10 SECRETS FOR A HEALTHY FLOCK
Guard your birds against disease by applying these essential tips.
Aflock of healthy, happy ducks is a joy to behold: tails a-wagging, they greet the day with enthusiasm — cavorting in their swimming pool, preening their glossy plumage and searching bright-eyed through the grass for delicious bugs. When your animals are the picture of good health, life on the farm feels right.
For those of us who have become completely enamored with our little flocks, that feeling of well-being changes drastically when a duck falls ill. You notice one morning that Daisy doesn’t come speed-waddling over for breakfast with her companions. Instead, she sits in the back of the house looking listless, feathers ruffled. Suddenly, it seems as if a black cloud has blocked out the sun. How sick is she? What’s wrong with her? Will the rest of the flock catch whatever she has?
Happily, waterfowl tend to be hale and hearty creatures when given proper care. But even the most conscientious management won’t guarantee that your birds will never get sick or injured. In
this article, we’ll look at proper ways to handle ducks in sickness and in health. We’ll also cover basic information on some of the health problems your flock can experience.
DISEASE PREVENTION BASICS
Let’s begin our discussion of flock health with an important question: How do you prevent illness and injury from ruining your ducks’ day — and yours — in the first place? Let’s look at some savvy strategies for minimizing problems.
1 . CHOOSE GOOD STOCK
Start with healthy stock from a reputable source. Whether you start your flock with ducklings or adults, obtain your birds from a good source that carries healthy stock. If you are picking out the ducks yourself — at a feed store or a farm, for example — choose ducks and ducklings that appear vigorous and active. Avoid those with pasty rears, discharge from the eyes, or leg problems as well as any listless-looking birds that just sit around with their eyes closed all the time.
2 . MAINTAIN A GOOD DIET
Feeding your birds a healthy, balanced diet with ample fresh water is critical. An inappropriate or unbalanced diet ranks as one of the leading causes of health problems in domestic ducks. Ducks can’t thrive on a diet of bread alone — or corn or lettuce or grass — any more than we can. Overdoses, deficiencies and imbalances of specific nutrients can be bad news for your flocks’ health.
3 . HYDRATE OFTEN
Waterfowl also require an abundant supply of clean drinking water to remain healthy. With ducks’ dabbling and bathing habits, keeping their water sparkling clear all the time is impossible, but do change it at least once or twice a day, and scrub the containers regularly to keep the water from turning foul and stagnant.
4. MAINTAIN PROPER HYGIENE
Avoid crowding your ducks. Ducks are social animals, but they don’t enjoy being packed like
sardines. Overcrowding causes filthy conditions, promotes the spread of disease, and increases aggression and stress. So ditch the factory-farm mentality, and give your ducks plenty of space to breathe, bathe, eat, preen, interact and basically behave like ducks.
Keep your flock’s housing, pens and swimming pools or ponds as clean as you can. We’ve said it once (or twice) and we’ll say it again — ducks are messy creatures, especially when confined in small houses and pens rather than being allowed to roam a larger area. Regular cleaning of your flock’s abode, dining spot and enclosures will cut down on parasites, diseasecarrying flies and rodents, and harmful molds and bacteria. It will also prevent your ducks from experiencing the sheer stress — and thus lowered immunity — that comes from living in a filthy, foul-smelling environment. You should also clean or flush your flock’s bathing facilities regularly to decrease health risks associated with stagnant, dirty water.
5. PROTECT DUCKS FROM OTHER ANIMALS
Control pest populations and keep your ducks away from wild birds. Rats, mice, crows and pigeons drawn to a leftover buffet courtesy of your ducks can bring disease and parasites. So can the migratory waterfowl alighting on your pond and the pretty wild birds flitting about feeders. If possible, use fencing or enclosures to bar your ducks from areas frequented by wild waterfowl; these birds pose one of the biggest disease risks to your flock. You should also prevent access to the ground around your bird feeders where
droppings accumulate. Control rodents as much as you can, but with common sense and caution; you don’t want your ducks or pets ingesting poison or getting caught in a rat trap.
6. KEEP A CLOSED FLOCK
A closed flock means that no new birds enter until it’s time to replace the flock completely. It also means that all the resident birds stay put — no going back and forth to shows or fairs to mingle with other waterfowl and poultry. Closed flocks are standard procedure on large commercial poultry farms, where biosecurity is a big, big deal. Obviously, not every small duck farmer can — or even wants to — keep his or her flock completely closed. Still, think carefully before saying, “Sure, why not?” when your neighbors offer you their last two ducks
(hey, what happened to the rest, anyway?) or when you’re tempted to take a few free surplus fowl sitting in a cage at your local feed store. Some birds come with stuff you didn’t bargain for, such as infectious diseases and parasites.
7. QUARANTINE NEW OR SICK BIRDS
If a closed flock isn’t an option for you — for example, you regularly purchase or exchange breeding stock or you love to show ducks — then put new or returning ducks through a quarantine period before mingling birds.
Even fowl that look completely healthy can harbor disease, and some illnesses have long incubation periods. Keep new birds isolated from the rest of your flock for at least four weeks. Ducks back from the fair or show should stay in quarantine for a minimum of two weeks.
Have a separate set of cleaning equipment, feed dishes and other paraphernalia for each group of birds (or sanitize everything well before exchanging supplies), and take care of your resident flock before tending to the quarantined birds. Any fowl showing signs of an infectious disease should be promptly removed and isolated from the rest of the birds for observation, diagnosis and possible treatment.
8. BE BIOSECURE
With highly pathogenic avian influenza a looming threat (see the sidebar “10 Facts About Avian Influenza”), biosecurity is definitely for our birds and not just for commercial operations anymore. Biosecurity encompasses measures that keep infectious diseases off your farm, including the strategies outlined above. Other sensible measures include restricting visitor access to the area where you keep your
ducks (especially bird-owning folks); using a disinfectant foot bath; changing your clothes and footwear after you’ve visited another farm, a fair or an auction; disinfecting poultry cages and equipment that have been to another farm or the fair; and disposing of any dead birds promptly and properly.
9. KEEP THEIR ENVIRONMENT SAFE
A strand of wire dangling loose off the fence, a sharp nail protruding from the duck house wall, shards of broken glass, a bottle cap, a hole into your ducks’ enclosure large enough for a raccoon or mink to squeeze through — all these hazards can spell disaster.
When caring for your ducks each day, survey their environment: If their bin of feed smells moldy, chuck it. If a bald eagle is hunting overhead, you may need to revamp your duck yard or management techniques to keep your flock safe. If you spot a clump of baling twine in the grass, ready to snag a duck leg, pick it up immediately.
10. RECOGNIZING ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR
While duck keepers should know the warning signs of ill health or injury in their birds, learning each duck’s normal appearance and behavior is just as important. Ducks may not be as obviously individualistic as dogs or horses, but they often have different personalities, even within the same breed. Some are shy, others outgoing and friendly; one top duck always rushes the food dish first, another bird at the bottom of the pecking order hangs back. You may discover that your birds’ behavior changes during the course of the year: a normally active, vocal duck becomes subdued while molting; a friendly quacker turns aggressive when she hatches her brood.
Be a good observer of your ducks when they’re healthy, and you’ll find it easier to quickly identify any abnormal behaviors or signs that indicate ill health or injury. Give each of your birds a billto-tail inspection at least once a day, and really focus on its appearance and behavior. In general, a healthy duck has smooth, glossy feathers except during molting periods; bright, discharge-free eyes and nasal openings; a clean vent area; and a good appetite. A vigorous duck will take baths throughout the day and spend time preening, foraging, drinking and sleeping.
SYMPTOMS AND WARNING SIGNS
Many domestic animals, like their wild kin, instinctively take great pains to hide sickness or injury so they won’t be seen as easy prey, and ducks are no exception. Signs of illness in birds may be subtle and difficult to spot, so vigilance is important. The following symptoms should set off warning bells in your head: coughing, sneezing, gasping, nasal or eye discharge, sluggishness, depression, ruffled feathers, watery or bloody diarrhea, poor appetite, an unusual loss of feathers, abnormal drop in egg production or soft-shelled eggs, swelling of head and neck,
purple discoloration of exposed skin, tremors, drooping wings, incoordination, twisting of head and neck, and any sudden deaths. Indications of injury are usually more obvious: limping, a drooping or oddly bent wing, a closed eye, the presence of blood.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A BIRD IS ILL
Death or any of the illness symptoms listed above could indicate infectious disease. Your first step should be to isolate the affected duck from your other birds right away. Place the patient in a warm, dry, well-bedded cage, dog kennel or other small enclosure with food and a water and electrolyte mix, which you should always have on hand as part of your duck first aid kit (see the sidebar “Duck First Aid Essentials”). Keep noise and stress to a minimum.
Although it may be tempting to try to diagnose the disease and treat the bird yourself with feedstore medications, your duck will have a better chance of recovery if you seek professional help — consult with your local veterinarian, cooperative extension office, diagnostic lab or the state veterinarian. In some cases, the survival of your entire flock may depend on it. Duck diseases can either be contagious (infectious) or noncontagious. Noncontagious diseases, such as aspergillosis, will usually affect only a few ducks and won’t spread among birds. Contagious diseases, such as avian influenza, can sweep rapidly through a flock; for such cases, seeking help in determining the cause is especially critical.
A phone consultation with the vet can help you avoid some costly mistakes. For instance, it may be tempting for you to administer an antibiotic yourself. However, using an antibiotic will not cure a viral disease, may cause resistance in bacteria when used improperly, and could even kill your duck if it’s the wrong kind. If only one or two ducks take ill, don’t automatically treat the entire flock as a precaution unless your veterinarian instructs you to do so. Treat only the sick birds.
OTHER HEALTH THREATS
Ducks can also become ill from poisons and parasites. Here are some preventive measures to help keep your flock healthy.
POISONS
Foraging ducks seem to either instinctively steer clear of poisonous plants or avoid consuming enough of these plants to do them any real harm. But when given no other edible options, ducks may be hungry enough to eat toxic plants. For a list of such plants in your area, contact your local extension agent or visit http://www.aspca.org/toxicplants.
Ducks can also accidentally ingest some poisons. For example, rodent poisons and insecticides can be highly toxic to ducks; read directions carefully before using these in areas
frequented by your flock. Take steps to restrict animal access to these poisons, or better yet, find safer alternatives.
Botulism, another deadly form of poisoning, occurs when ducks dine on toxins produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Stagnant bodies of water or decaying plants and carcasses that provide optimum conditions for this bacterium are usually the culprits. The disease causes paralysis, and infected ducks die within one or two days. Your best bet for prevention: bar your ducks from stagnant water, and keep pools and ponds clean.
Aflatoxin poisoning occurs when ducks eat grains or seeds that have been contaminated by aflatoxins produced by several types of mold, usually the result of wet harvest conditions.
Again, never give your flock moldy feed, bread or bedding. Castor bean poisoning and poisoning by high levels of erucic acid in rapeseed (canola) meal have also been reported in ducks. Ducks that frequent ponds at or near hunt clubs where lead shot is used often suffer from lead poisoning.
For cases of suspected poisoning, contact a veterinarian as soon as possible to discuss treatment options.
PARASITES
Parasites are organisms that live and feed off other organisms, providing no benefit in return — freeloaders, basically. Whether we like it or not, these unappealing organisms are a fact of life for our birds and for us (parasites make up the majority of species on our planet). Parasites affecting livestock usually fall into two categories: ectoparasites, such as mites and lice, which live on the outside of an animal’s body; and endoparasites, or internal parasites, such as roundworms and coccidia, which spend part of their life cycle inside the animal’s body.
While many parasites are fairly benign, others can cause health problems in birds, ranging from itching to severe anemia. Creepy-crawly lice plague poultry by biting, sucking blood or dining on skin scales; they can cause intense itching, weight loss and poor growth. Tiny
relatives of the spider, mites tunnel into the skin to lay eggs or lay them at the base of feathers; they can also cause weight loss and lead to death from anemia.
Good hygiene will help control these ectoparasites, as will providing your flock with proper bathing facilities. You may need to use a commercial insecticide formulated for poultry, such as an insecticidal dust, if your birds have a heavy infestation. Always read the labels and follow the manufacturer’s directions before using these products.
Internal parasites of ducks and other poultry include gapeworm, large roundworm, tapeworm, capillary worm and coccidia. Mature, healthy animals generally develop a degree of immunity to internal parasites, whereas young and old animals and those under the stress of breeding, poor nutrition or overcrowding are more likely to suffer ill effects from parasitism.
Signs that internal parasites are running amok include weight loss, poor growth, reduced egg output, coughing, diarrhea, lethargy, weakness, head shaking, pale membranes from anemia and even death. Deworming agents, or anthelmintics, to combat various parasites can be obtained from your feed store or poultry supply company, but consult a veterinarian before using these products.
Some dewormers are effective against only one type of parasite, and few are approved for use in treating waterfowl. Avoid using dewormers as a preventive measure when your birds don’t have a problem (to be certain, ask your veterinary office to check a fecal sample). Unfortunately, the indiscriminate use of these agents has already created dewormer-resistant “super” parasites.
A group of protozoan parasites called coccidia can also cause illness or death in waterfowl, particularly in ducklings. Often present in the soil, these organisms kill cells in the duck’s digestive system, leading to watery or bloody diarrhea and a depressed attitude, which you can tell by the bird’s ruffled feathers and decreased food consumption. Overcrowded conditions and wet, dirty bedding are major contributors to the problem.
While coccidiostat medications are commonly employed to prevent and treat
coccidia in chickens and turkeys, caution must be used when treating ducks with these medicines. Waterfowl drink and eat more than other poultry do, so overdosing can easily occur. In general, small duck flocks rarely require medicated feeds.
COMMON LEG, FOOT & WING PROBLEMS
Duck legs may look sturdy and strong, but these body parts are actually a duck’s weak link. While many chicken farmers will nab their birds by the legs, grabbing a duck this way can result in injury. Ducks can also injure their legs when chased by a predator or a person. Niacin-deficient diets can cause leg problems in ducklings, and rations with excessive calcium can do the same for growing birds.
Bumblefoot, a condition in which the footpads become cracked and infected, usually affects adult ducks kept on hard, dry surfaces, such as concrete and gravel, or on wire. It can also occur when ducks constantly walk and lie on wet, dirty bedding. A reaction between water and the uric acid in droppings creates ammonium hydroxide, a weak, lyelike solution that can produce burning ulcers on the feet. Prevent bumblefoot by layering hard surfaces with cushy dry litter, by allowing birds access to grassy terrain, and by keeping your flock’s accommodations as clean and dry as possible.
While we’re on the subject of feet, remember to keep an eye on your ducks’ toenails, and trim them if they seem overlong or hinder your duck’s waddling. Older Muscovy drakes, in particular, with their long, sharp claws and sedentary lifestyles, may need the occasional pedicure with a pair of dog nail trimmers. If the nails are clear, you’ll be able to see where the blood vessel ends to avoid cutting the quick, but keep some styptic powder on hand, just in case. Styptic powder works as a clotting agent to rapidly stop bleeding from nail trimming injuries.
Twisted wing, also called angel wing, occurs when the wing’s primary feathers grow up and away from the duck’s body. It can happen to one or both wings. More a cosmetic flaw than a health problem, the condition can be inherited or caused by a diet too high in protein. If you catch twisted wing early, try correcting it by realigning the wing and feathers into a proper folded position, then taping them into place with masking tape. Be careful that you don’t tape too tightly or block the vent opening. Release the wing after about two weeks. With any luck, your duck will still be able to fly, although probably not as well as a bird that has never had this condition.
Some domestic duck breeds (notably Muscovies, Mallards and other bantams) are talented flyers; you may wish to ground these birds to ensure that they stay on your property or in their pens, especially if you acquire them as adults. Wing clipping is easy to do, and unlike cutting off a wing’s pinion, it doesn’t permanently disable birds. While an assistant holds the bird and stretches out the wing, use a sharp pair of scissors to cut the eight or nine long primary or flight feathers on one wing at the level of the smaller secondary feathers. Watch that you don’t snip thick, blood-engorged pin feathers that grow in to replace old feathers during the molt. If you are unsure about how to clip wings, ask an experienced duck raiser to show you how to do it so you don’t injure your ducks. Remember to repeat the procedure when new feathers grow in again after the annual molt, or your newly flighted birds may take to the sky.
Many raisers prefer not to clip their birds’ wings; they believe that their ducks have a better chance of avoiding predators if they can fly. Once they become accustomed to your farm and know where their food and shelter comes from, most domestic ducks prefer to stick around.
HANDLING DUCKS
Once in a while, you’ll need to catch a duck to treat an injury or health problem, transport it to a show, check its weight or perform some other task. Untamed ducks can be quite elusive, so
make the effort to befriend your birds, bribing them with yummy treats so they’ll permit you to approach them closely. Teaching the ducks to enter an enclosed area each day for their meal will make capturing them much easier. It will be less stressful and hazardous for your flock — and you — if you corner them in a small pen rather than embarking on a wild chase around the pasture. A long-handled, medium-size fishing net comes in handy for nabbing shy, fast or flighted birds in more open areas (such as your neighbor’s backyard!). However, extricating ducks from a net is a tricky procedure and almost always messes up their feathers. Whenever possible, it’s best to catch them by hand.
First, make sure you dress appropriately for duck catching; wear long sleeves to protect against scratches, and skip your nice clothes because there’s a good chance you’ll be pooped on. Remember that legs and wings are off-limits for grabbing. Instead, pin the duck’s wings against its body with both your hands or — if you can’t do this because you have a vigorous flapper or a big duck — catch the bird gently around the neck (don’t squeeze, and don’t do this with small ducks whose necks are more delicate) to hold it in place until you slip your other hand and arm underneath its body from the front. A captured duck may paddle furiously (Muscovies are especially notorious for leaving vicious scratches), so it’s important to get control of the feet with one hand while cradling the bird firmly against your side. If you’re dealing with a big duck that might peck at your face, it may be best to carry the bird facing backward.
Here are a few more words of warning: during handling, don’t let that duck bill near your face. Ducks are not ferocious animals, but they will peck and bite if provoked, and your shiny eyeball could make a tempting target.
After you, your children or anyone else handles or pets your ducks — even those pristine-appearing downy ducklings — make sure hands get washed with soap and warm water. Use an alcohol-based cleaner if water isn’t available. Even a minor bout of salmonelosis is nobody’s idea of a good time. ■