Big problem!!

[Quackmeire]

I have huge problem. I took my ducks from my home to my lake and they started dropping like flys and I have no idea why! I had 1 Pekin, 3 Indian Runners, 3 Khaki Tans, and 2 that I have no idea what they are (kinda look like female mallards). I know there is nothing wrong with the lake because I have 3 horses that live on it. The 3 runners are fine, at least seem to be. One Khaki Tan got in the lake and now I can't find it. I've looked all over in the willows (there are a lot) and I can't find it. The other 2 Khaki Tans, the Pekin, and 1 of the ones I can't name just layed over. I couldn't get them back on their feet and they literally died in my hands. They were fine at home so I don't know what happened. I pick up the other odd ball and have it back home with me because it started acting the same way. I don't want to loose another but I have no idea what happened. The only think I can think of that looks weird on them is their cheeks look to be a little puffy, almost like they are keeping food in their cheeks like a squirrel. He also looks like hell now. He played in the lake a little and is all wet and just messy looking. He has no desire to clean his feathers. I have him with me under a heat lamp to dry and stay warm. He can get away from the light if he wants but not sure if he will. Please help I've raised them from babies and don't want to loose anymore.

 

[settingdusk]

Check your pond or whatever for turtles. I used to lose a ton of mallards to snappers.

 

[Quackmeire]

Thanks that might be what happened to the one but I've never seen turtles in my lake. Doesn't mean there aren't any though. Do u have any idea what could be wrong with my other one? He's movin around a bit but shakin his head now and stickin his tongue out. The other didn't make it except the Indian Runners

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks that might be what happened to the one but I've never seen turtles in my lake. Doesn't mean there aren't any though. Do u have any idea what could be wrong with my other one? He's movin around a bit but shakin his head now and stickin his tongue out. The other didn't make it except the Indian Runners

Sounds like they may have gotten into something toxic. How old are the ducks? maybe ate something toxic? If you think it could be a possibility then try doing a flush but follow directions to the T.. here's the linkhttps://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

 

[Quackmeire]

They are about three months old, have most of their feathers and until yesterday were bright eyed, noisy, and fun to have around. I'm not sure what they could have gotten into since they were in a pen. I washed it out everyday and cleaned their water bowls. I just don't know what I did. I'm down to 3 :'(



Sounds like they may have gotten into something toxic. How old are the ducks? maybe ate something toxic? If you think it could be a possibility then try doing a flush but followdirections to the T.. here's the linkhttps://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

 

[Miss Lydia]

They are about three months old, have most of their feathers and until yesterday were bright eyed, noisy, and fun to have around. I'm not sure what they could have gotten into since they were in a pen. I washed it out everyday and cleaned their water bowls. I just don't know what I did. I'm down to 3 :'(



Sounds like they may have gotten into something toxic. How old are the ducks? maybe ate something toxic? If you think it could be a possibility then try doing a flush but followdirections to the T.. here's the linkhttps://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

I thought from what you said they were actually in the lake,.which I meant they could have gotten into something toxic, I didn't realize you had them in a pen at the lake, Do you think anyone could have given them something poisonous?

 

[settingdusk]

Have you fed them to much bread? Check the feed for mold or spoilage.

 

[Quackmeire]

I don't know why anyone would want to hurt my ducks they are just lawn ornaments. I don't show em or anything. They were in a pen and then I took them to my lake. Sorry for the mix up. I lost three in the pen which I have checked again and still can't find anything in there. I took the rest to to the lake and within 3 hours I was down 2 more. This evening when I went to feed them I was down to one I'd lost 8 out of 9 total and have no idea what I did. I brought the last one Ludwig to my house to keep an eye on and he seems to be doing just fine. He must have been upset I guess because when I called his name he ran to me ( they don't normally do that) and has followed me around the house ever since. I guess I'm gonna have a house duck. I still can't figure out what happened to the others. Thanks for the help though.

 

[Quackmeire]

I've never feed them anything but meat bird grains? or whatever you call the crumble stuff

 

[fawne]

I do not know what you feed them so excuse me for this. My ducks eat everything and anything that is green. They eat leaves, moss, grass, plants, dandelions, and I feed them a large amount of corn, cherry tomatoes, and fruit. They eat so much that they probably need a garden built only for them.
Once in a while when I let them out of the pen to graze on the farm they run towards me because they see something in the grass that they are afraid of. I do not know what it is, but it is small. Could be a snake, could be a frog, but whatever it is they are very afraid of it.
They also have a tendancy to be afraid when they are not with their flock. So if I seperate any of them they cry.

I do not know what it could have been at the lake that happened because I was not there. Nor do I know if something was in their pen. I suggest that if you have them on a grain food that you check to see if it has molded. Sometimes it does not look like it is molded but it is. My dog for example would not eat the dog food that she had eaten all of her life for months and we had to change dog food. We did not know why she was eating it. However we figured that it had gone bad. Once we changed the dog food she would eat all of it.