Losing Muscovies - One-by-one - Help Needed

[psittacinekane]

Hello,

Need some help from some duck forum members...I'm losing my muscovies for some reason, and I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong? or if they've been eating the wrong food? Help!

Symptoms are as follows:

- Duck sits listless for 12 hours, doesn't join the rest of the free-ranging mixed flock
- Beak-open panting
- Feces appear to be just water (which isn't surprising really, because the two that I've lost to date don't eat once this happens)
- I find the duck in the pen dead and unmarked the next morning

They are about 4 months old, and on scratch grain, catch frogs, live 12 hours a day in our pond. They also scrounge plenty of growena off the turkeys.

Anyone care to give it a shot?

 

[xfilesnumber1fan]

Sounds just like my duck I just took to the vet..I thought she might have a sore on her foot that was causing it but the vet said no she had a fever of 109 it was brought down now to 104 which is good and I brought her home she is on medication and we just have to wait to see if she pulls through the vet dont know why, the blood work should be in tomorrow...If I had not brought her in when I did the vet said the fever would have killed her,I couldnt even tell she had a fever...

 

[psittacinekane]

No clue what this is from the vet?

Anyway, I've cross-posted this (as I think this might have been the wrong category), and put it into "Sickness/Illness/Injury" to see if I get a response that might save another of my flock.

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
I haven't been here very long but I would say crossposting duck illnesses is the right thing to do. I didn't get any hits when I posted in the other forum but got help here. Though I have seen other duck stuff get hits there and not here

Please let us know what you find out. I wish I had something to offer.

 

[FenDruadin]

I wish I could help, but I don't have a clue. Could it be something infectious, and they're just getting it one by one? I would definitely quarantine any bird that begins to show symptoms. A good cleaning & (as much as possible) disinfection of their living area might not hurt either, in case there is something in the bedding or water containers that is spreading. It is odd, though, that it's one-by-one--if it were infectious, you would expect it to be one by one at first, but then for several to get it at once.

How many have you lost so far? How far apart are the illnesses? How many total do you have?

You could take one to the vet for a post-mortem--might be helpful. Or you could perform one yourself per Dave Holderread's instructions in Storey's Guide, but you'd have to have a pretty strong resolve.

I'm awfully sorry this is happening. It must be very discouraging. I wish I were more help.

 

[psittacinekane]

I've lost 2 to date (identical behaviour prior to death). I think I will try to post this next one myself, assuming I can't save it and the worst happens.

It's such a shame, as I'd always heard these ducks were so hardy. The Pekins are not the same...while they don't seem susceptible to this, they are so standoffish when compared to my friendly Muscovies, so this hurts.

I had a small flock of 6 that I got as day-olds. I'm now down to 4 now, with another one sickening. One day they're fine, the next not so fine. I lost the previous one 2 days ago.

The water is changed on a daily basis, although they're only in there overnight, and let out to range early morning 'til late evening when they all put themselves to bed and have dinner. Just to double-check...they can eat turkey Purina growena, right? (this is sort of a moot point, as they also munch on flies, frogs, catfood, plants, etc.).

If they were getting into something bad in the pond, one would think the Pekins and Embdens (whom they are housed and flock with) would have it too, right?

Totally confuzzled.

 

[FenDruadin]

I wish I could help. I have no idea. I just hope it's nothing contagious, and that the rest of your ducks end up being fine. A post-mortem is a good idea, and maybe a call in to your vet? It would be such a shame to lose them all.

I hope someone chimes in with actually helpful information.

 

[psittacinekane]

I posted the last duck I lost and could find absolutely NO abnormalites. The liver was good colour, the lungs perfect, the gizzard and crop however were almost completely empty. Intestinal tracts had faecal matter (not a lot). The body cavity itself contained nothing that looked as if it were pus-filled or infected. All birds that have died have been of good weight.

There is now one floating dead on the pond...and it was fine this morning. Two more are looking to leave this earth.

I am completely baffled. I called the feed supply and made certain (for the 3rd time) that the grain and feed I have been supplying to the birds is 100% free of medication for blackhead), etc. The water supply in their pen is freshen daily, and they're free-ranging everyday with the geese and Pekins and chooks.

What would be going so wrong that only the Muscovies are dying? What type of infection/virus (?) is so virulent that the birds would be fine at 11:00 am. and dead at 4:00pm? This last one looks as tho it was in the midst of having a bath when it simply gave up the ghost...

Additionally, nothing...not the chickens, turkeys, geese or Pekins are affected by ANY of this.

 

[Le Canard de Barbarie]

Does your pond have a lot of muck in the bottom? When you stir the muck, is there evidence of anerobic activity? Has the water level dropped any? Is there reasonable flow? Is your pond shallow? Is the water warm? Any dead or dying vertebrates/invertebrates and/or plants in the pond? Moldy food?

I'm driving at avian botulism.

 

[taraann81]

Quote:
Possibly but don't you think the pekins and geese would be effected?