help! duck wont eat

[stumble_n_mumble]

hey guys. i have a peking duck about 3 months old. he has been eating pellets but now he wont eat them and is refusing it... i tried the game bird crumble... but nothing! this is 2 days now that he wont eat it. drinks a lot of water but no food... im worried

anyone have any suggestions?

this is her....

 

[redhen]

do ducks get impacted crops like chickens?....could that be it?..i dont know..sorry..someone here will help you..best of luck..

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

thanks. no shes not impacted.. i can see her pouch swell and deflate. its been deflated because i can see like a crease in her chest.

 

[nettie]

ducks can get well um constipated... has he been pooping normal? if not you can give him some metamucil in his water and that should help him out.

if that's not the case, try to entice him with treats like peas, or baby food, or cottage cheese... if he'll eat those, mix it in with his crumbles.

 

[Gloria]

Are you sure he's not eating maybe when your not looking? Is he scared when your around? If he's just a little scared of you maybe he's waiting until you leave to eat. Mine were like that for awhile until they got used to me.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

no shes been fine ive had her since a day old. she just stopped eating because i control how much she eats at certain times of the day and im always there.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

thanks for the suggestion, yes she has been pooping normal. im just worried about her

 

[nettie]

This might sound gross, but is the poop normal looking? About the same color as his food? Any um, bits in it? If he hasn't been eating but is still pooping then it's pretty likely he is eating somehting else or when you're not around... no food= no poop. Could He be getting into another animals feed? Or does he go out to forage? He may just not be hungry when you're around.

my ducks went through a fit of not eating for about two days when they were a little older than your duckie.... i think it was because my fiance was giving them too many treats (peas and corn) that they gt spoiled and were acting like they were "too good" for duck feed. Since it wasn't a health problem, they got over it.

ALSO: Ducklings eat MUCH more, and more often then older ducks... the older they get, the less they eat. Your little guy might be "leveling" off his food intake.

 

[stumble_n_mumble]

its dark color. normal? its in a pen. theres no way at all its eating any kind of food. so im not sure....

 

[nettie]

sorry i could not get back to you right away. i've been having computer problems. A couple of things might be going on...

Has the duck eaten anything for you yet? did luring him with treats work?

One thought: As ducklings, they eat and eat and eat, since they are growing all those feathers. they eat frequently and what seems like a lot for their size. As they grow, they eat less often and not as much for their size. When before they might eat a whole bowl full, might now only eat a few bites and be satisfied. the poop goes down too.

if the duck has not eaten anything for two days, there will be no poop... check to see if he's going currently. If he is pooping, he is eating something. Check his surroundings, if there is no food... maybe he's catching bugs, eating bedding, or he could be eating well um, his own poop. my ducks did this when i first moved them from 24/7 fed to interval feeding. they got over it after a day or two. My ducks also went through a phase of not eating much but i think it was them being stubborn... my fiance was giving them too many peas and treats and they were getting snooty, lol.

if he currently is not eating for you but is pooping, i'd say clean up his surroundings to make sure he isn't eating his own poop. Leave his food out for him along maybe in a smalkl bowl with a bucket of water so he can eat at his pleasure. Keep an eye on him without getting to close.. he might be getting nervous since you've been paying so much attention to him. check the bowl to see if he's made a mess of the food. if it's on the ground around the food, he was most likely nibbling at it.

If he stops pooping or has not touched the feed, stops drinking, can't hold his neck/head up, or is falling over, consider taking him to a vet. (eating anything rotten can cause botulism which needs to be taken care of asap, this is when the neck is floppy, they have ceisures, or they can't stay standing)

in the mean time watch him to see if any of his behaviors changed... is he more nervous than normal? is he weak or won't get up? try giving him some metamucil in some water just in case. if he won't drink it, you can hold him down, suck some up in a straw or aquarium tube (so it doesn't reach your mouth) open his beak and pour it down his throat. It won't hurt him but it'll make sure he's getting liquids and maybe something to help him "go".

please keep us updated on him!