My muscovy keeps getting icy!!! Any idea????????

[chicken5]

One of my muscovy girls keeps getting icy. I put her in a cage and under a heat lamp yesterday after noticing she was walking strangely and was icy on her feathers. She warmed up and dried, so I let her go back with her friends. Last night, the same thing happened again. I did see, "Big Earl", our drake mount (lack of better word) yesterday in the water bowl. But, he does that daily with the girls, and there has seemed to be no icy problems. It was colder yesterday, about 15 degrees as a high. Any ideas??? I don't know if she is sick, or if it has something to do with what keeps the ducks "waterproof". Don't know what to do!!!!!!

 

[Amiga]

Sorry to hear this

There is a reason she gets icy, and if there is a way to keep her in "rehab" until you have a better idea, or until you can build her up, that might be best.

It could be her body temp is low, or it could be her ability to keep herself oiled isn't working well.

What is the usual feed for them? She may need a little extra boost of something right now.

How old is she? In what ways is she different from the others (temperament, history of injury, etc.)?

You wrote she's not walking quite right. Can you handle her enough to feel her belly?

That's what I can offer right now - will think about it more and hope some muscovyherds here chime in.

Pax.

 

[chicken5]

Thanks so much for the reply. I went out early this morning and she was in the coop icy. Still not walking well. She is about 9 months old. I watched the other three take their bath this morning. And, they all seem fine. The only difference between her and the others is the ice on feathers and walking problem. She has never had any illness or injury so far. My hubby and I are getting ready to go get her. We are going to put her in a cage again with heat. She won't like it because they are all free-range, but she has to get better first. Thanks again!!
Any others with ideas, please let me know!!

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

A friend called this morn. He had to bring his Polish roo inside to thaw. The others wouldn't let it in the coop, & he developed so much ice on his "head-dress" that he couldn't hold his head up anymore. Poor guy!

 

[Amiga]

See if you can give her a good palpation (what my vet calls gentle poking everywhere). Look for lumps, tender spots (she will tell you!), any place that doesn't feel right.

I don't know what you are feeding her, but she may benefit, in this really cold snap, from just a little dry cat kibble, that has some oils and protein in it - but if you are already feeding her loads of protein that may be too much. You need to make the call on that.

If she has an infection, you want to find that right away and treat it - it could cause those symptoms.

Also, vitamin deficiencies - B vitamins, niacin, biotin - could be the problem.

Was she and is she laying the same as the others?

A calcium/phosphorus imbalance can also cause walking problems.

Is she eating and drinking normally?

Am I asking too many questions?

 

[keeperofthehearth]

It's cold out there! My Scovies get "Iced over" if they stay in their bath water too long in these temps. If they get too iced up they also walk pretty funny because the ice it weighing them down & pulling on their feathers. You need to also watch that she and the others do not get frost bite on their feet with these low temps. Make sure they have somewhere to roost off the ground. Scovies do not have the heavy duty oil glands that mallard derived ducks do. They WILL get waterlogged. I also warmed the water in my Scovies bath bowls too much last cold snap which inticed them to stay in it too long soaking in the heat. They iced up really bad once they got out and also started biting at their feet when their feet started to freeze. I had to hustle them back inside the shed w/heat lamp. Lesson learned... I don't warm their water up but just a tad now so they won't get tempted to "warm up & soak" in their bath.

It sounds like your girl may be a bit more sensitive to this cold than the others. Just like people, some can handle more cold etc. than others. Watch her and as Amiga said, give her a little more protien esp. if she is laying eggs right now. If you have any Avia Charge 2000, make up a bowl of it for them to drink. Cracked corn is good this time of year for the extra carbs to help keep them warm.
I'm kept my Scovies in yesterday. Today I might let them out for an hour or two once the temp hits closer to 20. My Scovies do not do well outside if the temp goes below 20. They just stand around on top of stuff in the carport looking miserable waiting for snacks & me to heard them back into the shed.