A string of bad luck

Just a little back story...
I started off with 2 Rouen ducks. One of the girls was unfortunately killed by a predator. After her death, I got two Black Swedish ducklings. I had the three of them for about 8 months. In February of this year, I got two white pekin babies! All was going well until...

About 2 1/2 weeks ago. A mink slithered it's way into my barn and killed my Rouen hen and injured my Black Sweds. My BS drake ended up passing within 36 hours. My BS hen is still thriving with my Pekins. I think she will always have a slight disability now; I believe she had a fracture in her neck.
However, I now noticed that both of my Pekins seems to have foamy eye and I've had suspicion for a couple weeks because their eyes were slightly red and the corners were a little droopy. Since both of their eyes did this, I figured I was being paranoid. I had been putting VetRX in their water, as well as doing goldenseal root drops (just to be safe), but stopped. I started both remedies again today.

I just feel like I'm having some really horrible recent luck with my ducks!

Sometimes we underestimate predator risks, and sometimes we just make some missteps. And sometimes stuff happens.

All we can do is move forward with what we know.

I would want to mink-proof the shelter the ducks are in, since predators return.

And yes, you need to treat the foamy eye - stress is hard on ducks' immune systems, as it is on ours. I would add some poultry vitamins with electrolytes to their water once a week for several weeks, and be watchful for any signs of further infection.

It's unfortunate that I had to learn the hard way. I didn't even know we had mink where I live. I would have never considered them to be around causing havoc. When my rouens were attacked that was no fault of my own - they were kicked out of their shelter by my FIL so he could out his turkey in it; my boyfriend and I lived with his parents for a short while after we sold our house.

We found where the mink came in and fixed it and we also caught a mink in a live trap. I'm also worried now because while I was letting my dogs out just a few moments ago, I shined a flashlight towards the wood line and I saw some eyes - I'm thinking it was a coyote. I have to now worry about that.

I just noticed a few bubbles today, maybe 4-5. That's when I started doing the drops and adding the VetRx again. Where can I get the electrolytes?

flapjackfarm said:

It's unfortunate that I had to learn the hard way. I didn't even know we had mink where I live. I would have never considered them to be around causing havoc. When my rouens were attacked that was no fault of my own - they were kicked out of their shelter by my FIL so he could out his turkey in it; my boyfriend and I lived with his parents for a short while after we sold our house.

We found where the mink came in and fixed it and we also caught a mink in a live trap. I'm also worried now because while I was letting my dogs out just a few moments ago, I shined a flashlight towards the wood line and I saw some eyes - I'm thinking it was a coyote. I have to now worry about that.

I just noticed a few bubbles today, maybe 4-5. That's when I started doing the drops and adding the VetRx again. Where can I get the electrolytes?

Click to expand...

Some feed stores have it - sometimes it's separate, sometimes it's in the vitamins. I use Vitamins with Electrolytes Plus - that has probiotics in it, too.

Apparently word is out that there's duck on the menu. Please do what you need to to keep yourself, dogs, and ducks safe. Prayers.

Thanks so much. I'm on the hunt to deter any predators that may be coming in. I'm really considering figuring out a way to put up an electrical fence that can be turned on and off to help keep things away from the barn.