Duck died of too much fun, apparently.

[DB_Tex]

Went outside to "do the rounds" and I discovered one of my young white layer ducks stiff in the pond. Apparently she just never got out of the water. I looked her over really carefully and no trauma or wounds, and she definitely wasn't sick yesterday, and no drake around to do her in with too much love. Seems like she just swam until she was exhausted and then drowned O_O

Actually, this doesn't come as a total surprise. Last month I rescued her from her big water dish when she was just starting to get waterlogged and dried her out (She was too stupid to stand up.) Guess she just loved water more than living. Here's to you Blanca; my first duckie darwin awardee.

 

[desertdarlene]

Was she a jumbo Pekin? Another member here lost theirs all of a sudden after a prolonged heat wave. I know it's been cooler in Phoenix, but maybe it's a breed thing.

ETA: Oh wait, I see she's a hybrid.

Sorry about her passing.

 

[DB_Tex]

No, no heat wave, it's been really cool. She's done this before like I mentioned but last time I found her in time. I'm bummed I never got her to lay for me, but I guess at peace since she clearly had some intelligence issues? Culling the natural way I guess, but I had hoped that I'd at least get my culls into freezer camp

 

[heatherindeskies]

strange.

 

[GrannyCarol]

If she was molting or didn't have good feather quality, she could get waterlogged and be unable to get out of the water. I had one I had to help a couple of times lately, so I keep an eye out for her. As for standing up in her water dish - seems strange that she wouldn't, unless she was so wet she was heavy and got exhausted? Poor girlie though!

 

[StevenW.]

Yes, as someone has mentioned she could have gotten waterlogged and couldn't get out.

Sorry for your loss.

 

[DB_Tex]

Her feathers were actually really tight and waterproof, great condition (I literally just checked them all out yesterday), so it couldn't have been easy for her to get waterlogged. The pool she was in is set into the ground and the water level is about 3" below ground level so she could have hopped out of any of the sides, AND there's steps out that they regularly use.
Since she has a history of this kind of thing, I'm really chalking it up to lack of smarts. I think she just stayed in there of her own free will until she became exhausted. It must have taken a really long time.

 

[heatherindeskies]

Is it possible that even though her feathers look great and were smooth, that she couldn't produce enough oil to cover them and therefore became waterlogged?
...poor thing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So sorry for your loss