PLEASE HELP! Muscovy duckling with a lump in its neck!

[Amiga]

If she is acting normal otherwise, I would think it is a very full tummy. Whether it is full because she just overate, or whether there is a blockage, I don't know. They have their drinking water with them all the time, right?

 

[Quackers08]

Water with them all the time and it might be because she is small...her behaviour is the same

 

[Amiga]

Sounds like she is doing okay. Please check in and let us know how everyone is doing from time to time. You have a nice little group, there!

 

[Quackers08]

Thanks and i will do. She seems to be doing well and some are starting to grow feathers now

 

[Quackers08]

UPDATE: The duckling I started this thread about was getting on okay but was Extreamly smaller than the other babies. I thought all was okay until I this morning when I put all of the ducklings in a paddling pool to have a wash. After this, I noticed 2 of the ducklings acting strange. This one, and a bigger one. I figured it was best to leave it and see how they get on until I got back from an all day shopping trip. I mean I had a gut feeling the smallest one (this one) wouldn't make it but I thought the other one was sure to progress fine...

Little did I know that when I got home I'd have a rather unpleasant surprise.

I expect you're thinking oh no they both died but it's worse. 3 ducklings were dead when I got home. It was very sad and I have NO idea what is happening to my poor babies. Then I saw it, a fourth duckling was lying on his stomach with his legs stretched out behind him. I picked him up and set him back on his feet and they literally just slid back into the first position. At this point I knew I had to make a choice. Break it's neck or hope for the best over night but leave it possibly suffering and in pain.

I rung up a farm worker of ours and he came to see what he thought and after picking it up, we all realised its neck was at an odd angle. He said it looks like it has strangles (I have no idea what this is. Please help??) and it could have had problems due to excessive imbreading. Could this be true? Could the previous owner bread them with their own relations so much that 4 babies died? I really need some advice. The other 8 seem okay and growing well so could I have any more problems with the rest? It's so horrible to think someone could have caused this.

I did a google search and it came up with a question about imbreading and an answer was that out of a whole 'batch' of ducklings that have been imbreaded, some could be affected in ways like growth problems and such and this sounds true for the one in this thread.

And help is VERY appreciated right now :'(

 

[Amiga]

Very sad to read of your loss.

Could we go over some things again?

What do they eat?

Are they around other animals?

Did they all seem fine until a few days ago?

How old are they again?

You left them in the pool, and they are big enough to get in and out of it by themselves?

 

[veronicasmom]

I don't know if strangles can happen in ducks. Horses can get strangles. It is a VERY contagious, strep based infection. What you described does not sound like equine strangles. But maybe it is different in ducks. You might want to google that and see if it would be a possibility. Maybe there is a strain that can affect waterfowl.
Anyway, so sorry for your losses. That must have been awful.

 

[Quackers08]

Very sad to read of your loss.
Thankyou

Could we go over some things again?

What do they eat?
They are on crumbs and growers but i ran out of growers until sometime next week so now just on crumbs

Are they around other animals?
They are only with their mum in a run

Did they all seem fine until a few days ago?
They seemed fine! The only one i have ever been worried about is the duckling i started this thread about.

How old are they again?
I think they are about 4-5 weeks. Got them at sale so i dont know for certain

You left them in the pool, and they are big enough to get in and out of it by themselves?
They can get in and out by themselves and if one struggles, i take it out as i am always near to put them back in their run

 

[Quackers08]

I don't know if strangles can happen in ducks. Horses can get strangles. It is a VERY contagious, strep based infection. What you described does not sound like equine strangles. But maybe it is different in ducks. You might want to google that and see if it would be a possibility. Maybe there is a strain that can affect waterfowl.
Anyway, so sorry for your losses. That must have been awful.

Thankyou and i have no idea if they can get it. Google wasnt very helpful. Could it be to do with too much imbreading and if so, will the next set of babies be okay if i get a new duck or drake to go with one of these babies? Also, my boyfriends brother had some muscovy ducklings too and if i put one of his drakes with the mother of these babies, will the ofspring be okay?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thankyou and i have no idea if they can get it. Google wasnt very helpful. Could it be to do with too much imbreading and if so, will the next set of babies be okay if i get a new duck or drake to go with one of these babies? Also, my boyfriends brother had some muscovy ducklings too and if i put one of his drakes with the mother of these babies, will the ofspring be okay?

Off spring will be fine if you add a new drake, I am so sorry for your loss, I don't think this is strangles either or at least not the one I googled it was mainly talking about horses. I have always heard you can breed for at least 7 generations but I don't know how accurate that is. Could they have gotten chilled? what is your weather like now, They probably aren't completely feathered yet. Here is a link to duck diseases maybe it will help you http://ezinearticles.com/?Common-Du...oid-Them-From-Affecting-Your-Ducks&id=4958002 figure this out..