Handling muscovy social relationships?

[DStewart PDX]

Greetings! I have one muscovy drake and three scovy ducks. The drake and two ducks get along well, hang out together. The third duck seems to be increasingly isolated from the others, keeping her distance. This morning, she didn't even come for treats when everyone else was there, she just hung back in the bushes. (No, she was not laying.) Do the others hate her? Has she been rejected rather than just being the low ranking duck? Thanks in advance for your input.

 

[Amiga]

I feel she may be ailing. Take a closer look at her. Ducks will hide illness until it is very serious.

Do you have vitamins?

 

[DStewart PDX]

I do not have vitamins. What should I look for when I examine her?

 

[Amiga]

Does she feel bony? Puffy? Smell funny? Seem to have any sore spots? Feet very warm - more than usual? Breathing okay? Pooping okay? Eyes clear?

Very passive when she usually is not?

See if you can get ahold of some poultry vitamins, or poly-vi-sol without iron.

 

[DStewart PDX]

I will check her out. Thanks!

 

[Going Quackers]

I would agree, do a thorough exam, as well Muscovy pecking orders are something not talked about much, it's quite a well defined one.. i run a good size flock of them here and some of the ladies DO NOT get on, nothing massively violent but a few of the girls take every opportunity to poke at the not liked one lol

Tell me about the dynamics? were they all brought in together? someone added later, etc.. all that plays a roll. Ages? young ones can be quite playground mean lol till they establish who is really top duck.

 

[DStewart PDX]

Thanks, all. I examined Rhonda, and she looks just fine. Feathers and feet in good repair, same size as the other girls, no obvious wounds, etc. The scovies are all about nine months, having hatched about four days apart. They've been together since they were less than a week old. They are in a mixed flock with chickens. We had some trouble with one of the chickens, but that got sorted out a few months ago, and now everyone hangs out quite peacefully. Rhonda is definitely low ranking duck. I wonder if it's her color. My drake is dark, pearly gray-brown. My two other ducks are white. Rhonda is medium gray and white. I know with chickens you are supposed to avoid having multiples of one color and a single of another. Maybe that's why Rhonda ranks so low?