molting or depressed duck--with a happy ending

[chicks4fun]

We lost one of our two pekins about 6 weeks ago. I tried another duck, was given a muscovy but our duck hated her. Recently out duck will not leave the nest, just sits there with her head down. She has lost a lot of downy feathers. I make her go out once a day and she drinks, dips her face and then runs back inside. She won't eat.
Is this normal molt behavior? Or is this further depression from her loss?
They were my first ducks and were so happy. I just don't know what to do for her.

 

[Amiga]

This is more than molting behavior. The duck may be seriously depressed, or otherwise ill or injured. I don't recall the circumstances, so I cannot say what might be likely. You were on the right track to find another friend. Might it be possible to try again, perhaps with another pekin? These days I would expect a number of people who purchased pekins for Easter might be ready to rehome them due to being overwhelmed by their care. If you take it slowly, she may respond well.

I hope someone else weighs in on this, especially someone who has been through it. When we lost Drei, then Neun, it was from a flock of eleven then ten ducks, so they were able to comfort each other. Zwei took Drei's loss pretty hard, standing still, staring off into space for a few days, I thought she may be ill also, but she pulled out of it.

Are you giving the duck extra vitamins? That can help with depression.

 

[chicks4fun]

This is more than molting behavior. The duck may be seriously depressed, or otherwise ill or injured. I don't recall the circumstances, so I cannot say what might be likely. You were on the right track to find another friend. Might it be possible to try again, perhaps with another pekin? These days I would expect a number of people who purchased pekins for Easter might be ready to rehome them due to being overwhelmed by their care. If you take it slowly, she may respond well.

I hope someone else weighs in on this, especially someone who has been through it. When we lost Drei, then Neun, it was from a flock of eleven then ten ducks, so they were able to comfort each other. Zwei took Drei's loss pretty hard, standing still, staring off into space for a few days, I thought she may be ill also, but she pulled out of it.

Are you giving the duck extra vitamins? That can help with depression.

thanks for the reply---I owned 2 Pekins & one was taken by a preditor about six weeks ago.
I got her to swim in the pond for a few minutes today, that is the longest she has been out in over a week. I have been looking on craigslist & duck rescue, plus the animal shelter put me on their list if any Easter ducks get brought in. So far no luck. A friend of mine found the Moscovy Duck last year & it's been living with her chickens all year but she thought maybe they both would be happy to be together but that failed completely.
I found ducklings at Southern States but I was afraid to put a baby in with her. I don't know if she would hurt it or not.
I guess i can see if a vet can look at her but I think she is still upset about her "sister" being snatched from her.
I am not giving her vitamins---what kind? Are there special duck ones?

 

[Amiga]

There are poultry vitamins. I like the ones that come with electrolytes and probiotics as well.

Try some offbeat things to cheer her up, maybe a little extra time with you, some treats, singing. Really, ducks seem to respond well to singing, even mine!

If you get a younger, smaller duck, the ideal would be to set up a pen side by side with hers so they can see and almost touch each other, but are still separate. That gives them time to talk things over.

A mirror might help, and a big stuffed toy.

Ducks need other ducks, from anything I have read, seen or heard.

 

[nickie]

Wait, did you say she was sitting on a nest? She won't get up, runs back if you take her off? Has she stopped laying eggs? Are there eggs in the nest?

Is it possible that she may be broody? If you lost one 6 weeks ago and this just started that would be my guess...

Pekins cans and will go broody. In fact I have one that will go psycho broody (lord help the person that has to get close to her). She would line her neat with down. Just because they are not known for their hatching and mothering skills does not mean it doesn't happen.

 

[Amiga]

nickie caught that one!

I was distracted by the loss of the other duck. But yes, she could be a combination of depressed but very very broody. That would make sense. I still recommend vitamins. And introducing another duck right now would likely not comfort a broody. She is probably geared toward solitude for the time being. Give it a few weeks, but keep an eye out for ducks that need a loving home, and prepare to introduce them gradually.

 

[chicks4fun]

Wait, did you say she was sitting on a nest? She won't get up, runs back if you take her off? Has she stopped laying eggs? Are there eggs in the nest?
Is it possible that she may be broody? If you lost one 6 weeks ago and this just started that would be my guess...
Pekins cans and will go broody. In fact I have one that will go psycho broody (lord help the person that has to get close to her). She would line her neat with down. Just because they are not known for their hatching and mothering skills does not mean it doesn't happen.

She is in her nest, full of down. When I put my hands in she sort of blows air, sounds like a growl but not quite. She doesn't do anything to me when I take her out. Also she has quit laying eggs too. So no eggs in the nest.
I got her out for about five minutes today in the rain and she dug around in the yard for a little while but then headed back to her nest.
If she is broody do I just wait it out?

 

[chicks4fun]

nickie caught that one!

I was distracted by the loss of the other duck. But yes, she could be a combination of depressed but very very broody. That would make sense. I still recommend vitamins. And introducing another duck right now would likely not comfort a broody. She is probably geared toward solitude for the time being. Give it a few weeks, but keep an eye out for ducks that need a loving home, and prepare to introduce them gradually.

thanks for the advice
I will get her some vitamins too.
I have the female muscovy here but she hasn't been going inside with the chickens yet. In fact her first day her my pekin duck ran her off by standing there and just quacking at her, sounded like duck yelling "get out of here" to me. So there is a new duck here but it was not the solution to my poor ducks problem.
I am thinking about making a separate place for the ducks. Not sure how to do this since one roosts. I also will think about a baby, but right now I have broilers & a sitting hen on 6 eggs, so there is no room for ducklings.
I hope I can her back to herself soon.

 

[chicks4fun]

BTW you all are the best on this site---I can't imagine not having this support group and the collective knowledge I can tap into.

 

[nickie]

She sounds broody to me. If you don't want to give her some eggs to hatch then I don't know what to advise you to do. BTW, I agree with Amiga, you should think about giving her some vitamins.