Elderly ducks

[Oldquackers]

Hiya I'm new here but the reason I joined is I wanted to know peoples experience with elderly ducks and any tips they have.

I have 2 khaki Campbells, they are 13 and 14 years old. They started off both as females and over the later years switched to being males. They are pretty darn healthy except the 13 year old has arthritis in her hips (always had extra waddle after surviving a fox attack when she was younger). The 14 year old who was always sharp and inquisitive seems to almost have some duck Alzheimer's or dementia or even just going senile as now she spooks easy and gets confused.

Just wanted to hear some people's experiences with similar or completely different things when it came to their elderly ducks.

Thanks in advance!

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! What do you mean they switch from female male?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have one female Muscovy that will be 12 this spring. Pretty sure she has arthritis in her hip. She has a limp but other than that still moves around alot and interacts with her clan and has a good appetite. I did have another female Scovy that seemed to have dementia in her latter years I guess they aren’t much diierent than us as we all age.

 

[Going Quackers]

Very nice! i have some older ones here now to but not that old... sadly i have lost huge amounts to the coyote and foxes that found my place over the last couple years.

I find i just have to make sure they get enough to eat, but i have a larger flock still.. 21 still run loose... (18 are Muscovy) 3 are Muscovy/buff crosses lol.

My remaining Pekin are up there too.. and sadly the female has issues from being attacked by a dog a few years ago but i have them penned separately from the main flock.

Forgot i have to mind they can get in/out if water containers... they seem to get more loose legged? less agile i guess is the right wording.

 

[Oldquackers]

Welcome to BYC! What do you mean they switch from female male?

Thanks,and when I say switch to male I mean quite literally. There ovateste became active so they both completely regrew their feathers and now both present as drakes even with their quacks when they both used to lay.

 

[Oldquackers]

Very nice! i have some older ones here now to but not that old... sadly i have lost huge amounts to the coyote and foxes that found my place over the last couple years.

I find i just have to make sure they get enough to eat, but i have a larger flock still.. 21 still run loose... (18 are Muscovy) 3 are Muscovy/buff crosses lol.

My remaining Pekin are up there too.. and sadly the female has issues from being attacked by a dog a few years ago but i have them penned separately from the main flock.

Forgot i have to mind they can get in/out if water containers... they seem to get more loose legged? less agile i guess is the right wording.

I found similar issues with my arthritic one when it came to the bath I have to dig it into the ground so that she didn't have to jump or anything.

 

[Oldquackers]

I have one female Muscovy that will be 12 this spring. Pretty sure she has arthritis in her hip. She has a limp but other than that still moves around alot and interacts with her clan and has a good appetite. I did have another female Scovy that seemed to have dementia in her latter years I guess they aren’t much diierent than us as we all age.

Its such an odd thing to see and also quite sad. My 14 year old has changed so much because of it.

 

[Kkrista123]

Thanks,and when I say switch to male I mean quite literally. There ovateste became active so they both completely regrew their feathers and now both present as drakes even with their quacks when they both used to lay.

Transgender ducks?!? Don’t tell the news... they would be all over that!!! They sound very cute, any pics?! Sorry no experience with elderly ducks but I love the info about it!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My old drake who was a month shy of 12 was able to walk far at all so every morning I would carry him to his part of the fenced in area with his girls by the time he passed he only had one left ( she’s my almost 12 yr old). And of an evening I’d carry him to his house. Other than not walking well he enjoyed life up until he passed. I attribute his leg weakness to all the years he spent chasing the other drakes around the property. Takes a toll on them.