Little one has a cold?

[Kpatroll]

Hey all!! Paranoid first time Momma again... my little Rouen duckling seems to have a bit of a cold. I have done the warm bath to no avail. I'm not 100% sure how to use this vetrx, as the label and instructions say it for adult ducks. She is eating and drinking fine, running around, playing, and being her usual duckie self, but she is breathing a bit heavy, and sounds congested? It sounds almost like rales (popping sounds between exhale and inhale) there are NO vets in the area that specialize or even see ducks, so that option is out. Her companion has zero symptoms. To caveat, when I purchased her, she always had a runny nose. Now the nose has stopped running (nares and eyes are completely clear, feet and down are unremarkable). She is in a warm, dry brooder that I am literally cleaning every hour on the hour) How do I get her breathing normally again? Am I worrying over nothing?

 

[Isaac 0]

Does she have constant access to nose deep water? If not i would provide some.Fine chick feed can get caught in there throat fairly easily.Birds don't get colds either.

 

[chickens really]

How old are they and is deep enough water provided to dunk it's head. What type of bedding is used?
Don't bath it while it's down. What type of heat source etc..

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC.

It's possible that your duckling has a respiratory infection. If you are worried, you could try giving an antibiotic like Baytril. If you are in the US you can buy Baytril without a prescription here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/baytril-enrofloxacin-sources.74374/

Can you take a video, upload to YouTube or Vimeo, then copy and paste the link here? I would like to see and hear the duckling breathing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Vet RX can be used just put a small amount. So it’s not going inside the nares just a swipe across. @Jpat used it on one of his ducklings I believe. Can you post a video of what the duckling sounds like? You’ll have to put it on you tube or viemo the. Copy and paste it here.

 

[Kpatroll]

They are 15 days old. We use medium pine (was suggested by the place we got them at) they do have access to water they can dip their heads in, and every morning, the bathtub gets filled a bout an inch to run around and clean off in. They are on duckling starter feed that is enhanced with brewers yeast. They have not been introduced to the great outdoors, because some of our trees are snowing cotton. I'll post some pictures when I get home. We WERE using a clamp lamp with a guard that had a 300 bulb, but our house is kept at 75, and the ducks were hiding from it. So we knocked it down to 250, and now are at 125 watt. Their enclosures currently an extra large storage bin but we are upgrading to a much larger pen within the next day or so. Thank you all for responding so quickly!!

 

[Kpatroll]

I will post a video of her when I get home. Right now, the spouse is babysitting so I can do my errands.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Love your avatar

 

[Jpat]

This is what i use @Miss Lydia

i like it alot

 

[chickens really]

I'm thinking too warm and definitely can be outside during warm days. Bathing and possibly provide a bowl of wet soupy feed too.