Rescue ducks, need some guidance please

[HeritageFan]

Photos to follow; we are driving away w the ducks and they are headed to better homes once they are ready....

They had a nice, large area under cover, supposed to be 1-2 years old, 2 runners and 7 Welsh Harlequin, all hens.

The previous owner has fallen on hard times + health issues.... we were just happy to get them out of the 6ish” of poop

Nares were full, beaks caked w mud, that part was easy as they cleared those issues up w a deep bowl of water in the crate when we took a stop on the way back.

Their breasts and bellies are sooo caked w mud and manure, I really can’t check there for mites/ lice. Vents are not much better. Can I check under their wings?

I see they they appear to have scaly leg mites. I believe Vaseline is a good way to treat that (lmk if I’m wrong!)

Also, they have major crusties on the feathers below their eyes.
No one is sneezing, after an hour in the car.... I’m thinking it was more due to lack of water / insufficient water depth. ? I did see some foam at the corners of the eyes of those that I tried to check out a little more closely to figure out what was going on w their faces... not much foam. But I saw it.
Seller stated that she lost her drake to a raccoon in the fall, sooo I don’t think it was over breeding :/ but the lack of sneezing gives me hope that it’s not a persistent URI

I will set up a quarantine area well away from the rest of the birds. I plan to pull them out, one at a time, give them a warm water bath to try to break up the sh*t on their bellies, check feet as I go.

I’m so glad they are in good hands.
Any thoughts are very welcome!

 

[sourland]

Provide them with swimming water, and they will clean themselves up. I have never seen ducks with scaly leg mites. Hopefully someone will comment on that. Well done on rescuing them.

 

[HeritageFan]

I ran out of daylight, so had to put them into the quarantine pen without a warm bath until tomorrow-
They have ample food, and fresh water deep enough to continue to clean their nares
They have a clean pool, a run, and a separate water source w electrolytes for the the morning.
I hope @sourland is right, and they will be able to clean themselves up w a pool and fresh water.
If they need more help, I’ll be able to do baths and deeper checking for mites etc by late morning. I definitely saw lifted scales on the feet of a few, but I’m not sure if it the conditions that were the cause, or scaly leg mites.
So glad I bought a spare pool at the “end of the season”!

Pix were more focused on the issues on their faces; the matted feathers are more of an issue w the Welshies.
The (black and white) runners look a lot better than the welshies

 

[WoDia]

They’re all so pretty and very lucky to have you caring for them. Good wishes for them in their forever homes.

 

[HeritageFan]

So, a week of completely freezing temps set us back a fair bit
No swimming available, just constant access to feed (layena corn/ soy free), fresh water in frequently warmed/ swapped bowls deep enough to clean nares, and a more shallow waterer w rooster booster added.
It’s been a bear to keep bedding dry in my temporary “coop” but I’ve done my best.

When they had been having consistent access to swimming water, most that looked like they had “wet feather” or at least were not getting dry- almost all of them really seemed to be improving (after I got all the mud and literal sh*t off of their feathers).

Then came a week of temps below freezing, and they are still better than they were, but not at all like my own ducks.
They aren’t getting wet through and through, but they look pretty rough on the outside

Soooo
I did some close looking and found evidence of mites in their vents.
Their oil glands do “express” a bit on my fingers, but I’m not sure what they should be like.... Theirs are extremely hard, but do pass off some oil when I rub them.

I’ll compare what I saw to my other ducks
.....after I go change everything I have on

- any suggestions as to what I can use to treat these mites for these ducks that are improving, but still terrified of me?
.....multiple times a day is possible but they would prefer something less stressful...
- should I do a warm water and dawn bath to help w the oil glands, or wait a few days w a return to normal bathing and give the bath to anyone who doesn’t seem to be improving?
Does the dawn bath do anything for the mites?
- should I keep them in their (as dry as I can make it) shelter when it’s pouring, which is not infrequent up here?
- do I need to also treat my other ducks, even though they are a good 100’ apart in their runs?
- what about the turkeys? Do I need to treat them as well? They are much further away.
..... or just inspect everyone else?

I try to do their pen last, but have not been practicing clean quarantine protocols strictly TBH w the weather chaos

Most are missing feathers around their eyes as the crusties around their eyes has been coming off. Warm compresses and patience helps, but the feathers still seem to go away, even if I don’t damage them in the process. There are still one or two w crusties that are tooooo freaked out by the compress process to have pushed during the freeze....

Photos are of the kids in the quarantine pen. A group shot post the first bath in days - it’s pretty warm but also rainy, an oil gland, and a couple of vents/ what I believe to be mite “dust”.

No sneezing. No foam at the eyes. Poo looks normal (for ducks). Working on some minor foot issues but there is nothing horrible left after I started working on the owies several weeks ago. Leg scales have smoothed out, I’ve just been using bag balm on their legs and that all looks better. I figured it wouldn’t hurt, and maybe it helped.

Thank you all in advance for your insight
@R2elk
@Eggcessive
@Miss Lydia
@TwoCrows
@aart
@dawg53

 

[HeritageFan]

I understand that no one has replied, which is fine. I did some more digging around here.

I’m going to keep updating this thread in hopes that in may help someone else in the future. Happy if someone else weighs in, but, also happy to share what I learn as I go w this new to me challenge.

I plan to treat every fowl on the property w ivermectin pour on, 0.1 ml per 2 pounds of weight per bird, repeat in 7-10 days - even though the turkeys and other ducks show no symptoms.
I’d like to be ahead of it, and not have a future problem!
It is too wet to treat coops at this time.

The meat and egg withdrawal period for the ivermectin is not a problem rn; no one is laying, and we don’t plan to process any birds soon.

I’ll go w Elector PSP in 6 mos if the ivermectin does the job for now; no egg or meat withdrawal period from what I’ve read, so, I’d prefer to use that in the summer when egg production is high.

I have pyrethrum dust on hand, but, everything is so wet from the crazy weather.... I don’t see that it makes sense to use it rn. Not for the birds, or in the coops.
Idk if it would make sense to add to the dust baths for the turkeys.... but I’m not going to do that rn unless someone can tell me it’s a good idea.
It would be great in the summer.... but. We are in the PNW and the winter is a LOT different than the summers.
Even the most secure/ raised coops are just. Between damp and wet. At the end of every night (in the morning).

Deep bedding isn’t a good option here; I just strip and replace bedding often. It’s a pain, but, it keeps the birds in as healthy an environment as possible.
We use shavings and/ or dry den pellets (depending on the coop, availability, and depending on whether the birds want to eat one or the other type of bedding. Most are fine w either, and the dry den pellets are easier to pick the manure off the top/ stay “fresh” longer IMO)

The runs are a problem to be addressed on a different thread. I can’t keep the mud down rn. My property is very steep, and we have tried many different things for footing. All are still a mess.

I got the ivermectin pour on this evening at my local feed store. Will apply tomorrow once it’s daylight.

It will be a bit to apply to 35 birds- 9 rescue ducks, 6 of our ducks, and 20 turkeys.... but. Christ hates a coward
I can clip all of their wings, so, I expect this process to be easier than that!

 

[Waddlewoods]

Would love to know how it went with your rescues! I just picked one up tonight and he looks similar.
As the girl was bringing her to my car she says "he just needs a little fresh water, his run is just mud". To me I don't think he's seen water deep enough to clean his nares in some time as they are black. He's eating and drinking fine. I got home after dark so for now he is in quarantine in my basement with deep drinking water and ACV. I was planning to take him outside in the morning before letting my ducks out and giving him a bath in a separate pool. If I dump the water and my flock later goes in that area will they get sick or get mites if that's what's going on?

 

[HeritageFan]

Sorry I am just seeing this!
If he has mites, yes, he will share them with the rest of your flock if you introduce him before treatment.

Mites are typically easy to spot- flip him over on your lap and check his vent area. They are also sometimes evident near their ears.

Search here to find more articles on identification and treatment of mites if you see them.... sorry I’m on the run this morning and can’t look / link rn but I’ll try and follow up if I find it.

I used topical ivermectin, available “for cows” from my local feed store. Dosage should be easy to find here w a quick search as well... it is only a few drops on the base of the neck, every few days, but. Please look for proper dosage if I lose my cell signal before I can post a follow up. I have it all in a notebook at home, but. That doesn’t help me while I’m on the road

If you already have tried to put him w your other ducks, and then find mites, treat your whole crew w the ivermectin.

My rescue crew definitely had feather mites, but, the gunk near their eyes was due to overbreeding + a lack of access to fresh water deep enough to clean their nares.

To deal w the eye crusties, I had to use a warm, fairly wet wash cloth or paper towels, wrap the duck in a towel, hold them on my lap, and hold the “warm compress” as long as they would tolerate it, then wipe off anything that would come loose easily.
There were a few that were so bad, I ended up needing to carefully pull the feathers with the crusties bc it was not letting go.
They looked (not perfect but a lot better) by their next molt.

Once you are sure he doesn’t have mites to share (it’s easier to treat one than a whole group!), it is best to set up a way that he can see the other ducks, but they are not able to get to each other, for at least a couple of days.
It is amazing how fierce duck fights can be! And allowing a “brawl” to start w a future new member of the flock will make the process of introductions -so- much more time consuming and difficult.

Trust me. The pain of figuring out how to let them see each other but protected by a fence, the front of a dog kennel, or any other way that they can see each other without being able to attack each other is well worth the trouble- especially if you happen to have another drake.

Also. If he’s been poorly kept, check his legs and feet.
Does he have black spots on the bottom of his feet?
Is he limping?
You may need to treat for bumblefoot (not contagious but painful and can be a challenge depending on severity).

Does he have scales on top of his feet or on his legs that look lifted, or like there is dirt under the edges of the scales?
If so, he may have scaly leg mites (contagious, treated by cleaning and applying Vaseline to “starve” those mites of air)

I’m glad he’s in a good place now.
Sorry that it will likely be some work to help him be ready to be introduced, but. It will be worth it in the end

How many other ducks do you have?

 

[HeritageFan]

Here is a link to a thread I posted when trying to find answers on this question
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ework-done-need-clarification-please.1609838/

 

[Waddlewoods]

Sorry I am just seeing this!
If he has mites, yes, he will share them with the rest of your flock if you introduce him before treatment.

Mites are typically easy to spot- flip him over on your lap and check his vent area. They are also sometimes evident near their ears.

Search here to find more articles on identification and treatment of mites if you see them.... sorry I’m on the run this morning and can’t look / link rn but I’ll try and follow up if I find it.

I used topical ivermectin, available “for cows” from my local feed store. Dosage should be easy to find here w a quick search as well... it is only a few drops on the base of the neck, every few days, but. Please look for proper dosage if I lose my cell signal before I can post a follow up. I have it all in a notebook at home, but. That doesn’t help me while I’m on the road

If you already have tried to put him w your other ducks, and then find mites, treat your whole crew w the ivermectin.

My rescue crew definitely had feather mites, but, the gunk near their eyes was due to overbreeding + a lack of access to fresh water deep enough to clean their nares.

To deal w the eye crusties, I had to use a warm, fairly wet wash cloth or paper towels, wrap the duck in a towel, hold them on my lap, and hold the “warm compress” as long as they would tolerate it, then wipe off anything that would come loose easily.
There were a few that were so bad, I ended up needing to carefully pull the feathers with the crusties bc it was not letting go.
They looked (not perfect but a lot better) by their next molt.

Once you are sure he doesn’t have mites to share (it’s easier to treat one than a whole group!), it is best to set up a way that he can see the other ducks, but they are not able to get to each other, for at least a couple of days.
It is amazing how fierce duck fights can be! And allowing a “brawl” to start w a future new member of the flock will make the process of introductions -so- much more time consuming and difficult.

Trust me. The pain of figuring out how to let them see each other but protected by a fence, the front of a dog kennel, or any other way that they can see each other without being able to attack each other is well worth the trouble- especially if you happen to have another drake.

Also. If he’s been poorly kept, check his legs and feet.
Does he have black spots on the bottom of his feet?
Is he limping?
You may need to treat for bumblefoot (not contagious but painful and can be a challenge depending on severity).

Does he have scales on top of his feet or on his legs that look lifted, or like there is dirt under the edges of the scales?
If so, he may have scaly leg mites (contagious, treated by cleaning and applying Vaseline to “starve” those mites of air)

I’m glad he’s in a good place now.
Sorry that it will likely be some work to help him be ready to be introduced, but. It will be worth it in the end

How many other ducks do you have?

Thank you!

I have 10 other runner ducks, 2 crested appleyards and 6 calls. Up until now I have always kept a closed flock but I am familiar with integrating new birds as I do with my grow outs when I hatch.

I've always been nervous about bringing in birds from other flocks due to potential issues and of course this happens.

I checked him for mites and couldn't see anything. His legs look great, no bumblefoot. He's perky, friendly and eating and drinking. He loves the swims I gave him today and the crustiness below his eyes and on his bill looks much better. It was definitely bugging him as he kept scratching his face, poor guy!

I'll be keeping him in quarantine for a few weeks. I spoke to the girl I got him from and told her that he's not looking so great and asked how the rest of her birds are. She was very apologetic and said she never noticed. I'm thinking of asking her if she's willing to part with the rest of her ducks. She has beautiful Snowy runners and I hate knowing they are living in such conditions. If she parts with them they can keep this guy company.

Thanks for your insight. I believe him to be relatively healthy but just hasn't had deep water for awhile.