Is my hen ok?

[Garciaaxen]

Just yesterday my hen was just fine but now today I woke up to her laying away from outside her pen away from the drake. Just laying by herself in the grass. Now she’s doing this, I’m new to this so idk what it means. She seems to be a bit off & slower moving as well. Our drake is staying by her side & following her as he can tell something is off. Can someone tell me what they think is going on?

 

[Garciaaxen]

I am so sorry. Have you looked on Craigslist you can go with an all drake flock or try and find females sometimes all drake flocks don't work so well but if you could find him at least 3-4 or more females that would be ideal and either his age or older. If you go with ducklings and most hatcheries sell sexed ducklings you'd have to wait till the females are mating age before he could be with them usually around 4 months old But they could live side by side once they are feathered in. That way he would have company but he wouldn't be able to try and mate with them.
Do you have any idea what happened to your female?I know grit was mentioned as a possibility

I am so sorry. Have you looked on Craigslist you can go with an all drake flock or try and find females sometimes all drake flocks don't work so well but if you could find him at least 3-4 or more females that would be ideal and either his age or older. If you go with ducklings and most hatcheries sell sexed ducklings you'd have to wait till the females are mating age before he could be with them usually around 4 months old But they could live side by side once they are feathered in. That way he would have company but he wouldn't be able to try and mate with them.
Do you have any idea what happened to your female?I know grit was mentioned as a possibility

I’m going to just order more ducklings, I have a crate already set up from when my Rouens were babies. My drake is in his pen that my husband made & it’s pretty spacious so I’m going to put the ducklings crate in the pen so that way they can just get familiar with each other without actual physical contact. Unfortunately I think the grit was the reason for her passing she may have just ate too much. I’m very upset & feel so bad she had to go that way & our drake had to witness it. In the meantime waiting for our ducklings to make their way here, can I add a stuffed animal or anything for him to feel a little better?

 

[Jenbirdee]

grit is crushed granite. It’s tiny little pieces of rocks… you should have some in a bowl but that’s not their food. It’s something that they may take a little of now and then to help them digest their food and since they’re living outside, they are likely getting some grit from the dirt that they dig in anyway.
. I suggest start with giving her some vitamins like either rooster booster poultry cell, or Nutri drench. and can you take a picture of her poop, that can give a clue of what might be wrong.

is it possible she could have eaten some plant in the yard that may be toxic?
@Miss Lydia

 

[Garciaaxen]

I'd pick her up and feel her crop. If she ate too much grit it should be full and most likely you could feel if it's grit.

If she ate too much grit what can I do? Or does it just have to pass?

 

[Jenbirdee]

Im confused, was her food bowl filled with just grit ? and none of her regular food was available?
If that was the case then I can see how she might have tried to fill up on the grit

 

[Garciaaxen]

So unfortunately our baby girl passed away last night, I’m so upset & I feel sad for our drake. What can I do to help him since now that he will be alone? I know he needs a mate so should I just order him more mates(ducklings, which I know can’t be with him right away since they’re babies) or should I just go buy more ducks around his age?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am so sorry. Have you looked on Craigslist you can go with an all drake flock or try and find females sometimes all drake flocks don't work so well but if you could find him at least 3-4 or more females that would be ideal and either his age or older. If you go with ducklings and most hatcheries sell sexed ducklings you'd have to wait till the females are mating age before he could be with them usually around 4 months old But they could live side by side once they are feathered in. That way he would have company but he wouldn't be able to try and mate with them.
Do you have any idea what happened to your female?I know grit was mentioned as a possibility

 

[nuthatched]

Age? Diet? Is she laying? What are all her symptoms?

 

[Garciaaxen]

Age? Diet? Is she laying? What are all her symptoms?

She’s about 2 months, diet is duck crumbs specifically the dumor brand sometimes she has a few green peas. She’s walking slow, laying down anywhere & is just hiding her head. I was just told by my husband that he bought them grit thinking that was what they usually eat & he didn’t run it by me. I’m starting to think that has something to do with it. It doesn’t look like they ate a lot because they usually go to town with what’s in their bowl but it’s still full. I’m so worried for her, she is drinking water still here & there.

 

[Garciaaxen]

She’s about 2 months, diet is duck crumbs specifically the dumor brand sometimes she has a few green peas. She’s walking slow, laying down anywhere & is just hiding her head. I was just told by my husband that he bought them grit thinking that was what they usually eat & he didn’t run it by me. I’m starting to think that has something to do with it. It doesn’t look like they ate a lot because they usually go to town with what’s in their bowl but it’s still full. I’m so worried for her, she is drinking water still here & there.

She is also not laying yet.