My favorite girl HATES me!!

[JosieR]

My favorite runner has had some crust around her eyes which I was treating with a spray. Today I saw her shivering and said, that's it, it's in the teens going to at least -7 tonight, I'm bringing her in the garage.

I have the other 4 yelling at me as I walk off with her under my arm, I put her in the old 2x5 brooder box in my garage, plenty tall, with a heat lamp. It's about 40 degrees in there according to the thermometer and she's got food, water and a handful of peas all to herself.

She'll periodically quack and I run to see what she needs. I just went out to put a towl over the end of the box to hold the heat in, thinking she might be chilly (though at 40 degrees I can't see it) and she's HISSING at me??? At first I thought maybe she's getting worse but then I remember people mentioning their girls doing it when they're mad, if they try to take their eggs or something... I have never heard anything like that from any of them. I can only guess that she's mad that she's alone or it's not "home"

I feel like a kid, she called me out there just to yell at me!

 

[Amiga]

JosieR,

(Remember: This idea is from the woman who can come up with some doozies - just consider the source.)

Couldja bring in a friend?

I do that when someone has to be in sick bay. Then they can hate me together!

Just a thought . . . .

Yes, she's angry with you. You, you, runner-napper!

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Amiga, you are too funny...

Josie, she is just not sure what is going on. I am pretty sure that is it. Imagine if you were taken from your friends/family and put somewhere different all day....

 

[terrilhb]

That is so funny. My chickens yell at me all the time when they are not happy. They don't appreciate all the work we put into them.

 

[PlumTuckered]

My ducks behave the same way when I have to bring one in for a checkup or other reason. I think if you bring in one of her pals to stay with her she'll be much more content, she'll probably heal faster without the stress of being alone too. I would bring in the most docile of the other ducks to be with her.

Last week I had to carry Scrappy (my 16 month old Pekin Hen) in for a bath and to check her feathers (she's in a heavy molt and there was some blood from the other ducks yanking the hanging feathers)...anyway I picked Scrappy up and Scooter (my scovey hen) jumped up on my foot, spread her wings and did her version of screaming at me, it was funny as all get out. I leaned down so Scooter could see I wasn't hurting Scrappy and Scooter tried to pull her out of my arms. Ducks are such a riot, my favorite critter in the world!

Michelle

 

[JosieR]

LOL screaming at you! I love it!

Amiga, I thought about bringing in my other runner since it's only a 2ft by 4 ft box but my other runner is just as high strung. I have a Cayuga that's pretty mellow but she's also pretty big and by the time we have water and food it doesn't leave much room. Plus she's got the crusty eye and nobody else has it as of right now so I don't want it to spread if it is something, kwim?

She's not eating or drinking much (in protest) but I brought her some peas and she gave in, just long enough to eat those LOL Every time I walk out she's sitting right under the light, just looking up and yelling at me. But she's enjoying that balmy 40 degree temp in there.

Little stinkers, I'm glad I'm not the only one that gets yelled/hissed at.. I have just NEVER heard that horrible, hissing noise from my sweet little thing. Reminds me of when my 4 year old folds her arms and tells me she's mad at me.

 

[1duckychick]

I never knew they hissed! I had to bring one of my girls inside for a few days to heal up after a hawk attack. She's normally very skittish and HATES being petted let alone being picked up and carried away from her crew but this time she didn't even squawk. That's how I knew she was really hurting. Once she started feeling better she started giving me the "duck-ittude" - the ruffled feathers and the long, long quack - when I went to her sick pen to check on her.

I'm glad I read this thread though. Everytime I enter their pen they all start quacking like crazy. I've always wondered whether that meant they were happy to see me and chatting or iritated that I was intruding and yelling at me!

 

[JosieR]

It was really unlike anything I had ever heard. If I didn't know what a little softie she is, I might have actually been scared!!

She wasn't really eating (except peas) and barely drinking, in protest. She was yelling in the garage and then the other other 4 heard her yelling so they starting quacking back from the back of the yard

It was in the upper 20's today so we brought her back out. Funniest. thing. ever. The minute we put her back in the run she started chattering to the other ones and they all walked into their house together. My son said, wow, I can't believe some of the things she's saying about you LOLOLOL They really were looking back at me and trash talking. She's looks thinner than when I brought her in so it may have done more harm than good. She walked right over to the water and had a good, long drink and then something to eat as soon as I put her in.

I piled snow in their swim pan and hauled enough hot water to melt it and they all cleaned themselves, lots of wing flapping and head dunking and grooming so hopefully that fixes her.

Hopefully they'll all rest good having been able to have a good swim for the first time in a couple of months