HELP!!! Duck wont eat!

[msmith1836]

I have a rooster who is obsessed with my ducks. It's clear that he would rather be a duck than a rooster. But on Friday he tried to mate with one of my smaller ducks and now she isn't walking and won't eat. The vet said there are no broken bones and gave her some paid medicine, but I can't get her interested in food. I've tried eggs, tuna, her regular food, and her regular food wetted down. I know she'll never get better if she doesn't keep her strength up, and it's already been 4 days. She will drink water, and she was normal and healthy before the rooster got after her. What can I do? Please help!

 

[Quatie]

I would seperate your ducks from your chickens if you can. Give them their own space. If she is fearful of the rooster or is being picked on by it, it may be partly causing stress and reducing her desire to eat. Giving her a safe space away from the rooster will likely help.

I would look at her legs and look for anything swollen or warm. That is a sign of an injury. Ducks need rest and swim water therapy to recover from a leg injury. Even with really bad sprains they sometimes stop walking. I am would also just do a through look over to see if there is anything else possibly going on, like signs of being pecked on.

Since she hasn't been eating, I would consider tube feeding her. Tube feeding can get a duck through trying times like this and help them make it though. Here is a link on how to tube feed a duck. I highly recommend getting the supplies one way or another. They are a great tool to have on hand.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/

@Miss Lydia do you have anything you would add? I don't have chickens, so you may have other thoughts as what may be going on.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If the vet has examined and can't find any cause then stress maybe what is going on. Could the roosters spurs somehow hit a nerve in her back?
When you put her in the tub with warm water does she move her legs?
I've never had one of my roosters try and mate a duck. My ducks are very respectful of my one roo. He only respects the geese. I'd def separate the ducks from the chickens if he is after your female ducks. And I can vouch for tube feeding it saved the life of my Runner when she wouldn't eat.

 

[sunshine2378]

When my duck cheese got sick she quit eating her duck pellets and she quit eating the vegetables I was giving her and the only thing that I could get her to eat was minnows and worms and I constantly feed her minnows and worms because she prefers to have that over anything else I have set up a camera though and noticed that when I leave the area she will eat the vegetables and pellets not as much as my other duck but she does thank goodness