what is wrong with My 9 ducklings??? Pics

[bmdakk]

4 week old Rouen Ducklings, They all have a swollen/puffy area in the neck /chest region, almost looks like sour crop in chickens. It doesnt seem to affect them in anyway, but it appears to be getting larger. They eat, drink, swim, socialize, forage, run and everything else normally. just not sure what is causing it to be this large. the parents dont seem to have this problem. Is it just where they are growing? are the eating to much? any advice? sorry for the bad pics they were out playing in the yard and wouldnt hold still

 

[bmdakk]

 

[DuckLady]

They're fine. It's just a duckling thing.

 

[bmdakk]

 

[deedles]

Huh! I just today noted the same thing in our 12 Ancona 3 wk old duckings. I looked up crop problems trying to find something and here you post the same question. I hope it is just a duckling thing and not a problem.

 

[bmdakk]

Im hoping too. They have had it for a couple weeks. Maybe they will grow into it.

 

[casportpony]

If you remove their food and water at night, does it still look like that in the morning? Does it feel like it's full of fluid, or food or does it feel like loose skin?

My ducks have crops like the one on the left:


Duck digestive anatomy:


More on anatomy:
http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/anatomy.html

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

After I feed tonight I'll try to get some pictures of my ducklings with full crops.

-Kathy

 

[DucksAndGardens]

Do they have access to grit or stones? It could just be full crop and it's taking longer to breakdown. Mine look like that when they've been out in the field grazing all day but when I bring them home they get into the grit and by morning their crops are back to normal.

 

[bmdakk]

Ive not picked them up to see. The swolleness was gone in most of them this morning, So I will assume they just had full crops. They were not as big today as I cut back on the feed I put out for them. I have one that looks like it has the Mange, It is missing its down on its head and back. I guess the Male is giving him He!!. I will separate them tomorrow to their own enclosure. Just noticed today the the Female has started laying again and already has 10 eggs in her nest. LOL Ill have ducks running out of my ears before to long.