Muscovy tramatic weight loss during winter!

[NorthernChick1]

Throughout my flock of chickens are 2 muscovy ducks, they are the same age and i got them last spring. By fall they were pretty heavy and healthy, a month or so ago i noticed one was looking a little rough but with winter hitting -35 -40°C for a period of 3 weeks i picked them up today and my one duck seems to weigh as much as the chickens! I am scared! i feed them all mealworms here and there and i noticed that it almost seemed as she had impared vision as id hold one up to her face between my fingers and she would look everywhere and didnt notice i had one in my fingers.. They bith stoped laying about 1-2 months ago as well. What should i do? is there anything i can feed them to help with weight gain untill spring arrives?

 

[Cragg Klefor]

Aw the poor thing!
I don't know much about ducks but if she were a chicken I would ask have you wormed them and checked them over well for mites/lice?? - I imagine the same may apply here.
As for her vision, have you seen her eating daily? If she can't find food she will of course loose weight, I imagine it should be fairly easy to find out if that is the issue with a little careful monitoring for a couple of days. Watch to see if she eats while her sister does.
I hope you get to find out what is ailing her, poor girl.

 

[NorthernChick1]

Aw the poor thing!
I don't know much about ducks but if she were a chicken I would ask have you wormed them and checked them over well for mites/lice?? - I imagine the same may apply here.
As for her vision, have you seen her eating daily? If she can't find food she will of course loose weight, I imagine it should be fairly easy to find out if that is the issue with a little careful monitoring for a couple of days. Watch to see if she eats while her sister does.
I hope you get to find out what is ailing her, poor girl.

will do so! thanks!

 

[Cragg Klefor]

will do so! thanks!

Do let us know when you get a chance to watch if she eats ok! Best of luck!

 

[Redhead Rae]

@WVduckchick, @Pyxis, and @casportpony may be able to help.

 

[Nellydog]

I don’t know much but maybe they have worms, I know it happens with chickens. And cats we have had get is since they’re strays and it make them look not so hot so I’d look into that

 

[NorthernChick1]

i just read this, i do find that she does look " less waterproof, her feathers are more froze and ugly comparded to the other. Do any of you who read this agree?

 

[NorthernChick1]

its cold out and i rather not give her a bath cause then id have to keep her in the house until she dries then shdd be put back out where its colder and would probably give her a shock in temp

 

[WVduckchick]

@Miss Lydia also has muscovies, maybe she can help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I def wouldn’t put her in water if you can’t keep her warm. She really does look rough. What are you feeding them? In winter when temps are very cold for afternoon treat mine get mealworm 6 way scratch and whole corn ( even my tiny OEGB can eat it and that keeps them all at a good weight over winter. Having wet feather this time of year isn’t good and be caused by illness where she isn’t wanting or doesn’t feel like preening so she isn’t using her preen gland to put wax over her feathers. A good molt will take care of wet feather most of the time but my Muscovys molt in late fall although this year they molted later because of the warm fall we had. She’ll not do so well over winter with her feathers not in good condition since that’s how they keep warm. I’d look her over for mites or lice to start with. Watch closely to make sure she is eating. Offer some extra fat in form of whole corn and black oil sunflower seeds and mealworms since the protein in them will help too. If she isn’t feeling well she really needs to be kept where she can be warm and given plenty of water and healthy feed. You haven’t noticed the chickens picking on her? They can pick out a sick bird and be pretty rough on them. Go on google and look up wet feather on Majestic water fowl site they can give you other information about wet feather.