What disease is this?

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Loopeend

Crowing
Jun 12, 2018
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5 newer ducklings (not from here) soon began to get a some sort of greasy substance around their heads. Their heads are greasy and brown hard chunks are hanging from the feathers.
We haven't seen them have mucus from the nose or ears, and have not seen them have infected eyes. They do sneeze now and then, but not a lot. Water seems to make it itch more.
We went to the bird vet, she tested on mite, lice, and other critters. It was none of those. She didn't know and send pictures of the ducks to the university of birdscience. We are still waiting for an answer.
With so many birdproffesionals here, maybe someone has an idea?

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So this is possibly a silly question, but if you wash it off and then leave one isolated somewhere, perhaps in a crate, does it come back?

I'm just wondering if they got into something and it's just some yuck that needs to be washed off. I've never seen this before.
 
So this is possibly a silly question, but if you wash it off and then leave one isolated somewhere, perhaps in a crate, does it come back?

I'm just wondering if they got into something and it's just some yuck that needs to be washed off. I've never seen this before.

I have gently washed them twice with warm water and a cloth it doesn't come off.
They have been raised in exact the same indoor cage, bedding, food en other conditions as the previous ducklings this year. They previous ducklings were not showing this condition. They haven't been in contact with other ducks here because of this condition. The previous ducklings are from other sellers.
They have it since they arrived. The first 2 days we didn't notice, we thought it might be left over fluid from just coming out of the egg. They are now 2,5 weeks by the way. It doesn't get worse, it doesn't get less, but they are active en otherwise healthy. But they started to get bald in the effected places due to this and/or the scratching.
The seller got angry when I asked him if he knew what it was and if his other ducklings have the same condition, so he is no help.
 
I bet they got gunked up at the seller's place with something. I would try washing it off with some Dawn dish soap or similar, just be careful not to get it in their eyes.

But what? I have seen his hatching case and the case he was keeping the young hatchlings; plastic cage, towel, heating pad, regular young chick food. Nothing they've could gotten gunk from. I have the feeling it is some sort of glandular goo something, the biggest chunks are all hanging under the ears, but the ears are clean. They have started swimming/washing the last 3 days and also no change. They have it a little bit on their backs too, but this might be due to transferring the grease to their backs during washing themselves. Stupid question but.. do ducks have earwax? It kind of reminds me of the really hard chunks of earwax people can get when I was working as a nurse and had to remove earwax. But how does that end up on the whole head?
 
But what? I have seen his hatching case and the case he was keeping the young hatchlings; plastic cage, towel, heating pad, regular young chick food. Nothing they've could gotten gunk from. I have the feeling it is some sort of glandular goo something, the biggest chunks are all hanging under the ears, but the ears are clean. They have started swimming/washing the last 3 days and also no change. They have it a little bit on their backs too, but this might be due to transferring the grease to their backs during washing themselves. Stupid question but.. do ducks have earwax? It kind of reminds me of the really hard chunks of earwax people can get when I was working as a nurse and had to remove earwax. But how does that end up on the whole head?

Yeah, that's why I'm perplexed. I've never seen this before and I tried to do some research on it and didn't find anything.

I would start by washing it off and seeing if it comes back. If it doesn't, I would assume they somehow got into something. If it does come back, then I really don't know. Unless they're messing themselves up with their feed - getting it wet and then it's getting caked onto their heads.
 

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