Lame duck

[nanceann]

2
Lame duck
Lame duck

I'm new to ducks. We have 7 ducks and 2 geese together in our garden area separate from our hens. They are about 2 months old. Yesterday my husband said one duck looked sick. This morning While feeding everyone I noticed the duck wasn't walking but using her wings to pull along. I brought her into the house and put her in the bathroom. No visible wounds. Gave her some water, some kale and some dry cat food. I'll go get niacin and brewers yeast today. Any other recommendations?

Also my husband thinks the geese are abusing the ducks. They've been raised together. But he watches from his chair and sees the geese "standing on their backs and biting their necks". Like our roo does to the hens. Do we need to separate the geese and ducks?

 

[dotknott]

"standing on their backs and biting their necks" is mating behavior. The geese could hurt the ducks if they are actually doing the deed, but they are also young and likely practicing, not penetrating.

Even if they are practicing, if they're males, I'd be concerned that they're going to try to mate with the female ducks as adults, which could do some damage if the geese are significantly larger. I don't have experience with this, but I've read enough from folks that have drakes with hens to know that the size difference may be a concern.

 

[nanceann]

Lame duck is walking/ waddling around the bathroom. We'll keep her in tonight. Tomorrow morning we will separate ducks from geese. Too hard to separate during the day.
Normally I feed all flock, scratch and corn. They free range during the day and at night go into a covered dog run. How should I add Brewers yeast?

 

[nanceann]

I've never sexed a goose. Or a duck for that matter. Any good way to tell? I have Indian Runners and Rouens. I think the geese are Toulouse. All are about 8 weeks old. Both geese have brownish gray bills.

 

[dotknott]

@Amiga any advice on how to treat?

 

[nanceann]

Amiga has counciled me on pm. She seems healthy now. So much so we reunited with the flock this evening. She is the smallest and we just got them a wading pool it's possible she hurt herself getting out of the pool. No problems when I put them up for the night. We are going to separate ducks from geese tomorrow

 

[dotknott]

Great to hear!

 

[Tim Tim]

I like it

 

[Tim Tim]

2
Lame duck
Lame duck

I'm new to ducks. We have 7 ducks and 2 geese together in our garden area separate from our hens. They are about 2 months old. Yesterday my husband said one duck looked sick. This morning While feeding everyone I noticed the duck wasn't walking but using her wings to pull along. I brought her into the house and put her in the bathroom. No visible wounds. Gave her some water, some kale and some dry cat food. I'll go get niacin and brewers yeast today. Any other recommendations?

Also my husband thinks the geese are abusing the ducks. They've been raised together. But he watches from his chair and sees the geese "standing on their backs and biting their necks". Like our roo does to the hens. Do we need to separate the geese and ducks?

 

[nanceann]

So our lame duck is lame again. She stands a little, tries to walk and ends up pulling herself along with her wings. She is noticeably smaller than the others. I'm thinking she is a runt. The largest goose does pick on her and bites at her back. Again no visible wounds or anything. Should I just separate for a few days? The other ducks seem to care for it a bit. Nuzzle her. But the geese bite at her back.