Depressed Ducks??? Seeking therapy!

[RamblinLizard]

I had 3 lovable Indian Runner Ducks, but one, Max, has vanished....I believe, duck-napped. My most timid and beautiful blue-eyed white runner has gone missing and believe has been swiped by drunky college kids en route home from bar. The road I live on is in process f getting gas and water mains replaced as well as sidewalks so people walking home have been having to walk through people's yards. They absence of any feathers/blood makes me believe this wasn't work of a stray dog. Anyway I have posters up, contacted humane society, and game warden but no luck, and sad to say but it's been 5 days now and I fear I may not see him again.

Well I thought I'd be the most broke up about this but it seems Max's brothers have taken this much harder than me. For the last 5 days they haven't entered their duck house once and I only saw them in their pond 2x (most days they will spend hours in the water) They are eating but not out of my hand which they've never shied away from me before. I cleaned both their house and pond out, hoping the sight of crystal clear water will be too hard to pass by, but they remain uninterested. What's the most depressing is that they spend the majority of their time by the front gate, pacing, sleeping and quacking, as if they are waiting for Max to come home. Is it possible that they are THAT depressed...do ducks get depressed? I'm sure whatever happened to Max was witnessed by them since they never leave eachother's sides, so could they be traumatized by the duck-napping? Has this happened to anyone else, and does anyone have suggestions to offer to help my boys?

 

[easttxchick]

That's so sad. If someone snagged your duck, I'd like to give 'em a big 'ol

I can only tell you that when my ducks get separated for VERY short periods of time(and I'm talking about if they can't see each other in the run), they get pretty frantic, quacking and running around until they find their buddies. I would imagine your poor boys don't understand where their flock mate is and could very well be depressed and confused.
Probably time is the only thing that will help them-they will forget.
Poor things, so sad because there is just no way to make them understand.
My two cents.

 

[sourland]

It may be fear of a predator rather than a duck napper that has changed their actions. Fear of entering a coop is generally indicative of the fact that an attack took place there. Really hope that I am wrong on this or the predator may return. Shore up your defenses.

 

[desertdarlene]

I hope Max is OK! But, I agree that it seems like he might have been carried off by a predator because of their fear of entering the duck house. The predator may have taken him away which is why they're at the gate, waiting. I hope that's not the case and he's actually alive and well somewhere. Sorry for the loss.

Perhaps you can spend more time with the remaining ones and make them feel more secure in some way? I agree with reinforcing your pen/duck house.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Yes, they do miss their companions. But more water for swimming always cheers up a duck.