Possible Impacted Crop

[docg]

Hello everyone

I wanted to check with everyone before I go on worrying to much. I have 13 baby duckling at 3 week of age now. Well we went away for the weekend and instructed a neighbor to water and feed my babies. When my wife went out to feed the babies they acted like they have not eaten for days. So she got them out and fed them and a few minutes later their neck looked like they and bigger than golf balls in them and they were twisting there neck side to side. I asked my wife if their necks looked like that before she started feeding them or after and she could not remember. I called the neighbor and he said that he fed them but they would not eat so a asked him what he fed them and he filled there bowls with grit and that was it. SO I am not sure if they ate the grit all weekend and that their crops are full of grit or if they just ate so fast and so much that it is full of food. Should I be worried?

David

 

[threehorses]

Go out first thing in the morning before they eat more and check their crops. (Take the feed away tonight.) Sounds like they just gorged on feed. The crop should be nearly empty if not empty.

Let us know what you find.

Incidentally, it's a darn good thing they didn't run out of water. Learn from my very bad experience: ducklings will knock or "dabble" all of their water out. When they run out and you replace the water, sometimes they drink til they die. It's horrible. So if you have to reintroduce feed or water, do it very slowly. Let them have some, then pick it up for a minute. Let them have more, pick it up, etc until you can leave it down for good.

Make sure they both drink AND eat when you do that, too.

 

[docg]

Just wanted to let everyone know that I let them all out this morning and they are all doing great.

 

[threehorses]

Oh, well that's a relief!! Thank you for letting us know.

I'm just really terrified to leave for even a weekend because of the same thing. My mom used to take care of my birds when I went on vacation and she was absolutely dependable: she saw it as a treat. But now that she's passed, who can I trust, ya know?

I'm glad this turned out well! Enjoy those silly little babies. They're adorable to watch!