Yesterday I lost 2 of my mallards. One a little boy just starting to get his wedding colors and a female. I am devastated to say the least. Somehow I know it's my fault but I don't know what I am doing wrong.
In July, I wrote here with questions about another sick little girl. She died soon after I asked for help. Seemed to be having some kind of neurological problem. Head back over her back, a lot of thrashing and squawking. It was awful and there was nothing I could do.
On Sunday, I noticed that one of my female mallards was not acting right. She was a bit lethargic and kept herself seperated from the others. She did leave the pen with the others when I let them out, but was not right. I was concerned but we've been having a problem here with the pekins trying to mate with the female mallards. I thought that was the problem [ her feathers seemed to be a little worse for wear on the blue feathers of her wings and also her others didn't look right, not bad just not 'right' ] as there is one pekin who will not take no for an answer and is chasing the mallard girls around. Now, he has 3 pekin females but he doesn't want them, in fact will chase them away and go after the mallards. The geese normally take care of the issue before I can get there. They don't like it either and will nip him good. I was able to mark him last night with Blu Kote and this weekend will probably be his last. Sad but I wouldn't want his off-spring.
When I went into the duck pen Monday morning to let them out and change water and feed, I noticed one of my younger mallard boys was just floating in their pool and not running for the door like everyone else. Not normal. I stayed with him for a bit and watched. He seemed " off ", more of a gut feeling on my part than actually knowing. He did come and get a drink of the water when I had finished changing it but didn't eat. His feathers The little female seemed more herself but was still moving slow and keeping to herself. She did eat and drink and left the pen when I did. The little boy didn't come out.
I went back and checked on him later and found him hiding under the ramp leading into their house. He had his head down with his bill holding it up from the ground. He wasn't doing good. I was able to pick him up and I put him into the duck house so he would be safe from the others. Clean water, fresh food. He wanted none of it and just laid down with his feet under him and his neck stretched out in front. I stayed with him for a while just talking and singing to him and he seemed to relax and be resting. I left him and went out with the rest of the flock, figured let him rest a bit. [ Did I mention that the pekin will try and mount the younger drakes as well? Well this little guy had dried spit marks on the back of his neck where he would have been grabbed by the pekin.]
I went back about 2 hours later to check and he was lying there with his eyes open looking at me. I talked to him and after a few minutes placed my hand slowly on his back. He was stone cold dead.
Last evening when the birds were put away for the night, I couldn't find the little female. She had been hanging with me all day as I built a door for the turkey pen and a platform as well. Never farther than 5' away. Oh God! I looked everywhere! Got a big flashlight and looked again. You can't find a female mallard in the woods if she doesn't want to be found. She's the same color as the leaves on the ground. After a couple of hours my husband spots her next to the turkey house. He was able to pick her up and carry her to their house. I quickly cleaned the mallards platform, added clean shavings and gave her fresh water and food. I thought it was because of the pekin chasing her that she didn't go in with the rest and was hiding. Closed the house up for the night as the others don't sleep in there at all right now.
Today, I went out to take care of them and went into the house first. I found my little girl lying on her side dead. It looked to me as if she had just fallen over. Her head was back over her back but her wings were close to her body. Her feet were positioned as if she was walking.
I got out Storey's book on ducks and started reading. Could this be botulism? If so from what? I am very careful with their food, always checking that there are no clumps of once wet grain mixed in and change their water at least twice a day, usually more as I hate to see them drinking dirty water.
If not botulism, then what else could it be? I am scared spitless right now. As I said, I know it's my fault but I don't know where or how and I really need some help figuring this out!
In July, I wrote here with questions about another sick little girl. She died soon after I asked for help. Seemed to be having some kind of neurological problem. Head back over her back, a lot of thrashing and squawking. It was awful and there was nothing I could do.
On Sunday, I noticed that one of my female mallards was not acting right. She was a bit lethargic and kept herself seperated from the others. She did leave the pen with the others when I let them out, but was not right. I was concerned but we've been having a problem here with the pekins trying to mate with the female mallards. I thought that was the problem [ her feathers seemed to be a little worse for wear on the blue feathers of her wings and also her others didn't look right, not bad just not 'right' ] as there is one pekin who will not take no for an answer and is chasing the mallard girls around. Now, he has 3 pekin females but he doesn't want them, in fact will chase them away and go after the mallards. The geese normally take care of the issue before I can get there. They don't like it either and will nip him good. I was able to mark him last night with Blu Kote and this weekend will probably be his last. Sad but I wouldn't want his off-spring.
When I went into the duck pen Monday morning to let them out and change water and feed, I noticed one of my younger mallard boys was just floating in their pool and not running for the door like everyone else. Not normal. I stayed with him for a bit and watched. He seemed " off ", more of a gut feeling on my part than actually knowing. He did come and get a drink of the water when I had finished changing it but didn't eat. His feathers The little female seemed more herself but was still moving slow and keeping to herself. She did eat and drink and left the pen when I did. The little boy didn't come out.
I went back and checked on him later and found him hiding under the ramp leading into their house. He had his head down with his bill holding it up from the ground. He wasn't doing good. I was able to pick him up and I put him into the duck house so he would be safe from the others. Clean water, fresh food. He wanted none of it and just laid down with his feet under him and his neck stretched out in front. I stayed with him for a while just talking and singing to him and he seemed to relax and be resting. I left him and went out with the rest of the flock, figured let him rest a bit. [ Did I mention that the pekin will try and mount the younger drakes as well? Well this little guy had dried spit marks on the back of his neck where he would have been grabbed by the pekin.]
I went back about 2 hours later to check and he was lying there with his eyes open looking at me. I talked to him and after a few minutes placed my hand slowly on his back. He was stone cold dead.
Last evening when the birds were put away for the night, I couldn't find the little female. She had been hanging with me all day as I built a door for the turkey pen and a platform as well. Never farther than 5' away. Oh God! I looked everywhere! Got a big flashlight and looked again. You can't find a female mallard in the woods if she doesn't want to be found. She's the same color as the leaves on the ground. After a couple of hours my husband spots her next to the turkey house. He was able to pick her up and carry her to their house. I quickly cleaned the mallards platform, added clean shavings and gave her fresh water and food. I thought it was because of the pekin chasing her that she didn't go in with the rest and was hiding. Closed the house up for the night as the others don't sleep in there at all right now.
Today, I went out to take care of them and went into the house first. I found my little girl lying on her side dead. It looked to me as if she had just fallen over. Her head was back over her back but her wings were close to her body. Her feet were positioned as if she was walking.
I got out Storey's book on ducks and started reading. Could this be botulism? If so from what? I am very careful with their food, always checking that there are no clumps of once wet grain mixed in and change their water at least twice a day, usually more as I hate to see them drinking dirty water.
If not botulism, then what else could it be? I am scared spitless right now. As I said, I know it's my fault but I don't know where or how and I really need some help figuring this out!
