Sick Duck ? Help? I think...or maybe molting?

[newbyduckmom]

Mildred is acting odd. She has her feathers all ruffled and will walk a few feet and lays down. Feet and legs look fine as far as I can tell. She was laying on the eggs this morning - which is a first. She usually does not do that (Peeps is possessive about the eggs! Designated momma duck). She is waddling rather odd as well....hard to describe but seems to be sway further side to side when she waddles. An is walking slower than usual. Someone has been laying soft eggs and only seem to be getting a two a day (as opposed to three from three ducks) for last 2 1/2 weeks. One of the drakes is molting and there are quite a few feathers around. The hens haven't been through a molt since I got them. Got Mildred a year ago in June. Could she just be molting or should I be looking for something else? Egg bound? Don't see anything visible in her abdomen and kind of felt it and don't feel anything odd, but not sure what I should be looking for? (No bumble foot for those that went through the Mildred with Bumblefoot experience earlier in the year). Suggestions please?

 

[70%cocoa]

Sorry that your duck is not feeling her best.

I'd say that if you have noticed her behaviour changing in this way then she is not just moulting. If she had a laying problem and was laying soft shelled eggs then it's unlikely that you could easily detect this by feeling her abdomen (an experienced vet might be able to).

I'd be trying to work out if it is her who is laying the soft shelled eggs. There are two easy ways of doing this - separate her for a few days in her own pen or else spray the vents of the other two ducks with coloured food dye (traces of it will end up on any eggs they lay).

Many people will tell you that soft shelled eggs in an older bird (i.e. one that has not just started laying) are due to a lack of calcium, but my avian vet told me that this is rarely the case. Usually continual soft shelled eggs are due to an infection of the shell producing gland and this needs to be treated with antibiotics. I speak from experience here - I have a duck that has had this problem and needed antibiotics, which made a big difference. Is a vet visit possible with this girl?

 

[PetDuck]

Maybe you could give a video of her walking?
You might get better answers like that.
But if you can't I'm sure it will be just as good.

 

[newbyduckmom]

Unfortunately, a vet is not possible at this point. Will see about a video, maybe able to get one with my husbands phone.

 

[newbyduckmom]

A couple of people on facebook suggested she might be egg bound and to try letting her swim in a warm bath. So I brought her in the house, filled the tub with warm water, and let her swim. She didn't frolick like normal at all. She even paddled her feet oddly. Not playful, not trying to bath herself or dunk her head under like they normally do when in water. After about 15 minutes I drained the tube, she briefly played as the last inch of water was draining. Gave her some of the bread with vegetable oil drizzled on it that someone had suggested (which she did eat), but I am not very hopeful. She's just not normal at all. Gave her some frozen peas, and she's not even interested really (Mildred LOVES her peas). When she tries to drink water, it's like she doesn't even hit the water with her beak and tips her head back as if she had gotten some. Obviously something is really wrong

 

[70%cocoa]

She is obviously very unwell. She may have an infection associated with the oviduct. That is just one possibility. Sometimes eggs can be released into the abdominal cavity, rather than into the oviduct. Instead of travelling down the oviduct they stay in the abdomen and become infected. When people think that a bird is egg bound (i.e. with an egg stuck inside) in fact it can often be this kind of internal infection. If it is, a warm bath will unfortunately not help, but it was worth a try. If she has an internal infection then that is a pretty difficult problem that only antibiotics could make a dent in. Keep in mind that I am just guessing here though - it may be something else entirely.

People may have suggested giving her vegetable oil in order to lubricate her digestive system (which of course is completely separate to the egg laying gear, which I'm sure you know!). If you suspect that a digestive system blockage may be a problem then giving her bread soaked in paraffin is better - paraffin is not digested (unlike vegetable oil) and so lubricates the digestive system along its whole length. Do you have reason to think she has a digestive system blockage? Is she eating but not pooping? What do her poops look like?

I totally understand that a vet is not an option. A vet visit is very expensive, even before you have paid for any medication.

I'm sure it's really stressful seeing your girl like this. You obviously really really want to help her get better. Keep us posted on how she goes.

 

[Amiga]

If the vet isn't a possibility, I would consider giving her oral antibiotics. I wish I were expert at knowing which would be best in this case.

 

[newbyduckmom]

She laid a good solid egg this morning. And bit the heck out of me when I reached in to collect it. Still not very spunky though

 

[Amiga]

Wow I wish they could tell us exactly how they feel.

 

[70%cocoa]

That's good to hear that she's laid a good solid egg. That's encouraging.

Do you have any bird vitamins to put in her water? That can help boost a sick bird a little bit.

One other possibility is that she has a heavy worm load. That can cause a swollen abdomen, lethargy and a wobbly walk. When was the last time she was wormed and what was it with? Personally, I would worm her with a good quality worming tablet and then again 10 days later.