I just want to tell you my experience with Jumbos. We bought 2, not knowing the difference. Both were drakes. They were Splish & Splash. Splish had problems almost from the start with his joints. Last fall, we finally had to put him down. He was in constant pain and could no longer walk.
Splash was doing well until this past winter. It really took its toll on him. We've had some really good weather, (at least until the last few days) and Splash is NOT his normal self. You can tell that his joints are bothering him. It's taking him longer to get around. I haven't seen him mating at all with the 5 females in with him. It takes him longer to get up off the ground. He's no longer chasing my husband or grabbing his pant legs like he was in the fall.
He's almost double the size of our other drake, Nibbles. Nibbles, who is the same age less a few weeks, is running all over, mating with all the females and is just like he was last year. It pains us to see Splash the way he is.
Once he's in the pool, he comes to life. Of course, there's no more weight on his joints! And he's pain free! But if I could do it over again, I don't know if I would. As much as we've absolutely loved Splish and as much as we love Splash, to see that pain that Splish went through and what Splash is going through now, I don't want to put another duck through that.
Of course this is just our experience and our ducks.
Oh, by the way, Splash will be 2 years old in April so he is not old at all. And handsome?? Absolutely! He's a stunner! I just hate seeing my big boy in pain and I know by the way he's walking that he is.
That's my .02 on the matter, anyway.
Here's Splash (on the far right) with Nibbles next to him, Lucy is next to Nibbles, and Lulu is in the background against the tree.
Laurie
Splash was doing well until this past winter. It really took its toll on him. We've had some really good weather, (at least until the last few days) and Splash is NOT his normal self. You can tell that his joints are bothering him. It's taking him longer to get around. I haven't seen him mating at all with the 5 females in with him. It takes him longer to get up off the ground. He's no longer chasing my husband or grabbing his pant legs like he was in the fall.
He's almost double the size of our other drake, Nibbles. Nibbles, who is the same age less a few weeks, is running all over, mating with all the females and is just like he was last year. It pains us to see Splash the way he is.
Once he's in the pool, he comes to life. Of course, there's no more weight on his joints! And he's pain free! But if I could do it over again, I don't know if I would. As much as we've absolutely loved Splish and as much as we love Splash, to see that pain that Splish went through and what Splash is going through now, I don't want to put another duck through that.
Of course this is just our experience and our ducks.
Oh, by the way, Splash will be 2 years old in April so he is not old at all. And handsome?? Absolutely! He's a stunner! I just hate seeing my big boy in pain and I know by the way he's walking that he is.
That's my .02 on the matter, anyway.
Here's Splash (on the far right) with Nibbles next to him, Lucy is next to Nibbles, and Lulu is in the background against the tree.
Laurie
