PLEASE HELP! What's wrong with my duck?-UPDATE: gone :(

[Miss Lydia]

She's gone. Rest PEASfully sweet angel ducky.

I am so sorry you lost Chewy she was adorable and I am sure all the way to the end she knew how much she was loved. Please don't give up you have others that need you and more than ever now that they lost one of their own... Bless you and let us know how you and your other duckies are doing...

 

[maralynn28]

Thanks for all the kind words.
The worst part was consoling the kids.
We will be burying her this afternoon when the kids get home from school.

I need to find homes for the other three before spring arrives and the boys start getting frisky. 2 drakes for 1 female is not a good mix and I need to think what is best for the ducks rather than selfishly keep them. I will have had to find a home for them by 2013 anyway as we will have to move then (military family) so this is just expediting the process.

If anyone is willing to take on 2 gorgeous drakes and a sweethearted cayuga female in WA, please let me know. I don't want to do this right away as the kids will still be grieving Chewy and it would be too much to tell them to say goodbye to the others right now, but it would be nice to know they have a place to go when they start showing signs of...twitterpated-ness.

Thanks again, I have to keep telling myself I did all I could (although I keep questioning "what if"s) I know I did my best and she died comfortably.

 

[maralynn28]

could have hardware disease done it?

Hardware Disease is what I suspected all along but the description in Storeys wasn't all that clear. It must have been something she picked up in the yard while foraging. I was HOPING whatever was troubling her was treatable, but I suppose not. I am becoming more confident that's what it was. I just found this excerpt from duckrescuenetwork.org that pretty much sums it up.

"Hardware Disease- Ducks and geese are attracted to shiny things like pennies, screws, nails, staples, coins of any type and other metal objects. They will swallow them. This is extremely dangerous and most often fatal. As it is digested, the metal (and coating on various metals) poisons the bird, harming the kidneys and liver. It can take days and even weeks for any symptoms to become apparent, at which point it is often too late. Early symptoms of hardware disease include a bird that keeps to itself, away from others and eats less." She was definitely acting like this...I described it as withdrawn or "depressed." Poor thing.

It makes me feel sad to think of it, but I think when I brought her in, gave her the bath and was messing with her (cleaning, petting, massaging...)and palpating her body to feel if anything was amiss I might have caused the object to do her inner harm. It was after that when things went quickly south. So sad for her to go this way...but I suppose there's no good way for it to happen. We just wish we could have enjoyed her a bit longer. Poor sweetie never even made it to her 1st bday.

 

[bexnd]

i'm sorry RIP Chewy. having to give up your ducks too gonna be hard. i had to give up my flock when my parents split and we didnt know what was happening with the house because my dad tried selling it under our noses. we gave them to a rescue centre who took in ducks. as alot of british people dont keep ducks as pets, only really for food. i wasn't prepared to let my duckies go on someones plate i still call up every now and again 2 1/2 yrs down the line they're all still doing great did go to see them once, i was still able to tell all 6 from they're huge flock and bumble had a new best friend. a wild goose. lol. apparently it used to fly in every morning pair up with her and stay all day maybe you could find a rescue centre??? i would take them but obvious distance problem and i already have 2 drakes

 

[Iain Utah]

I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hardware Disease is what I suspected all along but the description in Storeys wasn't all that clear. It must have been something she picked up in the yard while foraging. I was HOPING whatever was troubling her was treatable, but I suppose not. I am becoming more confident that's what it was. I just found this excerpt from duckrescuenetwork.org that pretty much sums it up.

"Hardware Disease- Ducks and geese are attracted to shiny things like pennies, screws, nails, staples, coins of any type and other metal objects. They will swallow them. This is extremely dangerous and most often fatal. As it is digested, the metal (and coating on various metals) poisons the bird, harming the kidneys and liver. It can take days and even weeks for any symptoms to become apparent, at which point it is often too late. Early symptoms of hardware disease include a bird that keeps to itself, away from others and eats less." She was definitely acting like this...I described it as withdrawn or "depressed." Poor thing.

It makes me feel sad to think of it, but I think when I brought her in, gave her the bath and was messing with her (cleaning, petting, massaging...)and palpating her body to feel if anything was amiss I might have caused the object to do her inner harm. It was after that when things went quickly south. So sad for her to go this way...but I suppose there's no good way for it to happen. We just wish we could have enjoyed her a bit longer. Poor sweetie never even made it to her 1st bday.

I think if you post on the Wa. "where am I where are you" thread you may find someone who would be willing to take them and give you time for your kids to grieve also. I'm so sorry you have to give them up, hope you can find them a forever home..

 

[xIndigoSkyx]

I'm so sorry. One time I had a duck that got hardware disease because we had a penny explosionin out back yard (don't ask) he lived because I fed him prunes.... I found the penny in the bathtub we were keeping him in.... I thank the lord that he's still alive he may be stupid but he makes pretty babies.... I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Everyone hates losing a ducky... Best if luck with finding them homes.

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

I'm so sorry. One time I had a duck that got hardware disease because we had a penny explosionin out back yard (don't ask) he lived because I fed him prunes.... I found the penny in the bathtub we were keeping him in.... I thank the lord that he's still alive he may be stupid but he makes pretty babies.... I'm terribly sorry for your loss. Everyone hates losing a ducky... Best if luck with finding them homes.

Pardon me for laughing, but I've ne'er heard of a Penny Explosion...
You're fortunate that he made it. That's prrof that there is a practical usage for diareha...

Sorry to hear about the duck...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since hearing about Chewy and thinking it could have been hardware disease that killed her, It has been like everyday I go outside and find something laying in the yard they could pick up and eat that would be awful. We have been having so much rain i am guessing things that have been in the ground for years are being washed up, I found a roofing nail yesterday in the duck lot, today a metal roof screw from 2 years ago when we had our roof put on. also pieces of weedeater string short enough for one of them to pick up and eat. I will constantly be looking on the ground now for other things, just to be sure I get it before they do.