Why is my duckling's neck swollen?

Question

Picked up one of my three week old ducklings this evening and there is a definite lump on the side of her neck. She had just come off the feeder and is…

soft_and_doughy · Accepted Answer

Right after the feeder, soft, and a duckling behaving normally is almost always food. Ducks do not have a true crop like a chicken but the oesophagus is expandable, and a duckling that has been hungry and then gobbled packs it visibly into the neck.

The test is time. A food bulge feels soft and doughy, maybe a bit lumpy, and goes down over the next few hours as it moves along. Check she has water, because they need it to swallow properly, and look again before bed.

feels_like_air · Answer

One to be able to recognise because it is different and people confuse it with a food bulge. A soft puffy swelling that feels like air, slightly crackly under the fingers, like a little balloon. Not related to eating, and it can grow or move about.

That is air under the skin, usually after something has affected the air sacs or respiratory system. It needs a vet and it specifically needs you not to put a needle in it yourself, which people do.

Why is my duckling's neck swollen?

3 answers