My flock has been happy and healthy until a few days ago. I suddenly noticed I was getting one less egg every day and one of my 1 year old ducks was making a strange sound. I watched her for a while and noticed her head/neck feathers seemed puffed out or ruffled, and she was kind of squatting like she was about to lay an egg, but otherwise I couldn't see anything unusual.
The next day, she was making the same sound (I don't even know how to describe it, I've never heard it before). I tried to catch her but she wouldn't be caught, so I thought she must not be in too much distress.
Well this morning when I went out there she was dead
I looked and felt her all over before disposing of the body, and nothing looked unusual, her eyes seemed normal, no blood, no foul smell, I couldn't feel any "stuck" eggs. So what could it be?
I also lost four chickens to raccoons this week (from a different pen, not in with the ducks), so its possible she was injured, but she never showed any sign of injury and given she was acting sick for a few days I don't think that was it...
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I'm mainly concerned about the rest of my flock, I have put a lot of money into them and am pretty attached
They have a run with a little pond that has netting over the top, so no wild birds to pass disease. Two of my flock members are new so could have brought germs in, but were quarantined when I got them a month ago and still look perfectly healthy.
i do let them free range when I'm home, so possible she ate something not edible?
The next day, she was making the same sound (I don't even know how to describe it, I've never heard it before). I tried to catch her but she wouldn't be caught, so I thought she must not be in too much distress.
Well this morning when I went out there she was dead
I looked and felt her all over before disposing of the body, and nothing looked unusual, her eyes seemed normal, no blood, no foul smell, I couldn't feel any "stuck" eggs. So what could it be?I also lost four chickens to raccoons this week (from a different pen, not in with the ducks), so its possible she was injured, but she never showed any sign of injury and given she was acting sick for a few days I don't think that was it...
Has anyone else experienced anything like this? I'm mainly concerned about the rest of my flock, I have put a lot of money into them and am pretty attached
They have a run with a little pond that has netting over the top, so no wild birds to pass disease. Two of my flock members are new so could have brought germs in, but were quarantined when I got them a month ago and still look perfectly healthy.
i do let them free range when I'm home, so possible she ate something not edible?
It sounds like she was trying to pass an egg. Sometimes eggs get stuck further up in the repro tract and those are hard to feel. It's also possible that the stuck egg was shell-less. If this happens again it would be best to get that duck to a vet ASAP. If a vet is not an option, try giving that duck a human calcium citrate pill or some liquid calcium cluconate, then place it in a tub of warm water for at least an hour.
