please help my pekin duckling toby

[quakingtons]

I got two pekin ducklings about 4 days ago and they are now about a week old. One was smaller then the other and much more tired, I took him back and they told me that je was just tired from his trip because he was only 2 days old. He was acting fine after a day and eating as much as the other but then he started sneezing...at forst it qas every so often and now it is all the time, he is now breathing with his mouth open and a clicking noise happens whenever he breathes. He doeant breath faster, but I'm lost in what to do. I bought him antibiotics but nothing has changed...I don't want him to die

 

[quakingtons]

P.S. He still has a lot of energy and eats/drinks regularly.

 

[Amiga]

Does the little one have a way to wash his entire head? Lots of stuff can go into their nares (nostrils) and they need to be able to snoot it out with water. They can get infections from that, but I suspect your little just has plugged nares.

I would let them have 5 or 10 minutes in a bath about 80 to 85 degrees F. You will probably see them blow bubbles and squirt water through their nares. Be sure to watch them very closely, and after several minutes, take them out and put them back into a warm dry brooder. You may want to lightly dry them off with a dry washcloth.

Have you seen this?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/750869/raising-and-caring-for-ducklings#post_10611711

It includes information about setting up a head washer.

 

[quakingtons]

Its just so confusing because someone else said it migjt be pneumonia and to avoid bath time. I hope that's not correct. He is sneezing less this morning, but has watery green poop. Thank you for your help!

 

[Amiga]

Since I am not a vet and cannot see the little, I can only offer you my suggestions based on what I have seen in my flock and what I have read on the forum.

In fact, a good duck vet is best. And many of us don't have that option, I know.

Pneumonia is not out of the question. At the same time, a very very common problem with ducklings and new duckling caregivers is that their nares get plugged up, and if not cleared soon enough, can lead to infections.

If you use warm water (as I wrote earlier, 80 to 85 degrees F) just deep enough to reach their bellies for five minutes, and then get them right back into a warm enough, clean and dry enough brooder, and make sure they are dried off, your risk of chills and pneumonia is low.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

X2

And sometimes that poo is normal. Ducklings have very nasty poo.

 

[quakingtons]

Tjank you! You're right I can't find many vets that can help but your advice is very helpful, he is so warm I don't see how it could be pneumonia. I'm going to put both of them in the bathtub today and let you know how he is doing. Do you know anything about tetracycline? My feed store recommended I use that of it gets worse.

 

[quakingtons]

I'm not sure of it os because his sister has poop that looks much different, I guess it might be because she eats a lotof food all day. Thank you guys!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Just remember, warm and short bath. In sorry, but I've never used any antibiotics here with my ducks so have no info to offer, other than to simply say that personally, I would not use antibiotics unless I'd seen a vet who agreed they were needed. But that's me.

 

[wlightning3]

Lots of good info here.