Since this incident (about 3 days) it has been very wobbly on its legs. It looks as if it has no balance!
it's such a sad sight to see. It just walks so slow and falls over. It doesn't get into the pool and I think it's because it doesn't have the strength to. It seems to be eating and drinking fine. Other than the balance and trouble walking it seems okay. WHAT COULD BE WRONG!!! This little duck use to be my little sprinter! I always had so much trouble catching it because of how speedy it was, now it just looks so helpless.
Someone please help me! I don't want to loose one
Have you been providing niacin for all your ducklings? If you see no apparent injuries, my guess would be a niacin deficiency. Get some niacin tablets or capsules from your local health food store (don't get any niacin that says "flush-free", "no-flush" or "time-release") - I personally couldn't find regular niacin anywhere but my local health food store. Get 100-125mg tablets/capsules and put in 100-125mg per gallon of water. Ducklings should have this in their water for the first 10-12 weeks. There is not enough niacin in feed. You should be able to see great improvement in a few days if it is a niacin deficiency. Hope that helps!!
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Countrygirl74- she isn't a house duck but my daughter or I have always stayed out with her twice a day when we let her out and she follows us everywhere ans wants to be with/by us all the time. I feel bad just running in for a drink cuz she follows me to the door and yells the whole 3 minutes I'm gone, lol. We are really thinking about getting a diaper harness and bringing her in sometimes. I would let her just stay in the yard during the day cuz its fenced in but I'm scared something will bother/attack her so we sit out there for 2 hours twice a day so she can play in the pool and forage in the grass. Do u know if there is anything that would attack her during the day now that she's bigger??
Also..since she is in a wire cage (pic in post above) will she just lay eggs in there on the wire or should we have something in there. The wire is coated with rubber so its not a bare type wire. I don't know a thing about egg laying, when it starts, or how often they lay them.
I appreciate all the help and kindness! I'm so glad I found this forum, everyone seems so nice, helpful and sincere.
Hi MichelleF41 - she will probably need to be a house duck and go just about everywhere with you if you don't plan on getting anymore. If you want to keep her outside and and/or will be gone a lot, she will definitely need a companion.
As for predators, it depends on what can get through or over your fence (skunks, dogs, coyotes, etc.) - as for air predators (hawks, owls). She really needs an enclosed run if you want to make sure nothing would ever get her.
You could do something as small as 8x8 with 2 ducks, especially if you let them out to play with you around the yard every once in a while, but go bigger if they have to stay "locked" up more often.
As for needs within the run, just have water available at all times that is deep enough for them dunk their entire head into - they need to be able to clear their "nostrils" and wash their eyes. If you have enough room, a lot of people put in a kiddie pool for swimming too, as it's good to have water for them to get into and keep their feathers healthy. She needs a little covered shelter - like a small doghouse - that she can go in and out of to get out of bad weather. The rubbermaid and cage will be fine for her temporarily but the ground will be best, and a shelter with a floor (to keep the bedding dry) will also be needed.
As for laying, ducks will lay just about anywhere but I think it's nice to provide a soft place for them to lay down or lay eggs. I would get kild-dried pine shavings (make sure it's not cedar or has cedar mixed in) and fill the dog house with those. You can get a pretty big package for under $10 that will last for quite a while. As for "where" they will lay - ducks are funny. I have one that lays in the middle of the run, just about anywhere she pleases - I have one that lays in the "doghouse", and I have one that made her own special nest in the corner of the pen.
Lastly, I would highly suggest again that you get another female duck for her as a companion. Unless you are with her 24/7, she will get awfully lonely.
