Lethargic Duck Overnight, Possibly Egg Bound or Poisoning?

[Miss Lydia]

Was she using these feathers to line her nest? just wondering if she was actually molting or pulling feathers for her nest. I have had quite a few broody ducks chickens and geese and never had one molt while broody always after. Okay maybe I'm missing something but she was broody up until? and then she laid her last egg outside and didn't go back to the nest with the eggs after that laid egg? And this is when you noticed something wasn't right with her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What about treating her the way Booby was treated when he was sick?

 

[graypes]

Was she using these feathers to line her nest? just wondering if she was actually molting or pulling feathers for her nest. I have had quite a few broody ducks chickens and geese and never had one molt while broody always after. Okay maybe I'm missing something but she was broody up until? and then she laid her last egg outside and didn't go back to the nest with the eggs after that laid egg? And this is when you noticed something wasn't right with her.

You're right about the feathers now that I think about it that sounds more like what was happening.

Okay so she went broody for a week and stopped when she started displaying lethargy, a few days ago when she laid an egg outside. She was broody-adjacent, meaning she was broody until I put her mate outside with everyone else then she would stand up and I'd pick her up and take her outside before her poop bomb exploded (from sitting on nest).

What about treating her the way Booby was treated when he was sick?

That's a good idea, the only thing is I have to get the vet to prescribe me the same trimeth antibiotic he was on but I'll give her another dose of panacure (her last was a month ago). I'll definitely start tube feeding in the morning, which will be SO FUN with only one person restraining my sassy lil Josh lol but I'll preserve and we'll get her all stuffed up with emeraid

I just gave her charcoal! Split a big grape in half and hollowed out the center then poured one capsule's powder and dripped water on it, she ate it no questions asked! Easiest pill-giving I've ever done with them!

 

[DuckyDonna]

This video might help you do the tube feeding since it's just one guy

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's a good video but I like to be able to see better where the tube is going so I like them on my lap.

Hope Josh is holding her own still.

 

[graypes]

This video might help you do the tube feeding since it's just one guy

Thank you!!! I gave her a bunch of grapes this morning, forgetting I was gonna tube feed so now I am just waiting for her crop to empty a bit so I can do it! She only has interest in treats, no normal food or grit, and with her gastrointestinal system possibly being inflamed (green skinny poops=enteritis (gastro inflammation) in my other duck booby recently, same symptom as josh) I don't want to give her too much tough to digest proteins like mealworms, especially when she isn't getting enough grit (none in stool, and she is not touching food/grit buckets at all) so hence the tubefeeding

She is still the same today, but hopefully will improve! Her tongue went SUPER white two days ago, but just now I saw it and it looked more pink!! maybe the charcoal helped a bit? could I dose her again today? I don't wanna dehydrate her or anything, I don't know if charcoal does that or not

 

[graypes]

Almost forgot! Josh's feathers are definitely suffering from this episode. It seems like she's too weak to roll her head on the preen gland so she nibbles it a bit and focuses only on the chest and belly. Even so, her feathers on her neck, chest, and belly (and her cheeks but that makes sense since no head roll) are all getting weird. Like they get wet in the water (aren't water proofed), but they don't stay wet like wet feather. Instead they feel crunchy, rough, brittle and dry. Could this just be from not molting in almost a year?

 

[DuckyDonna]

sounds to me like she's molting which would explain why no eggs and her acting like she's not feeling that good. When mine are molting they can act lethargic. Getting new feathers takes a lot out of them. Since she's got the same symptoms as your other duck why don't you start her on the same meds?

 

[graypes]

sounds to me like she's molting which would explain why no eggs and her acting like she's not feeling that good. When mine are molting they can act lethargic. Getting new feathers takes a lot out of them. Since she's got the same symptoms as your other duck why don't you start her on the same meds?

My only doubt to her molting is that she isn't dropping any feathers anymore :/ I WISH she would molt omg lol
My biggest concern is the appetite and anorexia right now, does that happen when they molt?
I just got off the phone with the vet's office which is 3 hours away, and the tech I spoke with said she doesn't think they can prescribe anything without seeing her. She wasn't able to offer any advice either as she wasn't super familiar with egg binding, but she wrote a note for the doctor. Unfortunately, last time the doctor didn't respond to my "note" until 7 days later so hopefully I have that kind of time.

I'm still concerned Josh MAY be egg bound only because she's acting very odd, i.e. not laying down AT ALL ever even to sleep, limited neck movements (not tucking head under wing or preening fully), etc.
Does anyone have any good ways to diagnose this? I know the only sure way is an x-ray, but for now are there any good ways?

Also, she does have persistent Bumblefoot on both feet which I have been treating for a month. One of the bumps is quite large, could she maybe have a systemic infection??
If so, should I take her temp to be sure? I only have a rectal thermometer, so I wanna be careful in case she's egg bound?

 

[graypes]

Does anyone have any experience with Morning Bird's line of Broad Spectrum antibiotics? I'm thinking about ordering some in case Josh needs them but don't know which kind to get/don't want to treat her for the wrong thing. Two of my other ducks who live with the recovered drake, Booby, who was sick last month, have developed this like high pitched cough/sneeze thing when they get excited, its not coughing per se but its definitely not a normal vocalization and sounds a bit like a respiratory thing their parents had last year. I was mainly interested in the broad spectrum antibiotics for them potentially, but then again I know its risky considering I'm not a doctor and their bacterial infections (if that's what it is) could become resistant to meds so idk
https://www.chewy.com/morning-bird-enrotex-broad-spectrum/dp/262622 this is one of the antibiotics, the other is Tetratex and then there's a cocci treatment too