Ice Chested Welsh

[cigarmitch]

No surprise it is cold. Seems like every post is in some way about the cold. This one is no different. We saw temps at -10f last night and it barely got to 8f today. But that didn't stop my two Welsh Harlequin ducks from enjoying some rays outside. The trouble came this morning when I saw ice forming on the breast feathers of my female. I put the brooder lamp in their house, but no improvement (melting) in the last 4 hours. She obviously did this when she "drank" water, and they do not have feed or water in their house. Thoughts? My gut wants to help her out, but I don't want to wrestle her into my house if she doesn't need it.

 

[Amiga]

If the ice is just on feather tips, there may not be a big problem. I keep my ducks in a walkout basement pen that stays above freezing, so with us it is just a matter of getting them in at night, and we do that due to predators anyway.

Can you get close enough to assess how she's doing without grabbing her? Is she showing signs like shivering or hunching up?

 

[mothergooz]

I'd put her in the bathtub, fill it with warm water and maybe try to rub the warm water on her belly. She should instinctually begin to drink the warm bath water and that should melt the ice cube in her chest.

Does she like peas? perhaps a warm pea mush will get some warmth into her belly.

Heck, you can also just wrap her in a towel, sit her on your lap and hold her close. Your body heat should warm her up.

And there's no need to wrestle the duck. Move slowly, talk soflty and tell her what you are going to do. Constantly reassure her everything is going to be fine. Believe me, she doesn't speak the language but she will understand.

If she's too frostbitten, then just don't mess around and call the vet. A life is at stake here.

 

[LaurelC]

I'm a fairly new member, so not quite up to speed on all of the lingo used here, but I saw the thread title and assumed that you had killed one of your ducks and put it in the freezer. Obviously not the case reading the thread, but humorous, nonetheless.

 

[cigarmitch]

Well I gave it a shot and everything went fairly easy with bringing them both in. They were both cold, but she seems to be thankful. I spread a healthy bed of pine shavings in the guest shower and put them both in there. Temp is about 45 in there, so we're doing well now. I went with my gut, it doesn't get this cold here that often.

 

[Amiga]

Well I gave it a shot and everything went fairly easy with bringing them both in. They were both cold, but she seems to be thankful. I spread a healthy bed of pine shavings in the guest shower and put them both in there. Temp is about 45 in there, so we're doing well now. I went with my gut, it doesn't get this cold here that often.

Proud of you - our gut instincts more often than not lead us to the right choice. Bravo!