright eyed and bushy tailed when she got out of the duck house. I'm not sure what she had, but it didn't seem egg related. Perhaps she ate something which didn't agree with her? Whatever it is, I'm so happy she is better. ............my plate is full now!
 

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