- May 25, 2013
- 7
- 0
- 7
I bought pekin ducklings not that long ago, and they were all fine. I think my parents switched the feed way to fast (from starter to grower finisher in only one bag!) When I told them that I thought it was too soon they disagreed. This duck is a female and we only have two more out of eight and I'd really like to keep her if I can get her better!
She won't put any weight on her leg and she hates when I touch it. I can't feel any breaks and she'd much rather crawl around then even put weight on her leg. I don't know how to make it better! I've separated her from the other pekins and put her in with my two Indian Runner ducklings in the brooder box, but occasionally they step all over her. I have no where else to put her at the moment. I don't want to prolong her suffering if she's in pain though. Any suggestions?
My second problem is that my chickens- my hens in particular there's five or six of them with the feather's ripped out of their back. Their skin is all red and irritated (think tomato red). I don't know if it's the roosters doing it or the other hens (they seem to have a social hierarchy and these hens are at the bottom). I have no where to separate the hens to, and the only time they are confined to the pen is at night and during snowstorms/blizzards.They have plenty of food and water, I feed them some eggs three times a week. They get plenty of vegetable scraps as well and free range over a ton of land (my parents own 50 acres)
My third problem is not as serious as the first two. My male Indian Runner has some anger issues. I say this because he goes out of his way to rip out the tail feather's on my roosters, who's tails now look like the hens- they don't have the long tail feather's like they should. He's chased them up and down the driveway, picking fights with the males. He doesn't bother the hen's much- just opens his mouth and runs a couple of feet at them to warn them to get away.
I have no idea how to stop him from doing this. He'll go after people too, chase you up the stairs, to and from your car, run between your legs at feeding time, untie your shoe laces and anything else he can think of. Except he doesn't do this to me. He'll run up to me and quack at me until I pick him up or pet him. I can call him and no matter where he is he'll come running. How do I stop him from terrorizing our guests and my parents?
Thanks for your help!
The very frustrated new chicken and duck owner,
Bri.
She won't put any weight on her leg and she hates when I touch it. I can't feel any breaks and she'd much rather crawl around then even put weight on her leg. I don't know how to make it better! I've separated her from the other pekins and put her in with my two Indian Runner ducklings in the brooder box, but occasionally they step all over her. I have no where else to put her at the moment. I don't want to prolong her suffering if she's in pain though. Any suggestions?
My second problem is that my chickens- my hens in particular there's five or six of them with the feather's ripped out of their back. Their skin is all red and irritated (think tomato red). I don't know if it's the roosters doing it or the other hens (they seem to have a social hierarchy and these hens are at the bottom). I have no where to separate the hens to, and the only time they are confined to the pen is at night and during snowstorms/blizzards.They have plenty of food and water, I feed them some eggs three times a week. They get plenty of vegetable scraps as well and free range over a ton of land (my parents own 50 acres)
My third problem is not as serious as the first two. My male Indian Runner has some anger issues. I say this because he goes out of his way to rip out the tail feather's on my roosters, who's tails now look like the hens- they don't have the long tail feather's like they should. He's chased them up and down the driveway, picking fights with the males. He doesn't bother the hen's much- just opens his mouth and runs a couple of feet at them to warn them to get away.
I have no idea how to stop him from doing this. He'll go after people too, chase you up the stairs, to and from your car, run between your legs at feeding time, untie your shoe laces and anything else he can think of. Except he doesn't do this to me. He'll run up to me and quack at me until I pick him up or pet him. I can call him and no matter where he is he'll come running. How do I stop him from terrorizing our guests and my parents?
Thanks for your help!
The very frustrated new chicken and duck owner,
Bri.
