2 Dead ducks - thoughts on Newcastle

[leighton3]

I have had two ducks die so far this winter, about 2 weeks apart. One died suddenly with no symptoms, thought maybe it was the cold that did her in. The second duck became very suddenly ill. Her underside was covered in a pasty mint green waste. She was shaking her head and spewing a green liquid. I noticed this at 7am, had her to the vets at 10:30. She could not stand and she could not retract her wings, they just drooped. She ended up passing away shortly after we got to the vets. She was sent out for a necropsy. Results came back with only more questions. They said possible Newcastle, AI, sarcocystis, or bacterial infection. They wanted more money to test for those 4 things. It has been almost a week and all of the other birds seem completely fine. Has anyone had this happen? The tests are quite expensive...vet has not called me back. Not sure where to go from here. If there are no other deaths, is it safe to add to my flock in the spring?

 

[Coyox]

This happened to me when I first moved into our new home--- turned out that is was either rat poison or a concentrate of pond bacteria that comes in a bottle. Pasty green waste to me sounds like the duck got into something-- especially if the other one died suddenly with no symptoms. If I were you I'd relocate any other ducks you have until you can solve the problem.

What happened with ours is rats were knocking down poison from on top of the rafters where the previous owner had kept it.... Sometimes it's in places you don't even know exist

 

[leighton3]

I know we have rats in our barn too, we have never used poison. The neighbors across the road and next to us also have these rats, not sure if either of them are using it. I wonder if it's possible the rats carried it to our barn somehow? It''s all very curious and I have just been wanting opinions from others. Thank you!

 

[Coyox]

I know we have rats in our barn too, we have never used poison. The neighbors across the road and next to us also have these rats, not sure if either of them are using it. I wonder if it's possible the rats carried it to our barn somehow? It''s all very curious and I have just been wanting opinions from others. Thank you!

Its unlikely but definitely possible for rats to carry over poison. My ducks are infamous for eating anything they find, including freshly dead rodents, which can still be full of poison when they die. This is really the reason one should never use poison.... It can do alot of damage to other animals sadly.