Pekin duck very, very sick, need some ideas.

mom2joshcanpark

Chirping
11 Years
Mar 29, 2008
43
0
85
Hi,
I have a Pekin duck aged 9. Yesterday we let all 4 ducks out and Daffadil went to the other side of the pen (on the outside) and just layed there. When I noticed she was missing this is where we found her. My husband picked her up and made her go with the other ducks and she was staggering, he thought it was just because she was stepping on her broken wing.

Well about 30 minutes later I go back out and and she was gone again, went and looked and she was in the same spot. Now when I looked at her I could clearly tell something was wrong.

First glance, all the feathers on her back were picked off, only very few new ones were there. Then when I made her walk her bottom was hanging down, I knew thing things were not right.

I brought her in to bath her, she was full of mud. As I examined her I noticed she had NO weight on her at all. You could feel every bone front and back. Which is odd, she did not look like this just 2 days ago when I fed her.

So I got as much mud off as I could before she got chilled, so I wrapped her up and put her by the heater. I put some food in front of her and she gobbbled it up. I can her a bit of water as well, but did not want to over do it.

Now, at this point, I can only guess, the boy ducks were trying to mate with her, though I have never seen it, they usually go for the young ones.

Now what I don't get is this. She has turned mean, she never has tried to bite before and now does all the time, I am hoping it is because she does not feel good.

Yesterday when I brought her in she could not stand, she would fall over, after she ate she did great.

When I feed her she gets worse. I am not sure that she is eating too much and can't stand.

Today when I fed her, this one is new, her head slowly fell down in front and she slowly sat down, I thought for sure that was it. But I kept touching her and holding her head up, then she would raise her head, try to keep it up, but couldn't. She would still quack.

Over time, say an hour to 2 she stands up and acts fine.

So is she just so malnourished right now that the food is making her not be able to stand?

I have an appointment at the vet, but not til Wednesday, she may not live that long.

Oh, she has a broken wing from a coyote from about 4 years ago, that is extremely infected, and I want to get some antibiotics at the farm store but don't know which, she as been on Amoxi before. Anyway, that part that was left is not completely gone to where her wing just hangs and she will need to have it amputated or wear a brace for it.

Can mud do anything?

Sorry for the long post I am just trying to give you all the facts.
Thanks,
Samantha
 
Well, your duck is 9 years old, so I would imagine she is feeling her age. Her meanness might be from pain or fear from being overmated or bullied.

You have 4 ducks total and you mention the boy ducks might be mating her. How many of the other three are males?

As for the wing, if it has been infected for 4 years, I am surprised she is still with you.

When you say her bottom was hanging down, what do you mean?

How does her poop look?
Her eyes? are they bright? or sunken and dull?
Has she been laying eggs? Is her abdomen swollen and firm? squishy?
Does she have any injuries that you might find by feeling her body, not just looking at her?

I would keep her separated and see if you can get her back to a healthier state. She may be kept from the food from the others and could use soem alone time to get enough to eat.
 
* Samantha, I know very little about ducks to be honest-- however, the reaction of extreme weakness after eating sounds very similiar to a severe blood sugar reaction in people. I would feed her smaller amounts, say half, MORE frequently than her current schedule and up her protein intake in each small meal and see how that goes. Her malnutrition would be magnifing the effect. Hopefully, feeding her this way will help elimimate the extremes of weakness and strength and give her body a constancy to help her improve her condition.
 
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