Humanly putting down a duck.

[littlebanty]

I have a very young male duck about 9 months old and he weighs 15 lbs. He showed signs of an impacted crop and I sat on Easter most of the day with him and massaged and oiled his crop and tried to get him to throw up the contents. No luck. It seems to me that his crop has gone down and that possibly was not the problem or I have dislodged what was causing his large crop. I dont know. He is not acting sick, has been eating and drinking. Yesterday I went out to let everyone out and he would not walk. He scoots to the water and food. If I get him to get up he does walk a few feet and holds his wings out and plops right back down and seems alittle unsteady. I am so confused as to why he is acting this way and have found nothing online. I was thinking he could be sore from the massaging and "trauma" I had put him through on Easter. So I was gonna give him a few extra days to recoup and see what happends. If I have to put him down I want to do it without a vet because its VERY hard to find a vet that will look at a duck and will charge an arm and a leg for an animal they know nothing about and I want it done the most humane way possible. I have a friend with a .22 hand gun and he was my first thought and I know he would do it for me. But I want to see if anyone has any other options or have done it. I want it done quick and on the first try. I dont want anyone flaming me for deciding to do this on my own! I just want some options that will get the job done quick and the first time if this is something that has to be done.

 

[AussieSharon]

I'm really sorry you are in this position. A .22 works well, so would chopping his head off or slicing his throat.

 

[littlebanty]

Quote:
Thanks Sharon...It really bothers me to have to do this but I have no other choice if this has to be done. I read for ducks a .22 to the back of the head is the way to do it if your using a gun.

 

[AussieSharon]

I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed for you that he gets better. I've also heard that a .22 to the back of the head works very well. Don't beat yourself up if you have to have it done, know you did all you could for him and made the best decission in the end.

 

[chickenannie]

Why don't you just give him some time.

 

[littlebanty]

Quote:
I am and I want to. I just was looking for some info first and only was going to do it if it had to be done. He is still wagging his tail and hissing at me and showing me that hes happy. Someone on another forum mentioned to me that its possible he was crop bound and I have moved it out and not its in his tummy an he has fermented food in there. So she mentioned buttermilk and bread. ALso a mineral oil enema. I mentioned to her that his poop was watery and had chucks of green in it like bright green grass. Im still gonna try my hardest to help him until he gets better...or worse.

 

[Sunny Chook Farm]

I am sorry you have to deal with this... I had a duck (runner) few weeks ago that I had to put down... He was not able to walk w/out falling over, had to set feed and water right in front of him, after a few days of him like that, his legs got stiff (unable to walk) and he became crook neck... It 'bout killed me to do it but it was better then him suffering... Keep him away from your other ducks (if you ahve them) Give him a few more days, he may get better....

 

[littlebanty]

UPDATE ON DRAKE!: This morning I let everyone out and he still sat in the house until I forced him out so I can pick up the poop from overnight. He seemed the same...not worse. He went over and ate and drank like normal. About 30 minutes ago I went out and gave him 48cc mineral oil orally. Then put him in their pool. He sat there and I walked around it to get him to go and he uses his legs alittle. He mostly just floated there. But he immediatly pooped. It looked normal...with urates. The he got up walked out of the pool and walked....yes walked without holding his wings out to the shaded run and layed there with his mate. I feel that he seems to be better. So we will see. He walks like he is so sore. Like when you use muscles you havent used in a while! His crop has gone down ALOT since Easter. I see absolutly no bulge and I felt around and there is no hard crop. So I am thinking that whatever has past the crop may be sitting in his stomache and so I oiled him in hopes it does pass. So far he seems like he is better then yesterday!