HELP WITH MY MANDARIN DUCKS!

[EmmaGRS]

I need help. Last Thursday I purchased a pair of mandarin ducks. Perfectly healthy birds. I’ve done research on them the past year, im positive I’m caring for them right. They have a nice big deep tub to swim, scratch feed mixed with a small bit of all flock, a 8x16 pen with fresh grass (it’s like a massive chicken tractor) and a tub with some straw in it for just whatever. They also have some sticks to roost and fly up to. They had been doing fine till after a few days. They’re in the middle of a horse pen against a big barn, and we have 2 dogs. Those dogs go nuts over these flying ducks. They obviously cannot get into their pen, at all ever unless I open the door. But it freaks the mandarins out. Specifically the female. She flies so hard into the chicken wire, that she starts bleeding. I have images of it, it’s very very sad but nothing life threatening. The dogs should stay away, as it’s inside an electric fence but the littlest thing scares them. Today the female would jump up into the pale I have straw in for them, and just fly straight into the side of the pen. Over. And over. And she was bleeding a lot. She’s done this but not repeatedly like that. I’m very concerned for her, I don’t know what’s happening. The male is fine. But I’m worried for her. Do I need to get a box for her to hide in so she doesn’t freak? Is something wrong in her head now that she keeps doing this? Please if you have any suggestions tell me. I don’t want these birds hurt and it kills me to see her doing this. I want them to be happy and healthy. Thank you in advance

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I saw your other post in emergencies. I'm replying here as you have even more info provided here. First you've got to keep your dogs under control. They should not be able to be near the birds if they can't be calm.
Secondly, you might have to trim her wings. Nothing is wrong with her she is trying to escape. She doesn't know the dogs can't get to her. She seems more determined to escape probably because she is very scared.
Treat the wounds with warm saline and maybe some vetricyn. As far as the box, if that is what mandarins need to "hide" in then, that's what you should provide for her.

 

[EmmaGRS]

I saw your other post in emergencies. I'm replying here as you have even more info provided here. First you've got to keep your dogs under control. They should not be able to be near the birds if they can't be calm.
Secondly, you might have to trim her wings. Nothing is wrong with her she is trying to escape. She doesn't know the dogs can't get to her. She seems more determined to escape probably because she is very scared.
Treat the wounds with warm saline and maybe some vetricyn. As far as the box, if that is what mandarins need to "hide" in then, that's what you should provide for her.

Thank you. The only thing is the dogs don’t really like try to “attack” them. They just stand there and look excited. The mandarins don’t react this way with the horses. Plus I can tell the dogs off quickly and they’ll listen. I might try clipping her wings. By now she should’ve known she cannot escape, as the other one has noticed that, it’s very hard to explain. Thank you, I appreciate it

 

[Crazy Maizie]

You haven't had these ducks for very long. It takes awhile for them to adjust to a new environment. Horses are not predators, but dogs are. Animals can sense the difference.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I also wanted to add that your ducks should not be being fed scratch with a little bit of all flock, but rather all flock feed should be their main feed source. If you would like to offer scratch as a treat do so with no more then 10% of their total feel intake.

 

[MGG]

She might have messed herself up a bit neurologically. Definitely cut both the hen and drake's primary flight feathers on both wings. You can also pull them, but they'll grow back much faster than if you cut them.
As for the feed, Astroduck is right. I wouldn't give them any scratch at all. You can give a bit of corn in the middle of winter (if you have winter) but it's not really necessary. They need high quality feed and scratch is about the lowest quality you can get. It gives them zero nutrition.
The dogs can not be anywhere near the duck pen. The ducks just naturally panic when they see dogs. I've had ducks fly into the wire before and have lost two from it. They hit it so hard they instantly die. If they can so much as see the dogs they will freak out, and one of these times she may hit her head just right and it'll kill her. Any predatory animals need to be kept away no matter what or you'll lose birds.
The chicken wire is not strong enough to keep out any predators either. Though them flying into it might be better than them flying into heavier wire, dogs and such can rip right through it like it isn't even there. It's best to just keep dogs away and keep the wings of any skittish or valuable birds clipped. Can you post pics of their set-up?

 

[EmmaGRS]

I also wanted to add that your ducks should not be being fed scratch with a little bit of all flock, but rather all flock feed should be their main feed source. If you would like to offer scratch as a treat do so with no more then 10% of their total feel intake.

The guy I bought them from (not some crazy, he’s been breeding and selling them for years) said to just feed them scratch in the winter. He said they can’t get too fat before breeding season because they won’t reproduce. I looked it up and everything I’ve seen has said the same. I can add more all flock but the scratch will be fine till it’s gone.

 

[EmmaGRS]

She might have messed herself up a bit neurologically. Definitely cut both the hen and drake's primary flight feathers on both wings. You can also pull them, but they'll grow back much faster than if you cut them.
As for the feed, Astroduck is right. I wouldn't give them any scratch at all. You can give a bit of corn in the middle of winter (if you have winter) but it's not really necessary. They need high quality feed and scratch is about the lowest quality you can get. It gives them zero nutrition.
The dogs can not be anywhere near the duck pen. The ducks just naturally panic when they see dogs. I've had ducks fly into the wire before and have lost two from it. They hit it so hard they instantly die. If they can so much as see the dogs they will freak out, and one of these times she may hit her head just right and it'll kill her. Any predatory animals need to be kept away no matter what or you'll lose birds.
The chicken wire is not strong enough to keep out any predators either. Though them flying into it might be better than them flying into heavier wire, dogs and such can rip right through it like it isn't even there. It's best to just keep dogs away and keep the wings of any skittish or valuable birds clipped. Can you post pics of their set-up?

Thank you. I’ll probably clip their wings. As for the feed, I responded to astroduck above with what I think similar. The dogs aren’t crazy, they’ve been near them once and they know very well not to chase any of my birds. They cannot break through their set up. The birds just got spooked I’ve figured out, and I think she is a little messed up in the head from it. I can’t really keep them away but they can’t get to the ducks and they don’t try to get to them at all. They just walk past them. I’ll think they’ll learn with time. I can send an image of their set up tomorrow, right now it is too dark.

 

[EmmaGRS]

Here are the images of their enclosure. We built this last year, it’s 3 cow panels welded together with chicken wire tied to it. The plan is to get another tarp to wrap completely around the back so they can’t see anything and nothing can see them, at least back there so they can “hide”. I also plan to put a bunch of branches up so they can fly around them, and soon a box for her to nest in in the spring. (The pale isn’t really adequate, it’s just there in case they want to use it, they typically don’t, they like sitting at the top of the branch.) For now they’ve been doing great, the dogs haven’t been around there for a long bit now, it’s pretty secluded compared to the other birds.

 

[Disney ducks]

Hey I just got mandarin ducks and I also have two call ducks. I feed my call ducks purina duck feed. Is that okay for the mandarins to eat? The seller told me it was but I’m watching them poop way more than my call ducks so I just want to make sure. Can anyone help? Thank you!