Duck Addicts Anonymous (DAA)

[CoriM]

@HeatherKellyB You are so sweet, and thank you so much for your encouraging words! I am a Christian, and I thank you for your prayers - but also feel embarrassed - there are so many more difficult human situations to pray about. I do pray that my ducks' health situations resolve, but also know this is part of life and our fallen world. So sad, probably the hatcheries my ducks came from aren't the best and these ducks don't really have longevity in their genetics. I'm trying to hold them more lightly, yet love on them and give them the best life possible while they're here! I know I'll make it through this rough patch - never knew that duck-keeping would be so involving and emotional. But I'm still glad I've had the experience. Thank you again for your sweet thoughtfulness and kindness! XO

 

[Quatie]

Hi Heather, you're so sweet to ask and keep up with me. I just haven't been following this thread and need to go back and read up. Honestly, sometimes I don't get on BYC because all of the sad cases seem so heavy and make me feel burdened. I know there's so much happy too, and I've been so blessed by this community and all that it has to offer in terms of support and friendship. I'm just weak with animal sadness, and I have my own share. My ducks are okay. I think that the queen of my coop, the duck that made my Christmas card, and made all the work worthwhile, Puddles, is probably slowly dying of internal laying. I haven't taken her to the vet, so I'm ashamed to even mention it here, but I just don't know how much the vet can help, and I know it will be upwards of thousands possibly even to determine the problem, and likely not curable. I've lost sleep, felt sad, and have researched hours on this site and others to try to figure out what's going on. Today she refused her absolute favorite food, which in the past she honked loudly for and gobbled up. It was sad. My other pekin, Penny, I think I mentioned already, how her 9 month bout with bumblefoot cleared up and she went lame on the same day her scab disappeared. She can walk a little but it looks painful and bad - I have felt her legs, no swelling, or anything that appears broken, but again, haven't taken her in for an x-ray. She's huge, so no doubt her weight doesn't help. I've been carrying her around to the pond and back for a couple months, but she does seem happy enough, except when my other pekin, Tuppins, has pulled her feathers or gotten her eye Trying to keep them separate when it seems like Tuppins is most in the mood to go after Penny. One of my other favorites, Mable, still occasionally shakes her head and I'm worried I might have aspergillosis issues going on. I've been vaporizing both my welsh with Oxine OH but after a week my new vaporizer died - 2nd one. So need to order a new one. My babies were supposed to be 3 females and I have 2 that are "quacking" just like males. I have no idea how that will all shake out. I will definitely try to make it work out since I care about them. I've had better luck integrating them with the older girls (aside from Penny, who constantly gets attacked and I try to protect since it's hard for her to get away) lately - they are doing well free-ranging together and being in my tractor together - although the babies will still chase the big ones on occasion. Ugh, hate to be a downer, just so much of my time and brain space and emotion goes into these ducks - I'm starting to think it's too much! I only get one egg a day, so these are just pets! But they're pets, and I love them. I think the main memory my kids will have of me when I'm dead is mom was always out with the ducks. They are 18 and 20 now, so I've done my due diligence there, but.....

So sorry to hear about your ducks. We all go through though times. Remember to take some time for yourself and have some fun. Whenever I have lots of issues with ducks, I often skip a day treating bumblefoot or the such. For me, it is important to remember the joy the ducks bring and one day usually won't hurt them. Otherwise it can get draining and depressing.

 

[Albert the Saxony]

@HeatherKellyB You are so sweet, and thank you so much for your encouraging words! I am a Christian, and I thank you for your prayers - but also feel embarrassed - there are so many more difficult human situations to pray about. I do pray that my ducks' health situations resolve, but also know this is part of life and our fallen world. So sad, probably the hatcheries my ducks came from aren't the best and these ducks don't really have longevity in their genetics. I'm trying to hold them more lightly, yet love on them and give them the best life possible while they're here! I know I'll make it through this rough patch - never knew that duck-keeping would be so involving and emotional. But I'm still glad I've had the experience. Thank you again for your sweet thoughtfulness and kindness! XO

I will also pray for you and your duckies too! I really feel for you and your birds, but it really sounds like you care for them a lot and want them to live the best life possible.

 

[KaleIAm]

Hi Heather, you're so sweet to ask and keep up with me. I just haven't been following this thread and need to go back and read up. Honestly, sometimes I don't get on BYC because all of the sad cases seem so heavy and make me feel burdened. I know there's so much happy too, and I've been so blessed by this community and all that it has to offer in terms of support and friendship. I'm just weak with animal sadness, and I have my own share. My ducks are okay. I think that the queen of my coop, the duck that made my Christmas card, and made all the work worthwhile, Puddles, is probably slowly dying of internal laying. I haven't taken her to the vet, so I'm ashamed to even mention it here, but I just don't know how much the vet can help, and I know it will be upwards of thousands possibly even to determine the problem, and likely not curable. I've lost sleep, felt sad, and have researched hours on this site and others to try to figure out what's going on. Today she refused her absolute favorite food, which in the past she honked loudly for and gobbled up. It was sad. My other pekin, Penny, I think I mentioned already, how her 9 month bout with bumblefoot cleared up and she went lame on the same day her scab disappeared. She can walk a little but it looks painful and bad - I have felt her legs, no swelling, or anything that appears broken, but again, haven't taken her in for an x-ray. She's huge, so no doubt her weight doesn't help. I've been carrying her around to the pond and back for a couple months, but she does seem happy enough, except when my other pekin, Tuppins, has pulled her feathers or gotten her eye Trying to keep them separate when it seems like Tuppins is most in the mood to go after Penny. One of my other favorites, Mable, still occasionally shakes her head and I'm worried I might have aspergillosis issues going on. I've been vaporizing both my welsh with Oxine OH but after a week my new vaporizer died - 2nd one. So need to order a new one. My babies were supposed to be 3 females and I have 2 that are "quacking" just like males. I have no idea how that will all shake out. I will definitely try to make it work out since I care about them. I've had better luck integrating them with the older girls (aside from Penny, who constantly gets attacked and I try to protect since it's hard for her to get away) lately - they are doing well free-ranging together and being in my tractor together - although the babies will still chase the big ones on occasion. Ugh, hate to be a downer, just so much of my time and brain space and emotion goes into these ducks - I'm starting to think it's too much! I only get one egg a day, so these are just pets! But they're pets, and I love them. I think the main memory my kids will have of me when I'm dead is mom was always out with the ducks. They are 18 and 20 now, so I've done my due diligence there, but.....

I'm sorry things are so hard right now.

 

[Albert the Saxony]

@HeatherKellyB You are so sweet, and thank you so much for your encouraging words! I am a Christian, and I thank you for your prayers - but also feel embarrassed - there are so many more difficult human situations to pray about. I do pray that my ducks' health situations resolve, but also know this is part of life and our fallen world. So sad, probably the hatcheries my ducks came from aren't the best and these ducks don't really have longevity in their genetics. I'm trying to hold them more lightly, yet love on them and give them the best life possible while they're here! I know I'll make it through this rough patch - never knew that duck-keeping would be so involving and emotional. But I'm still glad I've had the experience. Thank you again for your sweet thoughtfulness and kindness! XO

Also, don’t feel like your ducks aren’t important with all the other stuff going on in the world. I know how much my animals mean to me in my life and I’m sure yours are the same way to you.

 

[KaleIAm]

I'm thinking about officially adopting this guy
View attachment 2891465
But nothing is certain yet.
The ducks are looking fat, and they have made little holes in their pen. Any part of the ground that gets wet gets probed.

Thx for asking
You?

Omg those spots on the ear! Squeeee!

 

[Albert the Saxony]

I'm thinking about officially adopting this guy
View attachment 2891465
But nothing is certain yet.
The ducks are looking fat, and they have made little holes in their pen. Any part of the ground that gets wet gets probed.

Thx for asking
You?

Yeah, my ducks did the same thing, except they got into my brand new temporarily fenced off clover patch. I had to make the area extra duck proof, since that is supposed to be for them to eat on next spring.

 

[KaleIAm]

This is my new hen princess. She is a very tiny penciled call hen. She has befriended my broody babies. She’s literally the same size as my two week old calls lol!

You know you’re a crazy duck lady, when you have a duck sleeping in your utility sink… but it was cold…

ps sorry for the overload of pics, I may or may not be totally obsessed with her!

View attachment 2890706View attachment 2890707View attachment 2890708View attachment 2890709View attachment 2890710View attachment 2890711View attachment 2890712View attachment 2890713

She's so adorable!

 

[Everose]

@HeatherKellyB You are so sweet, and thank you so much for your encouraging words! I am a Christian, and I thank you for your prayers - but also feel embarrassed - there are so many more difficult human situations to pray about. I do pray that my ducks' health situations resolve, but also know this is part of life and our fallen world. So sad, probably the hatcheries my ducks came from aren't the best and these ducks don't really have longevity in their genetics. I'm trying to hold them more lightly, yet love on them and give them the best life possible while they're here! I know I'll make it through this rough patch - never knew that duck-keeping would be so involving and emotional. But I'm still glad I've had the experience. Thank you again for your sweet thoughtfulness and kindness! XO

What is the price of five sparrows–two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows. Luke 12:6

Your ducks are no small potatoes to your heavenly father. And there's lots of scripture in the bible about where animals go and about how we should care for them. I firmly believe that they go to heaven. You have done a wonderful job, and your ducks know it. You and your flock will be in my prayers.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

She's so adorable!

How are you and your flock doing?