Muscovy Duck - scabbing and skin issues

[Raven465]

1. One of our Muscovy ducks has been dealing with scabbing of her caruncle for months. She also had been breathing a little wheezy, but the wheezing has gone away and her scabbing seemed to get better. I thought perhaps it was fowl pox, but it hadn’t spread to the others. Recently, the scabbing came back and the skin under her feathers looks raw and her eye is beginning to foam. It has now spread to 2 other ducks in the flock. What is this? How can I help them? I see no mites/black dots and other than the looks, they’re all very lively and running around the yard.
   
   
   
   

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I tagged you two in the other thread, but suggested this would be better posted in the duck forum.
@Nyla @Miss Lydia

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@Raven465
Hope you get some answers.
What is the duck's water set up like? Do you have other ducks?
If the eye is foaming, you can add apple cider vinegar to water so that it can dunk it's head in. It cleared up another member's muscovy foamy eye problem.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I just zoomed in to the white neck feathers. Are you sure you don't have mites or maybe fleas? I saw a lot of tiny little dots.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do they have access to bathing water? what about their coop set up what are you using for bedding? and do you have any drakes? this could be just roughed up from drakes.

If mites is suspected or lice which water fowl rarely get it they have bathing pools etc. But can still happen. You can use neem oil to spray out their housing change out their bedding before and after spraying add new. Carry the bedding away and dispose of it. They can be treated with poultry dust. or Epernix just like you do dog spot on. Safe for poultry. Foamy eye is treated like Soon 2 B said. 1 Tab of ACV into a gal of drinking water.

 

[Nyla]

The following information can be found here: LINK
Anemia (Iron Deficiency) Anemia is charachterized by loss of color in the Caruncles(red mask around the face). If a Muscovy Ducks is anemic, it's caruncles will become pale & in extreme cases, orange in color. Muscovies that are not on proper diets or allowed to free range are most succeptable to this condition. This problem is easily corrected by allowing the bird(s) to free range, feeding greens & acceptable scraps as often as possible. Wet dog/cat food can also be given to birds suffering from anemia.


Foamy Eye Foamy Eye is just what it sounds like, excessive foaming in the ducks eye. This problem is more common in Drakes, probably due to them having more caruncling than hens, but there's no way to really be sure. It is most commonly caused by lack of bathing & injury to the eye but it can also be brought on by stress & sudden changes in the weather. It is more common in Winter because some ducks bathe less or have less access to bath water during that time. Foamy eye is usually easily fixed by providing clean bath water for the bird(s) & making sure they bathe well.
In some cases, Foamy Eye can be a sign of underlying Illness or Disease. If the bird is not having any other obvious problems such as wheezing, runny nose, coughing or being lethargic then there is probably no cause for concern.

Wet Feather is a condition commonly charachterized by "raggedy" or "torn-up"-looking feathers and also an inability to repel water. Wet Feather is one of the most common problems I have seen & experienced with Muscovy Ducks. It is easily fixable by providing the birds with plenty of clean water to bathe in and a clean, dry living area. Black Oil Sunflower Seeds(BOSS) are also a very good supplement to help restore oil production & make the feathers healthier & more waterproof.

 

[casportpony]

Have you checked for mites and lice?

 

[chickens really]

Google Poultrykeeper.com too..Accurate information on wet feather. An informative read...

 

[katherynmghr2]

My Muscovy is losing his feahers along his neck, what is it and what can I do to stop it?