Duck Info For Beginners

[ChickensForEggs2500]

Omg, right?! They seriously act like they are starving constantly!! "Guys! I just fed you!" Lol.

And yeah, my duck almost choked to death on a slug once. She was literally falling over because she couldn't breathe. Chewing isn't a thing.

How do you help prevent/cure this?

 

[SolarDuck]

Really to prevent it just look carefully over the area they are grazing in and make sure there is nothing big that looks like they would try and eat. And yeah cut treats into small pieces. They really will even sometimes choke themselves trying to eat frogs or mice

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

Really to prevent it just look carefully over the area they are grazing in and make sure there is nothing big that looks like they would try and eat. And yeah cut treats into small pieces. They really will even sometimes choke themselves trying to eat frogs or mice

Thank you! Wow they tried to eat mice!?!

 

[SolarDuck]

Not mine, but yes absolutely they will try to eat anything that is running around and looks small enough to eat

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

Not mine, but yes absolutely they will try to eat anything that is running around and looks small enough to eat

Oh ahhaha!

 

[KaleIAm]

How do you help prevent/cure this?

I agree with @SolarDuck, just cut stuff up small enough and try to remove dangers from their environment. I have 5 acres of huge slugs that hide - so unless I keep my ducks inside and deny them a natural-ish life it is something that I choose to accept.

I ended up calling my vet about the slug my duck was choking on. They pulled her from an exam room and I asked her what to do. She told me to just offer water and do nothing else. My poor duck was so delerious from lack of oxygen at that point that she couldn't find that water bucket I put right in front of her. So I put her in a shallow pool of water, but then she was falling over. It was horrible. I was sure she was going to die. Suddenly she swallowed, drank some water, and started walking around. And I went and cried.

I also remember another tip for a new duck owner. After your hypothetical ducks are fully feathered and outside most people recommend not giving them food and water at night. They make such a mess. You'll save yourself a lot of work by leaving their water outside only, since they'll splash their water all over their bedding and you'll need to clean their wet bedding out daily so it doesn't get moldy. And of course, since you can't feed them if they don't have access to water you would then have to take up the food, too.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

I agree with @SolarDuck, just cut stuff up small enough and try to remove dangers from their environment. I have 5 acres of huge slugs that hide - so unless I keep my ducks inside and deny them a natural-ish life it is something that I choose to accept.

I ended up calling my vet about the slug my duck was choking on. They pulled her from an exam room and I asked her what to do. She told me to just offer water and do nothing else. My poor duck was so delerious from lack of oxygen at that point that she couldn't find that water bucket I put right in front of her. So I put her in a shallow pool of water, but then she was falling over. It was horrible. I was sure she was going to die. Suddenly she swallowed, drank some water, and started walking around. And I went and cried.

I also remember another tip for a new duck owner. After your hypothetical ducks are fully feathered and outside most people recommend not giving them food and water at night. They make such a mess. You'll save yourself a lot of work by leaving their water outside only, since they'll splash their water all over their bedding and you'll need to clean their wet bedding out daily so it doesn't get moldy. And of course, since you can't feed them if they don't have access to water you would then have to take up the food, too.

Thank you for the great advice!! I will make sure my hypothetical ducks eat small treats only! Do you have a good avian vet near you? I noticed that we live close together and was wondering if you could recommend an avian vet to me. Thanks! That sounds really horrible and scary. Oh my goodness that makes sense! I will make sure to keep their water outside and put food outside during the day! That will save me a LOT of work. Thank you so much!!

 

[KaleIAm]

Thank you for the great advice!! I will make sure my hypothetical ducks small treats only! Do you have a good avian vet near you? I noticed that we live close together and was wondering if you could recommend an avian vet to me. Thanks! That sound really horrible and scary. Oh my goodness that makes sense! I will make sure to keep their water outside and put food outside during the day! That will save me a LOT of work. Thank you so much!!

Oh, haha! We are so close! I use Cbeam, and you are even closer to them than I am. I'll PM you the names of the vets I use there. They have a lot of experience with birds, including duck specific issues. Also they take emergency appointments. That has been critical for me multiple times. I've used 2 other avian clinics, and know of a 4th, but often you have to wait weeks to get an appointment. Birds frequently can't wait that long.

 

[ChickensForEggs2500]

Oh, haha! We are so close! I use Cbeam, and you are even closer to them than I am. I'll PM you the names of the vets I use there. They have a lot of experience with birds, including duck specific issues. Also they take emergency appointments. That has been critical for me multiple times. I've used 2 other avian clinics, and know of a 4th, but often you have to wait weeks to get an appointment. Birds frequently can't wait that long.

Thank you so much! Two of my birds probably could have been saved if there had been a vet that I knew of, so this will be a real lifesaver!

 

[JNC]

Thank

Thank you! Are Welsh Harlequins, Runners, Khaki Campbells, and Golden 300 hybrids heavyweight? Also, what do you use that Epsom salt for? Ooh the snacks from the Flock Party sound good!

Nope! Those only weigh around 5lbs. Injuries in legs/feet is very common in heavyweight ducks like sprains or bumblefoot. You soak their feet in epsom salt to help the injury.

I have a khaki and I love her. She’s a great layer.