Duck not acting right ... concerned

[Here come the ducks]

Hello everyone- as you all know I lost my 5 month old this week ( died after surgery for broken femur) - today my Cayuga is acting very odd.. standing .. drinking - did eat meals worms... bit mostly just standing and drinking .. not her usual self .. I think she laid an egg this am.. but something just not right.
Could she be mourning?

 

[Quatie]

Ducks do get depressed when one of their flock mates dies. We lost one of our Pekins females and my drake absolutely loved her. He was not his chipper self after she died. After a couple weeks, he started to act more like himself. I would keep an eye on how much your cayuga is eating. Also look out for any other signs something else is going on, like being egg bound. She is likely just missing her friend

 

[SolarDuck]

I agree, it just sounds like she is probably sad and missing her friend.

 

[Here come the ducks]

Ducks do get depressed when one of their flock mates dies. We lost one of our Pekins females and my drake absolutely loved her. He was not his chipper self after she died. After a couple weeks, he started to act more like himself. I would keep an eye on how much your cayuga is eating. Also look out for any other signs something else is going on, like being egg bound. She is likely just missing her friend

Ugh thanks guys.. I am so heartbroken over losing my sweet Samarra- and then seeing my other babies missing her is just heart wrenching... ugh - my husband just took my Cayuga to the vet.. I just want to be sure .. ugh.. I’m so sad today.
The weather has just turned so nice and my baby never got to see the spring ...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello everyone- as you all know I lost my 5 month old this week ( died after surgery for broken femur) - today my Cayuga is acting very odd.. standing .. drinking - did eat meals worms... bit mostly just standing and drinking .. not her usual self .. I think she laid an egg this am.. but something just not right.
Could she be mourning?

Do you only have her now? might want to think of getting another 1-2 ducks so she has company, They really do enjoy the company of their own.

 

[Here come the ducks]

Do you only have her now? might want to think of getting another 1-2 ducks so she has company, They really do enjoy the company of their own.

Gosh. No.. I have a buff and another pekin... it was 4 , now three. The big pekin on the left was Samarra.

 

[KaleIAm]

I started off with 6 ducks, and 3 have passed away due to medical reasons over the last 6 years. My flock has mourned each time by behaving, "off." My birds stood around more, called for their deceased flock member, and also seemed more clingy to me. In my experience birds are emotional and have close bonds with their flock members, so it is natural for them to have a mourning period.

That doesn't mean this is what is going on with your cayuga, but in my flock that is what happened. Please keep us posted about what your vet says.

 

[Here come the ducks]

I started off with 6 ducks, and 3 have passed away due to medical reasons over the last 6 years. My flock has mourned each time by behaving, "off." My birds stood around more, called for their deceased flock member, and also seemed more clingy to me. In my experience birds are emotional and have close bonds with their flock members, so it is natural for them to have a mourning period.

That doesn't mean this is what is going on with your cayuga, but in my flock that is what happened. Please keep us posted about what your vet says.

You know... I’m am just beyond myself.. they found some kind of staple in her belly!! They do not think that Is why she is off.. but none the less now I have to watch for this!
This is unreal! I mean utterly unreal - it isn’t one thing after another ... I watch them so so so so closely - HOW did this happen??
Now she may end up needing surgery too!!
Like who can handle all this ? Emotionally and financially...
ugh I just don’t get it ... I never imagined 4 little ducks would have been such a non stop worry.
So...
one pekin who has had leg issues from 1 week old
One buff who had aspiration pneumonia- in ICU for 4 days
One pekin- who broke her femur - then passed away right after surgery
Now my Cayuga has a staple in her belly these ducks are never out of my sight - they don’t free range - I have them in a little run that I move around in the morning- then they are in their beautiful run with their pool!!
How does this happen? Ugh
OMG.

 

[KaleIAm]

You know... I’m am just beyond myself.. they found some kind of staple in her belly!! They do not think that Is why she is off.. but none the less now I have to watch for this!
This is unreal! I mean utterly unreal - it isn’t one thing after another ... I watch them so so so so closely - HOW did this happen??
Now she may end up needing surgery too!!
Like who can handle all this ? Emotionally and financially...
ugh I just don’t get it ... I never imagined 4 little ducks would have been such a non stop worry.
So...
one pekin who has had leg issues from 1 week old
One buff who had aspiration pneumonia- in ICU for 4 days
One pekin- who broke her femur - then passed away right after surgery
Now my Cayuga has a staple in her belly these ducks are never out of my sight - they don’t free range - I have them in a little run that I move around in the morning- then they are in their beautiful run with their pool!!
How does this happen? Ugh
OMG.

Oh my, a staple. I'm so glad you took her in and they found it. I think it must not be uncommon for ducks to ingest metal because my vet is frequently taking radiographs of my ducks to look for screws or similar items when they aren't feeling well. Even when we don't find something my vet will do a blood test for heavy metal poisoning just in case the metal item dissolved.

I'm constantly after my partner to be careful with his projects, not to drop nails or bolts... But of course mistakes happen. And ducks pick up and swallow things so quickly.

I know you are likely very scared of your cayuga having surgery after the way Samarra just passed away. Hopefully your cayuga would be having her surgery at a different clinic with more experience with waterfowl? My ducks have had anesthesia multiple times and always recovered without an issue. The clinic I use is very experienced with birds.

I completely understand how you feel. The emotional rollercoaster of having ducks has also been unreal for me. I adore and cherish them, and I am heartbroken as well. I have had to double my work hours to keep up with my ducks' medical bills. I'm sorry I can't offer anything besides that I relate and understand how you feel and what you are going through.

 

[Here come the ducks]

Oh my, a staple. I'm so glad you took her in and they found it. I think it must not be uncommon for ducks to ingest metal because my vet is frequently taking radiographs of my ducks to look for screws or similar items when they aren't feeling well. Even when we don't find something my vet will do a blood test for heavy metal poisoning just in case the metal item dissolved.

I'm constantly after my partner to be careful with his projects, not to drop nails or bolts... But of course mistakes happen. And ducks pick up and swallow things so quickly.

I know you are likely very scared of your cayuga having surgery after the way Samarra just passed away. Hopefully your cayuga would be having her surgery at a different clinic with more experience with waterfowl? My ducks have had anesthesia multiple times and always recovered without an issue. The clinic I use is very experienced with birds.

I completely understand how you feel. The emotional rollercoaster of having ducks has also been unreal for me. I adore and cherish them, and I am heartbroken as well. I have had to double my work hours to keep up with my ducks' medical bills. I'm sorry I can't offer anything besides that I relate and understand how you feel and what you are going through.

I really appreciate your comments ..yes the medical expenses are quoted outrageous. They told me to watch her ....I don’t understand why we wouldn’t do surgery now?
Like are we waiting for an issue ? Idk.. I tell you ... as a physician I have never felt so helpless in all these medical issues with these ducks .. I feel like my knowledge guides me to want something ( surgery now before she gets sick) but I’m told to wait .
That other place they did the surgery Ian supposed to be top notch with waterfowl. ( go figure)
But I so appreciate you telling me your ducks have had such procedures and have been fine .
We will see...