Sneezing and nasal discharge from a duckling

[lankava]

i got some duckling a few weeks ago I noticed one of them sneezing and has nasal discharge. I’m getting kind of concerned and I texted a vet tech I know, so we will see what she says but does anyone have any suggestions? Do I take them to a vet? Is there any at home remedies?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Is the discharge clear? or yellow and thick? when do you notice the discharge? having trouble breathing? Is the duckling eating drinking and acting like the other ducklings meaning running around. Pics of your brooder set up and temp in the brooder.
Can you give us info on how you are keeping them and what your feeding including and supplements and also treats if you're giving any.

 

[lankava]

Is the discharge clear? or yellow and thick? when do you notice the discharge? having trouble breathing? Is the duckling eating drinking and acting like the other ducklings meaning running around. Pics of your brooder set up and temp in the brooder.
Can you give us info on how you are keeping them and what your feeding including and supplements and also treats if you're giving any.

This discharge is clear. I put them on my lap sometimes with a heated blanket under so they keep warm that’s when I’ve noticed the sneezing and discharge dripping from her nostrils right after sneezing. And While on my lap I’ve noticed that two of them open and close their bills we thought they might be too hot from the heated blanket so we turned it off and that seemed to help with that but not the sneezing. She’s acting perfectly fine. I’ll try to insert some pics of their brooder but we just moved them to a bigger brooder in our garage yesterday but before we had them inside with basically the same set up just no heat lamp and smaller space. We were feeding feeding them duck and goose starter but we just ran out so we are feeding them chick starter which we were told was fine. And we do let them outside while we watch them so who knows what they peck at and eat out there. But I noticed the sneezing a few days ago but kinda shook it off I didn’t think it was anything to worry about until I looked it up

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is a nice setup. I will say right off those chick feeders are not good for ducklings they grow so fast and get to where they can't get their bill into them for eating. They need water deep enough to wash their faces real good to keep their eyes and nares cleaned out.
You'll need to offer some type of niacin since your are now using chick starter since it doesn't have the amount of niacin waterfowl need to have strong legs. You don't want a niacin deficiency
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
as for the drainage could it be from just drinking water? sometimes when we pick them up and mush on their chest a little water will come out of their nares. If it's clear and no other symptoms like mouth breathing or off feed and lethargic then you probably don't
need worry. You can get some Vet RX at the feed store and put a dry swipe across the nares. In other words you don't want it running into the nares This is like Vick vapor rub for humans also add some ACV with mother in the drinking water. 1 Tab per gallon. it's kind of like an antibiotic in that it can kill certain bacteria. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned then a vet would be the best course of action because an antibiotic might be needed.

 

[lankava]

Thank you so much!! We will definitely get a different feeder then and I do have a deep tray of water for them it’s in the corner but I didn’t get it in the picture. And the chick starter is just temporary until we can get to the feed store probably today. I’ll check out the vet rx and ACV. Also is Poly•Vi•Sol any good for them? Again thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think your better off getting a vitamin formulated for poultry. Since the vitamins will be in the correct portion to what they need. Poultry Nutri Drench is a good one also Durvet makes a vitamin for poultry. I'm sure there are many others. If you notice any of your ducklings showing symptoms of leg weakness then even if feeding a duckling specific feed [it can happen that the feed still isn't helping to curb Niacin deficiency] could be the duckling isn't able to assimilate the niacin in the feed correctly. We see it where one duckling out of many will end up with a niacin deficiency. That link I gave you gives the best way to treat.

 

[lankava]

I think your better off getting a vitamin formulated for poultry. Since the vitamins will be in the correct portion to what they need. Poultry Nutri Drench is a good one also Durvet makes a vitamin for poultry. I'm sure there are many others. If you notice any of your ducklings showing symptoms of leg weakness then even if feeding a duckling specific feed [it can happen that the feed still isn't helping to curb Niacin deficiency] could be the duckling isn't able to assimilate the niacin in the feed correctly. We see it where one duckling out of many will end up with a niacin deficiency. That link I gave you gives the best way to treat.

Hey I couldn’t import the video but one of my ducks was panting while on my lap again and she also started to sneeze today. We got some vet rx so I’m hoping everything will be fine in a few days

 

[Miss Lydia]

You can also put in their water.. Are their nares clean? I wouldn't do the ACV and the Vet RX together.
Things that can make them sneeze, dusty feed and bedding having clogged nares from not washing out their nares.