I own three muscovy hens- approximately 1 yr old, and one 1 yr old drake. Two of the hens are broody- and have been sitting on eggs for approximately two weeks. The other hen has been enjoying my yard, pond, etc exclusively with the drake. Virtually inseparable. My yard is completely fenced off and the "duck yard" is completely fenced by six foot high fencing. I live smack-dab in the middle of a suburb. I feed Purina flock raiser, but they forage and barely eat any pelleted food. I have a pond and a large container of water available. I dont have any known toxins or hazards in my yard at all. The yard is mainly mud with grass just emerging. I have some ivy that is out there, and the lilac bushes are budding out leaves. I have some tulips that are trying to grow- just barely peeking out of the ground. No chemicals used.
Up until this morning, I have had no problems. I also have a frizzled hen that is a year old with three week old chicks. Shelter, housing, and I have hay bales in the yard that the ducks love to roost on. The muscovy hens' wings are clipped. I opened up the gate to the duck yard, and my drake rushed out- telling me off as he has been, since 'breeding hormones' have kicked in. I thought it was odd that he was alone- but thought she must be laying an egg.
I havent seen an egg from her since the other two went broody, but that doesnt mean much. She could be hiding eggs somewhere, and I havent found them. I found her next to a hay bale- unable to walk. She was spreading her wings and trying to get away from me. I picked her up and examined her and I cannot find anything physically wrong with her. She seems dazed. Could be fear. Her abdomen is soft- and I don't feel any egg. I put her in the house in the bath tub full of warm water- she can move her legs. She is paddling slowly. I put her on the bathroom floor- she cant stand up. There is no sign of trauma at all. Her legs dont feel broken. Any physical contact with me is stressful- I dont handle them at all. They wouldnt let me. I am simply the food lady.
I checked out the duck yard. There is no signs of anything amiss. No signs of a scuffle, no blood, nothing knocked over- no messed up shavings. nothing.
Any ideas? I do not know what to do with her, or what could be wrong.
edit:
I just went in and checked her. The water has drained out of the tub enough that she appeared to be semi-standing on one leg. I moved her and there was an egg in the water. Thinking she had been egg-bound, I took her back outside and set her on the deck. She tried to walk and fell forward onto her chest. She did this three times and I picked her back up and brought her into the house.
I have her in a dog bed in the bathroom now. The egg has since hardened- maybe a little thin shelled, but hard. It is hard to say if it is thin because it was in the water prior to hardening, so it doesnt have the normal waxy-coating that duck eggs have- meaning, it doesnt feel like they normally do.
Up until this morning, I have had no problems. I also have a frizzled hen that is a year old with three week old chicks. Shelter, housing, and I have hay bales in the yard that the ducks love to roost on. The muscovy hens' wings are clipped. I opened up the gate to the duck yard, and my drake rushed out- telling me off as he has been, since 'breeding hormones' have kicked in. I thought it was odd that he was alone- but thought she must be laying an egg.
I havent seen an egg from her since the other two went broody, but that doesnt mean much. She could be hiding eggs somewhere, and I havent found them. I found her next to a hay bale- unable to walk. She was spreading her wings and trying to get away from me. I picked her up and examined her and I cannot find anything physically wrong with her. She seems dazed. Could be fear. Her abdomen is soft- and I don't feel any egg. I put her in the house in the bath tub full of warm water- she can move her legs. She is paddling slowly. I put her on the bathroom floor- she cant stand up. There is no sign of trauma at all. Her legs dont feel broken. Any physical contact with me is stressful- I dont handle them at all. They wouldnt let me. I am simply the food lady.
I checked out the duck yard. There is no signs of anything amiss. No signs of a scuffle, no blood, nothing knocked over- no messed up shavings. nothing.
Any ideas? I do not know what to do with her, or what could be wrong.
edit:
I just went in and checked her. The water has drained out of the tub enough that she appeared to be semi-standing on one leg. I moved her and there was an egg in the water. Thinking she had been egg-bound, I took her back outside and set her on the deck. She tried to walk and fell forward onto her chest. She did this three times and I picked her back up and brought her into the house.
I have her in a dog bed in the bathroom now. The egg has since hardened- maybe a little thin shelled, but hard. It is hard to say if it is thin because it was in the water prior to hardening, so it doesnt have the normal waxy-coating that duck eggs have- meaning, it doesnt feel like they normally do.
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