What disease is this?

[ButteCA]

I was looking online at possible illnesses. I would search for wet feather. I read a little bit about but not much. Seems like it may be worth looking into. Correct me if I’m wrong duck people.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I was looking online at possible illnesses. I would search for wet feather. I read a little bit about but not much. Seems like it may be worth looking into. Correct me if I’m wrong duck people.

I am just not sure that ducklings can get wet feather - but it could definitley be a preening issue and related.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Did the former owner have them with adult ducks?

https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/crusty-duck-heads/

 

[Loopeend]

Honestly I would quarantine it just in case and I would treat for all possible illnesses since it’s unknown. I would tweak its diet,treat for mites and give it a round of antibiotics if possible. Is it just a greasy layer on its feathers or is it affecting the skin? How long after you got it did it become this way? It’s pretty strange though. I would also try to wash it routinely. When my rooster got into it with another rooster he had caked his feathers in mud and it was extremely hard to clean him. I washed that roosters feathers for like two hours before I was satisfied with it. If there isn’t any sort of goop or signs of infection I assume mites are messing with it’s skin and treat for that.

The vet excluded mite/lice/etc, and didn't want to give them antibiotics if it was not sure if it would help. She said antibiotics are very heavy on such young ducks and it could do more harm then good when it turns out to be unneccesairy.

It is greas on the head only, it is affecting the feathers since they are going bald now (unclear if that is because of this condition or the scratching). Their necks are also bald and red, not greasy, but they scratch it a lot when they try to reach their heads to scratch it. It looks like the feathers are not coming through right, in the first picture you see between his beak and eyes white things that are feathers trying to emerge but not in the right way.

It was probably from day 1. We got them the same day when they got out of the egg, and at first we thought they were just wet from egg-goo. After 2 days we started to realise that is was a long time to be wet from egg-goo, they also had a lot of skinflakes in their feathers wich we thought at that time might be little pieces of hay, and after that the hard gunky parts started emerging.

The first 2 weeks they have not be in contact with mud or something.

 

[ButteCA]

That is sad. When I first commented I did not realize they were that young. I’m sorry this happened to you and I hope you can find a cure for it and they get better.

 

[Loopeend]

I ignored my gut feeling to and ended up losing one of my blue brahma hens on monday so I know what not listening to yourself is like. still tho what a horrid man I would us ways to inform ppl of him as to stay away. shame tho I believe it's against the rules to name and shame bad breeders and sellers

That is indeed a major bummer. That's why I am going to try to do it in a different way. I'm working on a Dutch website about Runner ducks now (didn't excist) to prevent people from making the same mistakes, and I am going to breed them pedigree. Not show pedigree, just health pedigree. I hope to be able to start a group of Dutch breeders (and European counterparts) that form a group of 'certified' healthy ducks where people will get their ducks and not from these bad just-for-money breeders. This will mean that these most tamest 5 ducks ever will probably be relocated to friends with farms that want ducks, in 1-sex groups so they don't reproduce, and I have to miss them.

 

[Tesumph]

Hmm you mentioned skin flakes? Starting to sound like a really nasty fungal infection that they picked up from the guy’s farm. Might be worth rubbing some anti-fungal cream on them after their baths.

 

[WVduckchick]

You don't have to be sorry. It is totally my fault. When there his child yelled just before we left 'Look dad! Another dead baby duck in the pond!' 'Oh no wait, it is still moving! Aren't you going to rescue it daddy?' And dad quickly ignored it and looked annoyed at his child and hoped we didn't notice. And I, me, myself, was too polite/cowardly to listen to my gut and say 'wait a minute.. I don't want these ducks, I don't trust this, give my money back, I'm leaving without ducks from this farm'. When it came to the price, it was suddenly higher then agreed to on mail, I had to open the mail to proof the agreement because he insisted on the higher price.... He was all nagging about bad people that let their Indian runner ducks mate with 'normal' ducks and he is not like that... gues who has two Indian runner ducks now from him who are not pure and mixed with 'normal' ducks...Nothing was good about it, everything got my gut going, I dind't listen to my gut and didn't act on it.
So don't be sorry. I got myself in this trouble. I made my bed and have to lay in it. And I'm going to do just that in the proper way.

they are better off with you, so look at it as you rescued them!

By the way, you mentioned that you remove the water at night. I assume you also remove the feedd?? Ducklings should always have access to water if they have access to food. Just making sure....

 

[Loopeend]

they are better off with you, so look at it as you rescued them!

By the way, you mentioned that you remove the water at night. I assume you also remove the feedd?? Ducklings should always have access to water if they have access to food. Just making sure....

Only the water in the chicken water tower or whatever it is called stays at night.
They have 3 feeding moments a day when they are young and all with the water tower and a bath. They do the food-water-routine perfect. At night there is no food. Only water, and sleep (and being notty children that decide to be mischivious and peep loudly for no reason and try to break out to get in bed with us...sigh)

The vet just called to my partner. They have no clue. She says to bath them twice a day with shampoo for kids and get back at her if it doesn't change in a week.
And that we forgot to pay.. hahaha.. (we assumed they would send a bill and just walked out, apparently you have to go to the reception and pay directly afterwards heehee)
I hope this will work out. Washing them twice a day with soap also sounds that it will taker longer before they are water-proof.

 

[Loopeend]

they are better off with you, so look at it as you rescued them!

By the way, you mentioned that you remove the water at night. I assume you also remove the feedd?? Ducklings should always have access to water if they have access to food. Just making sure....

Wait, I'm trying again. My English is not perfect.
The routine;

Daytime (05.00 till 22.00)
- watertower
- bath
- food (05.00, 13.00, 19.00, 22.00, I realise now they are so big that it is 4 times not 3 times)
Nighttime (22.00 - 05.00)
- watertower (after last feeding bath and empty foodtray removed)