Duck psychology--I think this duck has PTSD

[Suzy I]

Good evening, I just joined BYC, and am looking forward to contributing when I can.

My friend was just given a duck that has been through a lot. She was housed with geese who were pretty vicious. She has scar tissue above her eyes, and her leg was injured. Right now, she is by herself in a big outdoor dog kennel (plenty of room) with a wading pool. She runs back and forth along the fence (oh yeah, she has an "angel wing" and she's fully grown), and gets upset when anyone approaches her. She hasn't gotten in the pool; we don't think she even knows how to swim.

Anyway, my buddy already has her hands full, and I was thinking about taking her. I have 5 hens who are pretty chill, and two turkey chicks who are still in their own cage, but who will be released with the hens soon. I have plenty of space and a big shed for a coop. So, the physical environment is nice, but I wonder if it would be bad if she didn't have another duck for company. Will chickens count as a flock for her, or are ducks very duck-specific? I don't plan on getting another duck for her, so I won't take her if I have to have two ducks. But the poor thing is so screwed up, I wonder if it even matters to her.

Last question. I feed lay crumbles to my hens, and my turkeys have their own feed. Can the duck safely and consistently eat either of these?

Thank you for reading the long post, but any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Amiga]

Welcome!

With her rough start, it is difficult to say ahead of time.

I agree, she likely really does have PTSD. She needs a safe environment, a patient person, and time to heal.

The poultry feed should be fine for her.

A trip to a good duck vet would be ideal - to assess her physical condition and design a treatment plan.

Getting her a duck may actually traumatize her, or it may be the thing she needs most. But not a drake, absolutely not. Another female. In the meantime, a good sized unbreakable mirror might help. Be sure that the dog kennel has half inch metal hardware cloth along the bottom three feet of the fence. Chain link will not keep a raccoon from reaching through the fence and pulling her out piece by piece.

There also needs to be no more than a half inch gap at the bottom of the kennel, and no way for anything to dig under it. I speak from the stories of too many who have lost their ducks. It's a really ugly way to go, and after all she's been through . . .

Ducks are social animals - they need company - I think that will need to be addressed. Some ducks seem to do okay with chickens, but many do not. Poor, poor little. Please - above all - she needs to be with someone who will not give up on her.

Ducks are resilient, but they are feeling beings, from what I have seen with my flock, and from the stories of others on the Duck Forum.