Hello!
I admit I am newer to ducks( I did have some years ago, but still do not have much experience) Anyways, we have a few duckings-- most were born on May 17th--welsh harlequin with some crossed with Buff.. Anyways, the babies and some of the adults are let out of the barn at least twice a day to run in the field and eat grass and pick bugs and splash in either a bath tub ( the water is changed quite often ) and just "be ducks." They are not left outside by them selves due to predators, but are allowed to run for a few hours in the morning and evening... Yesterday evening everyone was happy and healthy and running around.. This morning one of the ducklings was not following his buddies, but would run off into the weeds and try to hide.. I thought it weird, so he was put in a crate with water and food and I went in the main barn and cleaned everything and bleached the concrete floors and any of the feeders and waters associated with those particular ducks and ducklings in case it might be something contagious.. I rinsed everything thoroughly and then put the healthy ducklings in different living quarters even though their barn had been bleached out..
During the day the duckling sat and appeared to sleep most of the day, and when awake seemed to stare in space, and not move.. We looked him over carefully and he does not seem to be eating or drinking, we did manage to get him to swallow a couple drops of water and a couple nibbles of food.. When we looked at his eyes they have a milky color, and we are not sure he can see properly...He is lethargic and doesn't basically move.. he doesn't seem to have respitory problems, he does not seem to have diarrhea --I don't think... We are wondering if he might have eaten a poison plant, as he was fine last night and not fine in the morning...Any thoughts??
I admit I am newer to ducks( I did have some years ago, but still do not have much experience) Anyways, we have a few duckings-- most were born on May 17th--welsh harlequin with some crossed with Buff.. Anyways, the babies and some of the adults are let out of the barn at least twice a day to run in the field and eat grass and pick bugs and splash in either a bath tub ( the water is changed quite often ) and just "be ducks." They are not left outside by them selves due to predators, but are allowed to run for a few hours in the morning and evening... Yesterday evening everyone was happy and healthy and running around.. This morning one of the ducklings was not following his buddies, but would run off into the weeds and try to hide.. I thought it weird, so he was put in a crate with water and food and I went in the main barn and cleaned everything and bleached the concrete floors and any of the feeders and waters associated with those particular ducks and ducklings in case it might be something contagious.. I rinsed everything thoroughly and then put the healthy ducklings in different living quarters even though their barn had been bleached out..
During the day the duckling sat and appeared to sleep most of the day, and when awake seemed to stare in space, and not move.. We looked him over carefully and he does not seem to be eating or drinking, we did manage to get him to swallow a couple drops of water and a couple nibbles of food.. When we looked at his eyes they have a milky color, and we are not sure he can see properly...He is lethargic and doesn't basically move.. he doesn't seem to have respitory problems, he does not seem to have diarrhea --I don't think... We are wondering if he might have eaten a poison plant, as he was fine last night and not fine in the morning...Any thoughts??
