Very sick duckling; Listless, denying food/water...

[Luminide]

Trying to figure this out. My muscovy duckling is about 2 months old, and over the past 2 weeks has been getting slower and slower to the point that she was trailing about 100 feet behind the rest of the flock. I was just about to take her to the vet when she suddenly started being able to hold her own again and stay with the group. I thought she was getting better.

Tonight, I went to put them away and found her away from the flock, hunched up on the ground like she was sleeping. Wings loose, head tucked, and she did not move or make a sound when i lifted her. She's extremely tame and follows me in favor of the flock, but even doing this without a sound was strange.

She's beside me now in a box, water with applecider vinegar and blankets provided. The feathers above her beak are raised, wings limp, and she's being on and off responsive.

Today the flock did raid a feed bag, eating their fill while I was away. I don't -feel- an impacted crop, but she is moving her head from side to side on her chest. It's hard to tell if its a seizure-like motion or a voluntary motion aimed at pushing at her crop/throat. After a bit of reading, I gave her some vegetable oil hoping it would loosen whatever it is up. It's hard to say how much she actually swallowed.



-Has anyone had a duck with an impacted crop? How did they act?

-Is it plausible for Salmonella to show in only one duck in a flock?

-If anyone knows, what do the seizures related to Salmonella in ducks look like?



Any help at all is appreciated. She's my special girl, the flock wouldn't be the same without her.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, awful news.

While I don't have salmonella experience, it does seem like a possibility. And some ducks are more sensitive to problems than others.

Have you seen this sticky on flushes for toxins? https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

Prayers. And you could also, after the flush, put food grade activated charcoal in her water to help absorb toxins.

I need to turn in soon, but plan to check back later, or tomorrow.

 

[Luminide]

Thanks a ton, Amiga. I was looking for that. I'll put together a flush right now and get ahold of some of that charcoal.

Hope you rest well, and I'll give an update as soon as possible.

 

[Luminide]

I dont think she's going to make it. since i posted she's had neck contractions, stiff legs, and stopped responding. for a full five minutes i held her and thought she was dead. this escalated very, very quickly. i hope someone else can learn from this thread, at the very least.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, no.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So sorry, Bless your heart.