Medications to Control Disease Ducks exhibit greater resistance to most diseases and parasites than do most domestic fowl. As a consequence, medicated feeds for ducks are used less often than with chickens and turkeys. Colibacillosis is a common disease in ducks caused by the bacterium Escherichia coli. E. Coli can cause embryonic and duckling mortality by infecting the yolk sac. Infection of the digestive track and air sacs is most common.
Infected ducklings appear droopy and listless and exhibit diarrhea and ocular discharge.
Fowl cholera is a contagious disease of domestic ducks and other birds, caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. Sick ducklings refuse feed and exhibit diarrhea and mucus discharge from the mount. Treat infected ducks for 5 days. Salmonellosis is a common disease of ducks caused by a variety of serotypes of salmonella. Infected ducks are listless, dehydrated, exhibit diarrhea, and show signs of incoordination, and head tremors.