Pekin Hen Hurt herself in the stock tank??

[aduckstolemyheart]

I went out yesterday to visit with the duckies, and only three came over to greet me. My Pekin hen was not with the group, which I KNEW was a bad sign. Fearing the worst, I ran around back and luckily I found her in the 50 gallon stock tank we have for them. However, she was completely water logged, shivering and appeared to be missing a bunch of feathers (they were in the tank with her). I brought her in to dry her off for a while but she quacked her fool head off until I out her back out. This morning I went back out to check on her now that she was dry so I could see what feathers she lost (she was too wet to tell last night) and it looks like it was almost all flight feathers, and ones at the end of her wing. Poor thing has nothing but a pink skin and pin feathers left on the very edge of her wings.

What in the world happened? It would appear she was somehow stuck in the tank, but I have never had aproblem with them being able to get out before.

The water level was fine, I checked it. Anyone else have a duck just seem to get stuck in the pool for no reason? I also don't know how she lost feathers... It doesn't appear to be from any rough breeding, as it's all on her wings, not her head, etc. Could it be from trying to get out?

I don't want this happening again, but I am not entirely sure how it happened in the first place. She seems fine other than the loss of feathering, but still, it could have been worse. Any ideas or suggestions for me?

**edited because my space bar is possessed.

 

[Hattiegun]

poor duckie..... I think youve had your share of heart-ache lately.. it does sound like she couldnt get out but

why..glad u found her when u did tho.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Yeah, don't need anymore bad duck luck! lol At least she seems perfectly fine except the lost feathers.

I don't know why she couldn't get out either, it 's so weird! I thought about adding some concrete chunks to the bottom to help them get out, but I'm worried about someone smacking their head on them if they dive. I have the tank for months now, and this would be the first time one has gotten stuck.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Lucky you did find her when you did- and glad to hear she is ok now.
Years ago we half burried a bath tub for the ducks and geese- they seemed to have trouble getting out so we bent up some chicken wire- and attached it on as a kind of ramp at one end. It wasnt very long- so didnt take much room- but they could easy find it with their feet and climb out with out slipping because of the holes in the wire.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Good idea with the chicken wire, did you just fold it over the edge? We'll plan on adding that over the weekend, to be safe rather than sorry!

 

[duckyfromoz]

Yes.. because the wire was somewhat pliable even when folded over itself a few times- we molded it up under the rim of the bath so it would stay on. It was only going into the water about 6 inches at the deepest- on a slope - enough for them to swim over and get themselves up onto it.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Thanks! We'll completely try that! Thankfully this summer, we're buying one of those 133 gallon preformed ponds, and the one I am looking at has shallow edges and a deeper center, so they should have no problem with getting out. But I'd like to use the stock tank inside the new run I am building, so they have an indoor/outdoor swim space. So I need to make sure the tank's safe.

I hope my ducks use the chicken wire ramp as well as yours! I think my ducks are a bit on the slow side when it comes to using ramps, etc.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I had a similar situation with a Call drake last night. He was waterlogged completely and couldn't get out of the pool. If I had left him in there, he would have surely died. We have a cinder block in the bottom but I think I'm going to use the chicken wire idea too.

Good luck!

Laurie

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

Thanks Laurie, you too! So sorry to hear about your boy, glad he's ok now. That's exactly how my poor Georgie girl was.