The Duck Thread

[Pyxis]

Pics, please?  I think I recall you ordered goslings.  Would love to see them!  

Yes, roman tufteds. I'll get my camera out. They are adorable Goslings have to be my favorite babies hands down.

 

[tracyjg]

Hey guys question we had another bird with the bands badly hurt. Is there another way to mark them.i know there a tattoo kit for rabbits would that mark chickens ducks turkeys ect

 

[Pyxis]

Hey guys question we had another bird with the bands badly hurt. Is there another way to mark them.i know there a tattoo kit for rabbits would that mark chickens ducks turkeys ect

Maybe you should look into wing bands. Or switch to the bandettes I was telling you about. I think maybe you have the wrong size metal leg bands because I have a couple birds from other breeders that have had them their whole lives and have never injured themselves with them. Or do zip ties. They sell numbered zip tie bands.

 

[poultrylover101]

I got some new ducklings they are my first batch of ducks i do have experience with chickens, anyway one of my ducklings have a swollen leg please help me i have no idea what to do?!?

 

[Amiga]

I got some new ducklings they are my first batch of ducks i do have experience with chickens, anyway one of my ducklings have a swollen leg please help me i have no idea what to do?!?

Did a leg band get stuck way at the top of the leg?

Is it warm?

What are they eating?

Brooder temperature?

How many ducklings?

Water 24/7?

 

[poultrylover101]

i have three ducklings, the temperature is around 80 degrees, at the moment they eat chicken scratch, but usually they eat adult chicken food, yes water 24/7, and we do not use bands on our birds

 

[Amiga]

When did this start?

I would get them on starter crumbles a.s.a.p, with a tablespoon of Brewer's yeast (not baking yeast) per cup of food.

Any other symptoms?

You could also make an Epsom salt compress (dissolve E.s. in water, soak a clean rag, wrap the leg). Do not let the little one ingest any Epsom salt . . . it is a laxative! Just use it externally.

Any chance he or she could have been stung? If it's a sting, I would consider using a teeny eeentsy weeeentsy tad of benadryl cream on the leg. Just a weee, weee, bit. (I am not a vet, I have used a tiny wee bit on an adult duck, and I knew it was a sting)

 

[Pyxis]

i have three ducklings, the temperature is around 80 degrees, at the moment they eat chicken scratch, but usually they eat adult chicken food,  yes water 24/7, and we do not use bands on our birds

Amiga will have more input I'm sure, but for now please switch them immediately to chick feed/starter feed. Chicken scratch and adult chicken food do not have the nutrients they need. They need high protein to grow and the calcium in layer feed is actively harmful to ducklings and chicks because they do not need the high amount of calcium found in the feed.

Edit: Amiga beat me

 

[Amiga]

Pyxis makes a good point. This is a bit of a guess, but high calcium could be causing kidney problems which might lead to leg swelling.

In any case, the feed issue could be a bigger deal than one might think.

And with these things, it could be one of a dozen problems..... we just make our best guesses based on the description.

 

[poultrylover101]

btw amiga this started yesterday morning.