Duck rescue

[Cerelia]

OK, 1lp. Wish me luck.

 

[YakLady]

Bless you for your kindness. Warning: You will fall in love, if you haven't already.

I picked up some Pekins from a sweet little old lady who was wheelchair bound. She had a shed full of chickens and ducks, and they had access to a fenced in yard with a small artificial pond. It was obvious that, at one time, the lady could get around and take care of her birds. By the time I got there, though, they had been stuck in a shed for quite some time. They were not in the best condition. There were a couple of geese in the shed, and one of the Pekin hens had been attacked by a goose. The goose had been grabbing the duck's wing tip and flinging/dragging her around. I got the ducks home and brought the injured one inside to take a closer look. With proper nutrition, fresh water and exercise, she healed up perfectly in just a week. Her one wing still slightly droops, but she can flap it and stretch it out just fine. My Pekins lay for me almost every day, but none of them have ever gone broody. Your girl might be more interested in taking a peaceful break in an area that she feels safe in than in the egg itself. BTW... duck eggs are absolutely FABULOUS poached. They're also wonderful to use in your baking. Your baked goods will have a nicer rise than you would see with chicken eggs. Just for fun, beat the egg white sometime. It's amazing how it fluffs up!

I've found that my ducks (I also have Cayugas and an Indian Runner) love any kind of green, and I do give them thawed frozen peas a couple of times a week as a treat. I feed them Flock something or other that I get from TSC. It's made for turkeys, ducks, guineas, etc. Oh, and my ducks absolutely LOVE feeder fish. If you really want to spoil her, get some of those and drop them in her water bowl. They have fun sticking their heads in to catch them and slurp them down. My ducks have a little duck house that my hubby built for them. We put it in the chicken run. Every morning, I open the gate and walk them to the fence. They walk under it, across the pasture, and down to the creek all by themselves and come back to the chicken yard gate in the evening. I go out in the evening and open the gate, and they all walk in to the chicken run. Once the chickens go inside for the evening, I feed the ducks. I love having them-they're just too cute! It's hilarious to see the yaks watching them waddle through the pasture, too. I've got an incubator full of duck eggs, and can't wait to have little ducklings.

Best wishes to you and Daffodil! I hope you have a lot of time to enjoy your friendship.

Oh! One more thing..... I may be wrong, but it was my understanding that ducks do not get parasites.

 

[tia]

She is lucky that you are taking such good care of her. I don't understand how people just release ducks and expect them to survive on their own. What a great act of compassion you are modeling for your daughter.

 

[Cerelia]

Thank you, both, YL and Tia. I appreciate the kind words from everyone. What a great group of folks!

I don't understand people releasing pet animals, either...AT ALL. Since we have moved out into the country, our vet bills have skyrocketed taking care of critters.

I need to go into town to Tractor Supply to get chicken fencing. For the time being, I am going to put that fencing around the rails of our porch and have a large spot (don't worry, I will put down plastic on the ground so I can hose it off). Hopefully she will make it and we can come up with something more permanent. I was at TSC yesterday, and they were selling rabbits and chickens in time for Easter. The problem is, as we all know, there are folks who see an animal and get very impulsive...they are not committed to caring for the animal long-term. It's too easy for these folks to go out shopping and see the cute little critters and get one. The critters themselves are inexpensive, but the companies know they will get all the money for the other items that go along with the critters. Some folks don't think about the expense and time, though...and there they go, releasing their beloved out into the wild to fend for themselves.

I know I am preaching to the choir.

 

[Amiga]

Keep preaching, Cerelia, there are always new choir members!

My beloved thinks I am a bit overboard about protecting my runners, so take that as a disclaimer. Chicken wire may not protect her from predators, but you probably know that. If it is just to keep her in one area, it works great. I am going (once the birds go outside to live, in some number of weeks) to use half inch hardware cloth for their night pen, top, sides, and bottom. We have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, rats, bobcats, domestic dogs and cats, owls and hawks in the area.

 

[Cerelia]

I think you are right. It's a wrap-around porch, about five feet off the ground. That being said, opossum do visit there, now that you mention it. Maybe we should just invest in one of those steel kennels now, something like this. Actually, there is a much larger one that is not chain link, but welded steel. Would that work? I really do need your advice, because you have all been through this before.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/pet-care/pet-containment/pet-kennels-pens/doc-bob-kennel-pro-5-ft-w-x-10-ft-l-x-6-ft-h-3606033

The problem we are having is finding a flat place for it. I hate having her in this cage. We are hand carrying her to swim right now to the tank to swim and get some exercise.

Edited to add: It also just dawned on me that, although the dogs in the neighborhood don't get on the porch because of our Roxie dog, they might if there was a duck there. BTW, Roxie steers clear of the ducks. She feared their pecks.

 

[vfem]

I'm still trying to figure out why someone would clip a pekin's wings. They can't fly anyways?!

Sounds more like just straight abuse.

Glad she had you guys though.

 

[Wifezilla]

OH NO! She is going to Tractor Supply!!!!

IGNORE THE PEEPING SOUNDS AND JUST GO TO THE FENCING!!!

 

[Cerelia]

Just got her out of her swim, and she actually stood up in the cage for 10 minutes and preened! She is feeling better! She has been more talkative and demanding today (she is wearing me out)! Getting good old Daff back. When she was preening, though, I got a good look at that clipping...dear heavens above...awful. Yes, it looks straight across. I really would like to know who has done that to her (and Daisy, who disappeared).

 

[Cerelia]

Don't worry, WZ, I have all the fowl I can handle right now. This duck has me hopping.