hey everyone
i dont know what happened suddenly to my duckies... last week i came back home to find my drake unable to walk.. or even to stand.. mom told me that he fell down and it may have a leg broken.. but it was not the case since he is able to move them in the air but can t bear his weight.... he have them always crossed under him.. and if it needs to move.. it ll do it like snakes.. using it belly... i asked for a vet... all vets over here are for dogs and cats.. whenever i mention a duck they just laugh at me and tell me that they may need some calcium... i remarked two days later that their feather is falling down .. both of them.. and after another 2 days.. the female started to have problems also... it can stand and walk.. but it got some difficulties to keep one leg parallele to the other like before... as if it doesnt have full control of it.. i am giving them supplements and vitamins but nothing improved.. i ve tried to let them swim... my drake found it so difficult.. he could max hold for some mins anfter he went all wet and bearly keep his face over water... the duck was better but not as usual... i remamrked that my ducks' legs are darker in color and getting stronger.. while drakes' legs where still like baby duck .. i really need your help.. i can t reach any vet over here can anyone help me out with this? if you need further info um ready... and if you want i can share some pictures and videos maybe i can do something before it is too late
thx soo much.... i really need ur help plz reply asap.. i ll be checking for answers
Farming Friends Forum » Ducks
urgent pleaseeeee
(28 posts)-
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago #
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Oh Roula this sounds awful, Maybe its worms, I know they can damage birds in this way-make them all wobbily, can you get any worming paste or pellets? Make sure it is suitable for poultry, I have used Vermex, which is a herbal pellet that I mix with their food.
I hope some of the others will be able to help.Posted 2 years ago # -
Hi Roula,
I am sorry to hear about your ducks. Please have a read of this post as Lisa had a duck that was unable to walk properly and we discussed it at great lengths with lots of suggestions.
As pinkpoultry says it could be worms as this can make them limp.
http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=254
Hope they get better soon.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 2 years ago # -
P.S. Are these the ducks in the past that you have given paracetamol or such drugs too???? Since this may be why? They could have liver damage or anything from being given drugs that arnt ment for them.............
Posted 2 years ago # -
i ll try the vermex... i wish i can find it over here.. thx anyway.. and i m sure its not liver damage since their eye color is normal.. and only one of them have severe symptoms... i found the drake eating a baby frog once.. i guess this is the reason.. how many days he needs to improve after treatment?
sara i ve read the post before posting mine.. but i had to ask you since i ve already mentioned there is no vet over here who can help me with HD since they just care about dogs and cats.. i ve posted the symptoms in case someone knows a vet to seek for help.. it is impossible for me to find such a help over here.. they just consider ducks.. babies play... what if they die.. u ll got others.. cant immagine the answers when i asked for a vet to take them.. this is really rude.. dont blame me cz i ve gave them paracetamol previously but i m really in a bad situation over here.. and doing my best challenging everyone to keep my pets..they are waiting for them to grow up so they roast them.. while i m so much attached to them.. i sometimes cry to see them like this.. and me unable to help.. please try to understand my situation and don t blame me.. thx for everything guys_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
Hi Roula,
When I had a poorly duck I gave her vermex to worm her first before I took her to the vet about a week later, but I am in the UK and I have a vet that specialises in poultry.
We can see that you care about your ducks and are doing your best for your ducks.
What colour are their droppings as it says for Hardware disease,
"Fecal matter can be flourescent green (though this can also be a sign of other infection)."
The colour of their droppings is a good indication of illness. I found an excellent site that goes through what the illness may be due to colour of droppings. http://happyhenhouse.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=poop&action=display&thread=6492
Is their a poultry vet website that you can join and ask for advice in an email. i am sure I have seen one, I will have another look.
Kind regards
sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 2 years ago # -
well.. i just check it out.. its not fluorescent green.. it is about dark green to light cafe.. probably it is not HD.. i ll try vermex for a week and see if they improve.. otherwise i dunno what to do :(
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
It sounds like they may have nutritional and vitamin deficiencies and the drake may have rickets.
http://www.poultryhub.org/bird-health-and-disease/rickets-and-cage-layer-fatigue/ I would suggest you get some poultry vitamins immediately - although the damage may not be reversible.
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/articles/1070/vitamins-and-minerals-important-to-poultryThey should have wheat, corn or barley or chicken pellets and green leafy vegetables, lettuce, spinach to eat.
NO: bread, rice or pasta as this has NO nutritional value and is probably why your drake is undernourished.
Your drake is waterlogged becuase he hasn't got his new feathers yet. only let them have up to 4-5 inches of water til his new feathers come in. The old feathers have no oils in them and he could drown.
can you post some photos so we can try and help you further.Sarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
hey campbell
i m giving them vitamins and supplements i ve took some pictures but i dont know how to post them over here any helps?_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
Hi Roula,
I will send you an email so you can send me the photos and then I can add them to the site as they need to be hosted on a website.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 2 years ago # -
i ve posted them on my facebook if this can help..
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150587920530051.681401.526075050_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
i ve received the mail and replied.. thx sara..
i really appreciate your helps guys.. thx alot for everything:)_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
Has the drake got watery eyes and discharge from the nostrils?
The lump on his rear end looks like a tumour or infection. His legs look blotchy as if there is poor circulation. Which could be any number of illnesses, possibly even bird flu. Can you post more recent photos as the ones on facebook must be from a few weeks ago.Sarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
u can see his eyes on the pictures... he had running nostrils plus sneezing ... those are recent photos.. i just took them mins ago.. if they are not clear i can post new ones..what should i do in this case?
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
He needs antibiotics he is clearly unwell I'm afraid. I see in one photo you also have an adult duck. is this the mother and is this one healthy?
How old are they now and were their feet always that blotchy colouring?Sarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
Hi All,
Here are the photos Roula sent.
Thanks for everyone's advice to help Roula's ducklings.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 2 years ago # -
its is not the mother.. its a duck i had last year.. it is alone wit no drake..and yes it is healthy .. i m just facing problems with the duckies specially the drake.. last years' drake died while the female grew old.. this year also.. im facing much more problems with the drake.. dont know what type of antibiotic to give and how to use it.. i ve already explained difficulties i find to get them drugs so any names please? concerning the blotchy coloring.. it started after my drake stopped walking.. about 2 days later.. but its rate increased yesterday
thx sara for posting the pics :)
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
p.s they are about 3 months n a half old :)
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
Yes i understand you don't have the medical or veterinary care that we do. Someone who has had antibiotics for their ducks will be able to advise or you could do your own research which is all I have been doing for you and I am signing off now I'm afraid.
All that I have suggested is only guesswork as to what I think the problems may be. I am not a vet or a nurse only an experienced duck keeper, but as my ducks have never had the symptoms yours have I wouldn't hesitate to give them both antibiotics as her feet look similar.
You will have to find out how much to give for the size of the ducklings.http://www.duckhealth.com/duckhlth.html they name some antibiotics.
Sarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
Thanks Sarah for all your advice and the links you have added they will be useful for all us duck keepers.
Kind regards
Sara @ farmingfriendsPosted 2 years ago # -
thx alot guys for all this help.. i ll get them proper medications and hope they get better soon :)
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
Hi Roula, the photos here show ducklings of less than 3 weeks of age, not 3 months. By two months old they look like adult ducks fully grown and feathered but not yet filled out.
Where do you keep them? do they have access to outside, grass and sunshine?
SarahSarah LPosted 2 years ago # -
sorry but somethings not right at all here, as Sarah says these ducklings are about 3 weeks old if that old, three weeks ago when you first posted you said they were 2 and a half months old, i'm so sorry you have poor veterinary care in your country but they need to be seen by someone, the photos are clearly of very sick ducklings and to me the yellow feet look jaundiced which goes along with what was mentioned earlier that they may have liver damage,
mo xPosted 2 years ago # -
guys um not totally sure of their age.. i got them on the 26 of march.. the man told me they are 2 weeks old.. that is how i am calculating their age.. um giving them acess to sunshine and grass.. but i ve stopped that since a week or more.. not quite sure.. since the drake can t walk i was affraid they wont be able to run away in case of danger.. when i compare their old fotos.. to them now.. they grew quite well but i m not sure if this is enough growth.. i am asking for a poultry vet even away of my city.. and i ll try to have acess and take them.. maximum this weekend.. i know they are so sick:( btw.. my drake had a light green dropping.. i couldnt really distinguish if it is fluorescent.. i ll make a comparisons with pics i ve seen online and post results back
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
hello if you got them on that date and he said they were 2 weeks old that would make them 9 weeks old now and they should be fully grown ducks by 8 weeks, if they were only a day old when you got them they would still be 7 weeks old now and still fully grown, they really should get sometime out doors in the fresh air and sunshine and need lots of chances to be swimming, hope a vet can help you and these poor ducklings soon
this is a photo of my ducks last year at 7 weeks old, they were hatched on the 29th March you see the difference in size to yours
mo xPosted 2 years ago # -
have found these links which maybe of use to you,its about Niacin deficiency and your ducks seem to show these symptons but if its what your ducklings problem is then it looks like its to late and there stunted growth may be permanent
http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=2085399
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/206928.htmmo xPosted 2 years ago # -
thx alot.. i ve checked the photos.. very cute ducks.. we are now supposing.. i wish everything goes well.. i need to try worming them and give antibiotics.. i hope this works.. otherwise.. i ll be in really big problem.. hopefully its a simple problem.. they ll get over it.. i m trying to convince my self that this is the case.. since i can do nothing more.. i hope they get better very soon
RGDS
roro_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago # -
guys i ve made a little research to find ducks having similar symptoms as mine.. they fed them bananas and it worked out.. i m affraid to take such step.. i made a mix of corn flakes and milk.. they liked it and it provides enough niacin.. plus i made the bandache thing to help strengthen their feet.. i couldnt find any antibiotics yet.. i ll try and search tmw hopefully again.. but i ve also read that human antibiotics can be helpfull in a rate of 1 tablet in 5 gallons.. any ideas? could banana hurt them?
_Ror0_Posted 2 years ago #
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