Runner duck losing her voice and kind of coughing?!

Crazy Birds

Chirping
Mar 22, 2022
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Today, I noticed that my young female runner duck's quack was kind of off. I thought at first she strained her vocal cords or something, but I'm not to sure now! Her friend moved pens full time a few days ago and she quacks a few times a day for him, but she has lots of other friends she is able to play with. I noticed this morning that her quack was not as loud as it normally is, but as the day progressed, it started to get quieter and quieter. Now, she can barely quack. She is still making noises but very, very quiet noises. I checked her eyes and nose, and they are clean. I also looked into her mouth and didn't see anything but after looking in her mouth she started kind of coughing? I panicked and she is now moved into a kennel by herself but in the same room as her friend and young chicks. Any ideas what this could be?! I'm so worried for my little one 😭😭
 
@Miss Lydia @nuthatched
Editing to add that I went checked on her again, and she's been busy playing in the water, and she kind of nibbled at her food but she gets food pretty much all day, so I'm not too concerned about her not eating her food. I did offer peas but she's really funny about taking treats from people. She took a few bites and then stopped, but when I left, I peeked back in and she was hunting down the spilled peas. When she was eating the spilled peas, she was making the same noises my other hens make when they get fresh bedding and get to dig through it which makes me happy but it was still pretty quiet compared to how she normally sounds.
 
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She's still eating and drinking, thankfully! Still making some noised but definitely not quacking. All of my other ducks have their quacks. My jumbo pekin drake let himself out yesterday and the day before. The hole he was going out was fixed last night, but could he have breed to her? My ducks don't have access to the pond 24-7 but instead go out everyday so he would have bred to her on the dirt and hurt her throat? Thank you for checking up @Miss Lydia ❤️❤️
 
Eating and drinking are good signs. as for your drake mating her on dry ground that isn't as easy on the duck as it would be in the water but other than weighing a ton while on her I doubt he would hurt her much. My Muscovy drake weighs around 14-15 lbs and mates his females that weigh 4-6 lbs.
Try some ACV in her drinking water. The kind with the mother in it. It can kill some bacteria and it's also a good tonic for your birds. 1 Tab per gallon of water.
 
If she isn't showing any symptoms of being sick other than her voice and it's getting better I'd put her out After all she has been with them all along anyway.

great to hear she is complaining to where you can hear her lol
 
Thank you so much again, I really appreciate it :hugs I'll continue to keep a close eye on her, but good news! She was quacking super loud when I brought her friend out and fought me when I picked her up - which is good lol I'd be very worried if she let me pick her up without even flapping her little feet. She's also been standing in the doorway of the laying box quacking because her best friend has decided she might be broody and she's not happy the broody hen isn't playing with her :gig
 
Just a quick little update. She was doing very well this morning, but this afternoon, she was still quacking at me and it was quieter and more raspy - kind of like how I sound when I sing too loudly lol After quacking at me a few more times, she started coughing, but it was kind of strange and she only did it three times. It almost sounded like a weird abrupt sneeze? I don't know, but I did give her the option to drink water with ACV in it, and everyone had some. Does anyone have any ideas what she could have?
Thanks!
 
@Miss Lydia
The past few days, she's been quacking but also coughing. Today has less coughing but I'm still very worried. Any ideas what she could have or what I could give her?

Editing to add that she's still eating and drinking and running around playing in any water she can find but quacking more often than usual. I can try to take her to the vet this weekend if this continues to persist. I'm worried what she has may spread the other ducks in my flock. Thank you!
 

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