DEMENTED MUSCOVY DRAKE ATTACKING FROM BEHIND!

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe he is missing the drake you gave away?

 

[RebinNH]

Yes, I am sure of it. I also think it must be very frustrating to have these 2 females so close and yet he can't get to them. I am trying to spend time outside with him but can't be there all day and he seems at a loss. Is just standing around. When his brother was here, he took the lead and Jupiter (my current drake) followed him everywhere. It also seems that is the case with these 2 females - one more dominant than the other and perhaps the leader. Is that always the case?
Btw, the lessor of the females (follower) is also the one who has feather and carunkle and oil gland issues. Her feathers are much cleaner (almost white) by now but she struggles and spends a lot of time preening. Today after her bath, she was soaked to the skin and I finally saw her reach the oil gland that looks clogged (wide bright gold glob - not like the oil glands I saw on my boys). She is not great at bathing because she doesn't move forward in the tub and so is actually beating the side of the tub instead of really getting into the water. I hosed her as well - just to try and help. I am inclined to try to wash her myself in a slightly warmed water bath (again I will traumatize her as she didn't like it when I VERY slowly reached over her sides and gently picked her up to put her in a clean (with some vinegar) water change. She also has raw areas at the top of her wings and in between on her back and I thought I may have seen a few (3) very tiny black dots. The feathers again are ragged and not very healthy looking. Do you think she has some sort of parasite or could this be that she was beat upon by other ducks and it will just take time to heal? I almost want to put something on it, though I don't want to traumatize her but if it is contagious I don't want the others to get it from her. That said the other female seems and looks fine now and is actually following my moves and lets me near her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mites will be running over her skin if she had them. they wouldn't be stationary. Maybe she was picked on where she was living. Since she is preening now give her a chance to get her feathers back to normal.
Is your drake able to get close to them? maybe that would help perk him up?

 

[RebinNH]

Most likely she was picked on. Should I try to examine her more closely and if so, where would they congregate? Is there something I can add to the bath water that would kill any parasites but be pretty benign on her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

You could try ACV in her bath water. When my chickens had mites they were around the vent and under their wings.

If you have Ivermectin you can use that on her topically.

 

[RebinNH]

Well I had ivermectin for my dog but when she died I got rid of the bottle. Didn't know about expiration.
I will attempt to check her today. This will be my first time getting so intimate with a duck.
Btw, I got 2 eggs today! That was after adding calcium and egg shell yesterday.
Thanks so much for all of your advise!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Expiration? I use lvermectin pour on on my chickens put it on the neck on the back side where neck and body meets.
Congrats on the eggs!!

 

[RebinNH]

Ok, well TSC has pour on Durvet but it's for cattle. I don't have a clue how to dose this for a duck/s. I am a believer in Ivermectin and have used it myself (for me) but I know dosing with something for a cow might be an issue. I also wonder if when they take their bath and rink at the same time if they'd be getting a lot in the wash water? Suggestions?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mine is for cattle too.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ivermectin-to-ducks.1515507/#post-25500345

explain what you mean by taking and bath and drinking the wash water. a lot of what?

here is the dosage https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-with-ivermectin.687442/
If you are wanting to try the Ivermectin .. like a member said you can also use poultry dust you just have to be careful with any powder you nor your birds inhale it.

 

[RebinNH]

Hi Miss Lydia,
Thanks for the info on the ivermectin. Will get some asap and try it. I hope to have the results on the stool samples by tomorrow or Tuesday.

Meanwhile ANOTHER new issue! My drake came up to me today and was hissing as usual but the hissing was not. It sounds like a high pitched hiss with a "clunk" after 2 husses. I'm at a loss as to why unless he has picked up some kind of respiratory illness from the other 2 new ducks or...somewhere else? They are able to reach other enough (through the temporary fencing) to touch beaks. Should I try Nutri-drench? I have some here and as yet have not needed it. I want to make sure it is ok to apply it to the neck feathers as I am under the belief that you should not apply oils or other substances to their feathers.