Sick duck—coccidiosis or something else?

[Michelin]

Hello! Our 8 month old Cayuga hen was fine on Monday, and then yesterday morning she suddenly collapsed. She can stand briefly, but can’t walk (collapses forward, then lays with her legs sprawled out behind her). She’s wheezing a little, drinking normally, bright green slimy poop. She can swim so we brought her inside and have been alternating between letting her swim in a storage tote and resting in a crate. She’s eating a little occasionally, but not normally (not interested in treats). She usually free ranges our 3/4 acre backyard with our other 3 ducks (2 other females and one male). She is the same today, and after scouring the Internet and byc especially, I thought I’d go to TSC and buy some corid, some vitamins, and some electrolytes... but with the wheezing would maybe it’s respiratory instead and needs antibiotics? Or maybe that’s just labored breathing because she’s sick! The vet isn’t an option, unfortunately. Oh, and she just started laying a couple of weeks ago, but not every day.

Any advice on next steps?

 

[KaleIAm]

I'm very sorry to hear about your duck. I hope that @Isaac 0 will be able to help you.

In the meantime you might want to start gathering tube feeding supplies if you don't have them. I would weigh her on a gram scale asap, write that down and monitor her weight carefully to determine if you need to tube feed her. I know there is an article about tube feeding, but I can't find it. Hopefully someone else can post that. I used 60ml syringes, tube feeding formula I got from my vet (other members here usually use kaytee baby bird formula) and a red catheter. I also used a headlamp like hikers use to help me see down my ducks throat. I might be forgetting something.

I hope she is feeling better soon.

 

[Isaac 0]

I suggest you start the birds on activated charcoal, then follow up with a round of Baytril. In addition with that, you must maintain hydration, and nutritional levels via tube feeding if they are not willing to eat, or drink. Multiple birds being affected is suggestive the problem is related to an environmental-related problem such as bacterial ingestion, or toxin ingestion which can occur subsequent to eating decaying carcasses, decaying vegetation, moldy feed, and/or maggots.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/

https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Spring-Valley-Activated-Charcoal-520mg-Capsules-60-Count/192114718

 

[KaleIAm]

I just had a thought—my husband was cleaning up the garage and dumped some old chick starter out on the ground. I didn’t think they had touched it (they stopped eating it a few months ago, just turned their beaks up at it so I switched to pellets) but maybe they did and maybe it was moldy!

http://www.duckdvm.com/condition/botulism

 

[Isaac 0]

Is baytril something TSC would carry?

Baytril (Enrofloxacin) can only be obtained online. The dosage is 0.05ml per pound of body weight, given orally, for five days.

If you order with the link I suggested you should be able to get the Baytril in a few days but start the activated charcoal prior to that. Do not give antibiotics, and activated charcoal together.

 

[Isaac 0]

I honestly didn’t think Lemony (the first one) would make it through the night—she was barely holding her head up. But she did. They both seem about the same this morning, maybe a little better. So that’s hopeful. How many days should I do the charcoal?

The Baytril shipped yesterday, 3 day shipping so we’ll see how they are when it gets here.

I would continue it for one, or two more days.

 

[Isaac 0]

@Michelin , could you get your hands on this?



https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/kaytee-bird-exact-handfeeding

Petco and Petsmart should both have it available.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

Do you think it's something they could have all gotten into and eaten? Sorry, I'm not much help here, but I hope your birds get better soon.

 

[Michelin]

I just had a thought—my husband was cleaning up the garage and dumped some old chick starter out on the ground. I didn’t think they had touched it (they stopped eating it a few months ago, just turned their beaks up at it so I switched to pellets) but maybe they did and maybe it was moldy!

 

[KaleIAm]

I’ll just keep her in. I just mixed up some charcoal water for both of them (1tsp/cup). My plan was to let them drink it for awhile, then take it out for the night and leave electrolyte water instead. And then repeat in the morning? The thread about flushes said to do it 6-8 times per day but not how many days, and does “one time” mean they need to drink the whole cup every time?

I'm unfamiliar with the thread about charcoal water, but I doubt my ducks ever drink an entire cup 8 times daily. I'm sure they splash most of it.

The website I posted before says, "Activated charcoal: Administered orally at 1 g/kg of body weight, twice a day for the first 24 to 48 hours."

http://www.duckdvm.com/condition/botulism

Edit: you might consider giving them a bowl of plain water as well in case they don't like the taste of the electrolyte water. At least they will be drinking something.