Sick Duck

[Betina Courtens]

Hello,

I have noticed for a couple of weeks that my one male duck is acting differently. I was hoping itnwas duck depression and the warm weather would cheer it up.
It recently has started to decreased drinking and eating and follows behind its flock more slowly. Its head sits more low than the others. Not drooping but his chest seems larger. I picked him up last night and he was very docile. He did not seem to like me touching his neck and I wonder if that is the issue. He also does not quack much anymore. Ive reached out to a vet. Waiting for a call back. I put it in the tub and it did not play. I noticed it opened its mouth a couple of times no quacking. Some louder breath sounds and one eye with minimal crustys. Respiratory infections maybe?

 

[Betina Courtens]

No we can’t see the video. Is there something wrong with his neck?

I sm wondering if he has something stuck. He is drinking now but rubs his head down on his neck. I cannot feel anything like with my chickens. I am going to show up at the vets and hope she will see me before she leaves for the farms today.

 

[Betina Courtens]

She thinks it's probably an upper respiratory infection but could not say specifically what organism. So I have it seperated with a stuffed duck toy. Its a corn and pellet mix.

 

[Betina Courtens]

SO he is drinking up a storm but not eating... I ground up some greens and meal worms into his water with electrolytes. I tried some scrambled eggs and bananas too. He has made a mess but doesn't seem to have anything but water in his poop. His spirts are better. He hisses at me and bites at me now which is an improvement to being docile. His posture is better but he still is moving his neck like he is cleaning but I don't think its that. I massaged his neck last night incase something was in there. The vet didn't see anything. I tried putting food into his mouth and he would just shake it out. I am going to try some oat meal maybe. I am wondering is anyone else has ideas of items I can put into his water to maybe get some calories into him? I tried soggy bread and he didn't touch it. I have a stuffed animal in his area too. Unfortunately, I had a little duck but my daughter took it back.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When my Runner was sick I ended up tube feeding her it's not hard at all to do and can sure get them feeling much better. You'll need to get some baby bird food and the material for doing the tube feeding but it's so worth it to get them feeling good enough to eat on their own.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/ he may just need a jump start. Add poultry vitamins to his drinking water and a probiotic because antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria.

 

[ruthhope]

Awe poor sad little drake. I hope having female company will cheer him up quickly

Sadly, it looks like you will have to do something about the sex structure of your flock. I had 4 rescues that could not be released to the wild. All had been together from being a few days to a week old. Three drakes and a muscovy female. The drakes started picking on the female about last November. Not trying to have sex, but excluding her from food and water and generally being mean. By Christmas I realised I would have to rehome her. She is now happily integrated into my son's pekin flock - he had one drake and two females. Little muscovy is actually ruling the roost with the two pekin females, which is somewhat surprising as she was the underdog with my ducks and she is so much smaller than them.

It should not be difficult to rehome your female as there is demand for females.

Without the female complicating relationships, your drakes will likely settle down although they will have a pecking order and one of them has to be at the bottom. I use a dog crate in the coop to reintroduce a duck to the flock. I always know when the dog crate is needed because of bullying as the unhappy drake stands outside the door to the coop at dusk and wont go inside. I currently have a pekin drake sleeping in a dog crate in the coop. He can cope outside during the day when he can run away from pecking. He was not happy sleeping in the house at night: he wanted the company of the meanie drakes. Within a week he has started going into the coop on his own and dashing inside the dog crate, with me following to close the door.

 

[Betina Courtens]

First poop with some color in it that I have seen. Bringing the lady in seems to have brightened his spirts a little.

 

[Betina Courtens]

I would say I noticed a difference about 2 weeks ago. At that time it was still eating and drinking just a little slower. Today is the forst day I noticed it with the group but isn't drinking as much or foraging. I even tried meal worms and frozen beans. Ill try and get a better picture him. I attached a video of him walking

Very pretty Cayuga ducks! I'm sorry one of them is not feeling well. How many drakes do you have? What do you feed them, including treats? Do they always have water available throughout the day? Have you noticed any fighting in the flock? I hope your vet calls back soon. If you want to post a video, you'll need to upload the video to YouTube or a similar site and share a link to the video here.

My vet travels to farms but I am going ro show up at her office when it first opens to try and see her. At first I thought they were all drakes but one doesn't have the curl. No fighting. Fingers crossed she will see me.

 

[Betina Courtens]

Went to vets office and was given Tylon and Meloxicam for pain. Seems a little more perky today after being separated. Still is not eating so I mixed some cornmeal into the water. Its very fine so I am hoping it stays suspended in the water. I also put some soggy bread down with fresh veggies and meal worms. My fingers are crossed!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hopefully, you'll start seeing improvement quick. Keep us updated.