3 week old Duckling looking sick! HELP!!!

[MaddyP0607]

Okay so I recently purchased 2 new Grimaud Hybrid ducklings for my Jumbo Pekin to have new friends. All are female, they have been in a pen inside my house for the entire time and go outside frequently. Just a couple days ago I noticed one of them had started to get goopy almost wet looking under eyes. She hasn't gone into a pool or body of water yet and eats, drinks, and plays with her sister the same way before this started happening. I'll include pictures but I'd really just like to know what happened to her, any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[RainbowHen]

Looks like an eye infection. Is your brooder dusty? Wet? Dirty? I'd start with some Terramycin eye ointment.

 

[MaddyP0607]

Looks like an eye infection. Is your brooder dusty? Wet? Dirty? I'd start with some Terramycin eye ointment.

It does get dusty due to their crumble feed sometimes but I'm usually always cleaning their cage and putting new bedding down. They're very prone to spilling their water bowl since they like to step in it which causes it to tip and make the brooder wet but when they do that intake them out and let them roam so it has time to dry and not be wet when they get back into it at night.

 

[MaddyP0607]

Also, I've been reading about terramycin to use for her eyes before posting but is it safe for ducks? Theres alot of mixed repsonses and some say its fatal to use it on them.

 

[RainbowHen]

Fatal? Never had an issue using it on any of my animals, birds included. Vetrycin also makes an eye gel. You can try that.

 

[RainbowHen]

What do you use for bedding? Also, how old are they?

 

[nao57]

It does get dusty due to their crumble feed sometimes but I'm usually always cleaning their cage and putting new bedding down. They're very prone to spilling their water bowl since they like to step in it which causes it to tip and make the brooder wet but when they do that intake them out and let them roam so it has time to dry and not be wet when they get back into it at night.

Spilling their water won't do it. That's the definition of being a duck to make a water mess everywhere!

But yeah those eye infections look so painful. I feel badly for you.

 

[nao57]

Also, I've been reading about terramycin to use for her eyes before posting but is it safe for ducks? Theres alot of mixed repsonses and some say its fatal to use it on them.

You might get more broad responses by asking about it for all fowl in general and not only for ducks. That way you'll reach more people who have had to treat illnesses and with lots of animal treatment expertise. (And these kind of people aren't on every street corner, which is why i suggest asking for birds in general owners.)

Its also very possible that it could be good, but that people who haven't had good experiences are trying to use human sized doses on these birds, which wouldn't make any sense. The dosage should be based on what's good for their size, weight, etc. A lot of people don't think about weight and measurement stuff. They think the company selling it does that automatically which isn't always true.

 

[MaddyP0607]

What do you use for bedding? Also, how old are they?

They are just turning 3 weeks old, just starting to lose their yellow coloring and becoming white. We mostly use newspapers just for easy cleanup since they're outside for most of the day and only inside at night.

 

[MaddyP0607]

You might get more broad responses by asking about it for all fowl in general and not only for ducks. That way you'll reach more people who have had to treat illnesses and with lots of animal treatment expertise. (And these kind of people aren't on every street corner, which is why i suggest asking for birds in general owners.)

Its also very possible that it could be good, but that people who haven't had good experiences are trying to use human sized doses on these birds, which wouldn't make any sense. The dosage should be based on what's good for their size, weight, etc. A lot of people don't think about weight and measurement stuff. They think the company selling it does that automatically which isn't always true.

Yeah I was just reading article. I've never had to use any medication on my ducks before so I'm just not sure what to use and where to get it from. Just a nervous protective duck mom