The Duck Thread

[jtn42248]

Hey guys I need some help. The day before yesterday one of my anconas were acting strange. Kind of like she had a frog in her throat. I worried she might have ate something but there is nothing they can get to inside their pen. I kept an eye on her and noticed her breathing was a bit labored. I got pretty worried but we have had a big fire nearby and it's been really smoky outside. I thought maybe she was more sensitive then the other ducks. By evening she was quacking a little better. The next day we had to be gone for the day so I checking in on her when I could and she seemed about the same. Maybe a little better because she was running around again. This morning I let the ducks out of their house and she didn't follow. I went in to check on her and she had passed away. I was in total shock. She was just running around yesterday. None of the other ducks are acting sick at all. I've moved them all to another temp pen to be on the safe side. Anyone have any idea what this could be? I don't want my other ducks to be compromised....

Nothing prepares you for the unexpected loss of one of your birds. What you describe could be so many things. It could be smoke from the fire but if your other ducks are o.k. it probably is not. She could have eaten some bug or spider that had a toxic effect on her. It could be so many things. Double check their house and make sure there is nothing there that she may have gotten. Look around and make sure there are no shiny objects that the ducks could get and swallow. Do the best you can to protect and provide and hope that it was just one of those things and not some disease. Like Miss Lydia said, ducks can be sick for days or weeks before we even begin to notice so there was probably nothing much that you could have done by the time you noticed anything.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I am so sorry for your loss @jenniferlamar70
    It's really hard to say what it may have been, the only way to know for sure would be to do a necropsy. They can be sick for quiet a while before we notice them being that way, hopefully it isn't anything contagious. Good idea being cautious though ..

Nothing prepares you for the unexpected loss of one of your birds. What you describe could be so many things. It could be smoke from the fire but if your other ducks are o.k. it probably is not. She could have eaten some bug or spider that had a toxic effect on her. It could be so many things. Double check their house and make sure there is nothing there that she may have gotten. Look around and make sure there are no shiny objects that the ducks could get and swallow. Do the best you can to protect and provide and hope that it was just one of those things and not some disease. Like Miss Lydia said, ducks can be sick for days or weeks before we even begin to notice so there was probably nothing much that you could have done by the time you noticed anything.

Thank you both. I'm just so sad and I feel guilty that I didn't know how sick she really was. She definitely didn't seem on deaths door. This was a favorite and she followed my daughter everywhere... it's just so hard losing them. They really are like a part of the family...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you both. I'm just so sad and I feel guilty that I didn't know how sick she really was. She definitely didn't seem on deaths door. This was a favorite and she followed my daughter everywhere... it's just so hard losing them. They really are like a part of the family...

They really are part of the family. Please don't feel guilty no matter how much time we spend with them watching them we can miss things they are so good at hiding their sickness.

 

[casportpony]

Hey guys I need some help. The day before yesterday one of my anconas were acting strange. Kind of like she had a frog in her throat. I worried she might have ate something but there is nothing they can get to inside their pen. I kept an eye on her and noticed her breathing was a bit labored. I got pretty worried but we have had a big fire nearby and it's been really smoky outside. I thought maybe she was more sensitive then the other ducks. By evening she was quacking a little better. The next day we had to be gone for the day so I checking in on her when I could and she seemed about the same. Maybe a little better because she was running around again. This morning I let the ducks out of their house and she didn't follow. I went in to check on her and she had passed away. I was in total shock. She was just running around yesterday. None of the other ducks are acting sick at all. I've moved them all to another temp pen to be on the safe side. Anyone have any idea what this could be? I don't want my other ducks to be compromised....

Sorry for you loss. Those of us in CA can have necropsies done for free, so if you're within driving distance of Davis, Turlock, Tulare, or San Bernadino, probably a good idea to have a necropsy done. If you aren't close enough to drive, you can overnight using their FedEx account and shipping will be about $20.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

This is how I ship them:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

-Kathy

 

[jenniferlamar70]

They really are part of the family.  Please don't feel guilty  no matter how much time we spend with them watching them we can miss things they are so good at hiding their sickness.

Sorry for you loss. Those of us in CA can have necropsies done for free, so if you're within driving distance of Davis, Turlock, Tulare, or San Bernadino, probably a good idea to have a necropsy done. If you aren't close enough to drive, you can overnight using their FedEx account and shipping will be about $20.

-Kathy

This is how I ship them:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/799747/how-to-send-a-bird-for-a-necropsy-pictures

-Kathy

Thanks Kathy I do live in california. I will look into that. it would be nice to know it's not something my other birds could catch...

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Thanks Kathy I do live in california. I will look into that. it would be nice to know it's not something my other birds could catch...

Hey I am running into 2 problems. One is I didn't refrigerate. It's been outside in a box since this morning because we planned on burying it. 2nd is honestly there is not enough room to put it in my fridge without it touching other food...

 

[casportpony]

Thanks Kathy I do live in california. I will look into that. it would be nice to know it's not something my other birds could catch...

Hey I am running into 2 problems. One is I didn't refrigerate. It's been outside in a box since this morning because we planned on burying it. 2nd is honestly there is not enough room to put it in my fridge without it touching other food...

Go buy a bunch of ice and stick in a cooler?

-Kathy

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Go buy a bunch of ice and stick in a cooler?
We may be able to do that. Do you think it's sat out to long though? It's pretty warm here...

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Go buy a bunch of ice and stick in a cooler?
We may be able to do that. Do you think it's sat out to long though? It's pretty warm here...

-Kathy

I've sent them in after they have been out for a day or two.

-Kathy