Pekins to muscovys

[Going Quackers]

He may have an injury to his neck could have been a small hole you didn't see and that's what you have been hearing. He is a beautiful drake. and I agree the ducks and drakes both can scratch us up pretty bad but I've never had one use their claws on me on purpose.

I agree, i have never had one scratch me on purpose but it's like a cat, my farm guy loves to knead on your lap, um... claws anyone! he hasn't a clue, it's just good practice to be cautious. Now i have had scovies rip a nail, that is fun to fix.

 

[Going Quackers]

Miss lydia,
Thanks. new scovy owner as you know with first pair, and late hatch of year yyoung. so i know nothing of scovy (or more than wild mallard and canada geese), than what watch mine do, and was told before now my scovy were standard acting which emdeared them to me and makes me recomend them as broodies bug/pest and weed control as well as friendly pets. now someone needs to post on scovy signs of illness and/or distress on duck thread as sticky ect, as i haven't come across any, and us new and few scovy owners could use one.

P.S. there are no avian vets in my area except one and he said: "just kill it", when had a hurt birmingham roller pigeon cock (falcon stoop), "that it wasn't worth his time to look at even" (was fine in week or so jus dented keel bone now), as said to neighbor about her english budgie when it had cold. I'm out in redneck central to be close to fam who moved here.

There aren't really any that would be specific to the breed, generally speaking scovies are quite hardy and healthy when given proper care. Injuries happen to all of us, sometimes preds, sometimes circumstance, as i said i had some rip their nails, i have had a few blood feathers pulled, only this past year, my drakes got in a fight and the one guy yanked the other, he came down HARD and starting bleeding like no tomorrow.. basically liken it to a bloody nose.

No vets here either, i don't see an actual hole or open wound, does he act okay otherwise? When i first got into ducks i had the pleasure of learning how coons reach through fences and he tore apart one of the ducklings, we nursed it back to health(again no vets, all they would do was put it down) he did recover, but it;s scary having to play vet and owner at the same time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

There aren't really any that would be specific to the breed, generally speaking scovies are quite hardy and healthy when given proper care. Injuries happen to all of us, sometimes preds, sometimes circumstance, as i said i had some rip their nails, i have had a few blood feathers pulled, only this past year, my drakes got in a fight and the one guy yanked the other, he came down HARD and starting bleeding like no tomorrow.. basically liken it to a bloody nose.

No vets here either, i don't see an actual hole or open wound, does he act okay otherwise? When i first got into ducks i had the pleasure of learning how coons reach through fences and he tore apart one of the ducklings, we nursed it back to health(again no vets, all they would do was put it down) he did recover, but it;s scary having to play vet and owner at the same time.

I agree with GQ, and it's so easy to miss a wound among all those feathers. I'd say wrap him in a towel and look him over real good again, having him in a towel lessons him fighting to get away and you'll have a better chance in finding a puncture that may have gotten over looked. I am my own vet too, and thankful there haven't been any serious injuries here.

 

[laughingdog]

Luckily i have basic training treating injuries as vet assistant (mostly dog and cat), and other passions of mine i had before moving to area, and have been able to do much in rescue and rehab, but as previous posts said its different when you have to try to play vet and owner together. i luckily only had one split nail and couple blood feathers bleed on my scovys, and some bumble foot (why i always suggest spending time to get all your animals to let you handle them all over to get to know how should feel). The bites from lesser weasel were mostly to the face bill and one to left side/back of neck (right were you see carruncling in pic) and sad to say i didn't notice till mid next day till saw small chunk gone under eye (id been addressing wounds to cats and dogs that had apparently bad goes at that night). only spot that had gone through skin was on back of neck through middle of carruncling, looking like it tried to gnaw through but couldn't.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Luckily i have basic training treating injuries as vet assistant (mostly dog and cat), and other passions of mine i had before moving to area, and have been able to do much in rescue and rehab, but as previous posts said its different when you have to try to play vet and owner together. i luckily only had one split nail and couple blood feathers bleed on my scovys, and some bumble foot (why i always suggest spending time to get all your animals to let you handle them all over to get to know how should feel). The bites from lesser weasel were mostly to the face bill and one to left side/back of neck (right were you see carruncling in pic) and sad to say i didn't notice till mid next day till saw small chunk gone under eye (id been addressing wounds to cats and dogs that had apparently bad goes at that night). only spot that had gone through skin was on back of neck through middle of carruncling, looking like it tried to gnaw through but couldn't.

Is he healed now? and is a lesser weasel considered a mink? I know they are in the same family.

 

[AliciaDuckLady]

Ducks hide being ill so well. Our survivor Juniper (we lost Pepper last week) was taken to the vet, looked over as a precaution. The vet (avian) was confident she was in good health if a little on the lean side. I had a blood test done just in case, losing Pepper was horribe. Turns out she has an infection and is now on antibiotics. Have been watching her carefully and she has been resting more than usual. Will be weighing her now and then to check her condition under those feathers. Day two of antibiotics and she is getting easier to catch. Hopefully not because shes sick. Grumbles a bit but has a big flap after walking away quite calmly. Hoping this keeps up so. like you said I can become familiar with her and more easily notice if something is amiss. We have ticks here too so will be good to be able to do check overs. Hard to do if a bird wont let you near.

I really hope your drake keeps well, he looks stunning!

 

[laughingdog]

Yes good luck with juniper, and you won't have to worry about ticks once she heals, as mine love ticks, and since had them free ranging i haven't seen a single tick.

thanks about my drake, i thought he looked ragged, and he only seemed to lose carruncling on back/side of neck, and face, with some scarring on his bill. His babies are already showing so much more color and friendly personalities (except one sorta a knob).

someone said on one of these they use cherios to lure ducks close or inside something for meds ect to grab them easy and less stress for all. just covering mines eyes seems to make them go comatose to let me check them over, so maybe make a sock loose enough to just put over head after they come to for food treats (maybe some inside sock to then just slide up and over head as they snarf), as it worked on new rescued "game" cocks.

 

[AliciaDuckLady]

My technique is down now. I raise my hands over her so she doesn't try to fly and lower them, sometimes as she runs (she's getting quicker) then she just sits for me. Ahhh. So much easier than before. Maybe this will work for others.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My technique is down now. I raise my hands over her so she doesn't try to fly and lower them, sometimes as she runs (she's getting quicker) then she just sits for me. Ahhh. So much easier than before. Maybe this will work for others.

How is your Scovy girl is she feeling better?

 

[AliciaDuckLady]

She is doing well thanks. The last few days has regained her vigour and is foraging the life out of the lawn I'm spending time with her and making sure she gets fresh veg everyday too. She sees the vet on Thursday for her blood test. Hopefully all is well and she can repay her vet bills with many years of eggs and delightful antics I'm looking forward to the all clear so we can start introducing the ducklings as well. She is pretty interested