Sick duck?

[Lemonade]

We just adopted a 5 month old duck who does not seem healthy, but we aren’t sure what is wrong. She has eye discharge, barely moves, can’t fully stand up while walking - which causes her tail to drag - and shows no interest in eating or drinking unless we pour water into her beak. Previously she was being attacked by the males in her flock (she was the only female). Was this caused by an infection or possibly stress from her previous living conditions? And how can we help make her healthy again?

 

[Canadian Wind]

The poor dear! Yeah, stress can certainly make her sick. And it sounds like she has other issues, too. If you have an avian vet, I would recommend taking her for a full check up.

I would certainly put her on Nutritional Yeast to up her niacin. There's also a vitamin B complex that you can give her, but I forget the name/kind @Quatie probably knows better than me. I'd also switch her to a higher protein food.

Is that a deeper tub or container in the second picture? She'll need that to dunk her head fully.

Welcome to BYC. I'm confident that others with more experience than me will be able to give you better advice!

 

[CoriM]

She looks like a pekin - these ducks are notorious for needing extra niacin while growing or they can develop a lot of problems walking. I would get her on liquid vitamin B complex ASAP - give her 1 ml a day, over treats, or carefully injected into her mouth along the side of her throat. You can get this at a feed store usually, Tractor Supply, or on Amazon. I wouldn't force water down her throat. Give her a deeper and bigger water dish so that she can dip her whole head into it. Have you had her swimming yet? You can get a kiddie pool and lift her in and out for swim time - that would be good exercise for her legs, and I'm sure she would drink then as well. Do you have other ducks she will eventually be friends with? Ducks are not solitary and need a flock - in her case an all female flock would be best so as not to traumatize her again with over-mating. Do you have a duck specific food you're feeding her? That will have the best nutrition as you try to bring her back up to speed and get her well. It was great that you adopted her and care about giving her a good life!!

 

[Quatie]

It is likely a niacin deficiency. I would recommend high vitamin b complex. You can get it at TSC. It says injectable, but you can just give it orally. You give it 1 ml a day until the symptoms are gone. The longer they have had a niacin deficiency, the longer it takes to heal.

I would also get rooster booster poultry cell as well and give 1ml a day. It has a lot of other great vitamins and minerals in it and has helped a lot of ducks. It can also be found at TSC.

You can admininister over a treat, but I personally recommend orally over that. You get a more accurate dosage that way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

I would also recommend water therapy. Letting it swim in deep water. You will need to keep an eye on it in there depending on how well the duck can swim. But the water will help with its eye as well.

You can also rinse it's eye out with saline and help prevent any infection.

 

[Lemonade]

The poor dear! Yeah, stress can certainly make her sick. And it sounds like she has other issues, too. If you have an avian vet, I would recommend taking her for a full check up.

I would certainly put her on Nutritional Yeast to up her niacin. There's also a vitamin B complex that you can give her, but I forget the name/kind @Quatie probably knows better than me. I'd also switch her to a higher protein food.

Is that a deeper tub or container in the second picture? She'll need that to dunk her head fully.

Welcome to BYC. I'm confident that others with more experience than me will be able to give you better advice!

Yes we did give her a deeper tub and thankfully she has started to eat and drink by herself. I gently rinsed out her eyes with water and that seemed to help a bit. I’ll see if there are any avian vets in the area, but we do have some extra brewer’s yeast at home so I’ll try adding some to her food. Thank you for the advice!

 

[Lemonade]

It is likely a niacin deficiency. I would recommend high vitamin b complex. You can get it at TSC. It says injectable, but you can just give it orally. You give it 1 ml a day until the symptoms are gone. The longer they have had a niacin deficiency, the longer it takes to heal.

I would also get rooster booster poultry cell as well and give 1ml a day. It has a lot of other great vitamins and minerals in it and has helped a lot of ducks. It can also be found at TSC.

You can admininister over a treat, but I personally recommend orally over that. You get a more accurate dosage that way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

I would also recommend water therapy. Letting it swim in deep water. You will need to keep an eye on it in there depending on how well the duck can swim. But the water will help with its eye as well.

You can also rinse it's eye out with saline and help prevent any infection.

Thank you so much!

 

[Lemonade]

She looks like a pekin - these ducks are notorious for needing extra niacin while growing or they can develop a lot of problems walking. I would get her on liquid vitamin B complex ASAP - give her 1 ml a day, over treats, or carefully injected into her mouth along the side of her throat. You can get this at a feed store usually, Tractor Supply, or on Amazon. I wouldn't force water down her throat. Give her a deeper and bigger water dish so that she can dip her whole head into it. Have you had her swimming yet? You can get a kiddie pool and lift her in and out for swim time - that would be good exercise for her legs, and I'm sure she would drink then as well. Do you have other ducks she will eventually be friends with? Ducks are not solitary and need a flock - in her case an all female flock would be best so as not to traumatize her again with over-mating. Do you have a duck specific food you're feeding her? That will have the best nutrition as you try to bring her back up to speed and get her well. It was great that you adopted her and care about giving her a good life!!

We do have some tubs she can swim/dunk her head in and waterfowl specific feed from TSC. And we do have another female duck, but decided to keep them separate until she gets healthier. Thank you for the suggestions! I will try to go to TSC as soon as possible.

 

[Lemonade]

It is likely a niacin deficiency. I would recommend high vitamin b complex. You can get it at TSC. It says injectable, but you can just give it orally. You give it 1 ml a day until the symptoms are gone. The longer they have had a niacin deficiency, the longer it takes to heal.

I would also get rooster booster poultry cell as well and give 1ml a day. It has a lot of other great vitamins and minerals in it and has helped a lot of ducks. It can also be found at TSC.

You can admininister over a treat, but I personally recommend orally over that. You get a more accurate dosage that way.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

I would also recommend water therapy. Letting it swim in deep water. You will need to keep an eye on it in there depending on how well the duck can swim. But the water will help with its eye as well.

You can also rinse it's eye out with saline and help prevent any infection.

Is there a specific saline that you recommend, or do you usually make it at home?

 

[Quatie]

Is there a specific saline that you recommend, or do you usually make it at home?

I just make it at home. Any saline solution you make at home should work. It is to help sooth the eye and clean it out. The lack of mobility is likely preventing the duck from properly cleaning it's eyes and nares.

 

[ruthhope]

Is there a specific saline that you recommend, or do you usually make it at home?

You can buy saline sachets from a pharmacy that are prepared to use for sinus washouts with a neti pot. Mix one sachet with one cup of previously boiled and cooled water for eye wash outs.

Alternatively you can make your own solution with kitchen salt. Dissolve 1 teaspoon kitchen/table salt in 1 cup of previously boiled and cooled water.
It/s often easier to administer if you wrap the duck in a towel and then hold against you with one arm leaving both hands free to hold the head. Use a plastic syringe -- just the plastic no needle -- to flush the eye with saline