Questions, questions, questions...

[scgreenacres]

Hey ya'll! I have 5 Khaki Campbell ducks almost 5 months old. I have had them since 1 week. They are the most skittish little things, they run like crazy (away) when I go around them and they hide til I leave to go eat. I have a 2 acre pond that they will NOT get in and the vet says maybe because they are afraid there are turtles in there...first question...how do they know that if they have never been in? Two of them accidently flew into the water when I spooked them but I am telling you they practically walked on that water to get out! I have given them a pool bc it is so hot, we have had 100+ temps in SC but they will not get in. Last week one of my girls (June Cash) was injured. I was able to pick her up and she was a total sweetheart. I took her to the vet and her leg was broke above the joint. She got her leg splint and vet said to keep her in a pool as much as I could. My hubby made her a hospital room close to the house and we put the pool in there and she stayed in there really good. Well I got to reading on the internet and saw I should bring one of the other girls (Loretta Lynn) up so she wouldn't be lonely...so I did (and that was no small feat trying to catch her) and it went down hill from there. No more pool and neither of them would eat and I hardly ever heard a quack. Also I will add that the other 3 (boys) in the pasture were so lost. They just walked in circles. So last night I took duck 2 back to the pasture with the boys and they rejoiced as if they found one of their long lost friends. But the injured duck just quacked like crazy...I guess she was crying bc she was alone again. So I took her down for a visit and I could tell everyone was happy. I didn't let her stay bc I am afraid to leave her since she has that injured leg and can't move very fast. This morning she was shaking like a leaf and still had nothing to eat...so I took her back to the pasture to be with her friends. She was happy...but she can not keep up with the others and they hang around her for a bit and then leave her. I don't know if I am doing the right thing and I have been trying to call the vet back but the line is busy and she doesn't go back until next week for her recheck. Plus they aren't going to listen to this long story
and some of you may have quit reading as well lol! If you have stayed with me here, do you have any advice? Thank you!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey ya'll! I have 5 Khaki Campbell ducks almost 5 months old. I have had them since 1 week. They are the most skittish little things, they run like crazy (away) when I go around them and they hide til I leave to go eat. I have a 2 acre pond that they will NOT get in and the vet says maybe because they are afraid there are turtles in there...first question...how do they know that if they have never been in? Two of them accidently flew into the water when I spooked them but I am telling you they practically walked on that water to get out! I have given them a pool bc it is so hot, we have had 100+ temps in SC but they will not get in. Last week one of my girls (June Cash) was injured. I was able to pick her up and she was a total sweetheart. I took her to the vet and her leg was broke above the joint. She got her leg splint and vet said to keep her in a pool as much as I could. My hubby made her a hospital room close to the house and we put the pool in there and she stayed in there really good. Well I got to reading on the internet and saw I should bring one of the other girls (Loretta Lynn) up so she wouldn't be lonely...so I did (and that was no small feat trying to catch her) and it went down hill from there. No more pool and neither of them would eat and I hardly ever heard a quack. Also I will add that the other 3 (boys) in the pasture were so lost. They just walked in circles. So last night I took duck 2 back to the pasture with the boys and they rejoiced as if they found one of their long lost friends. But the injured duck just quacked like crazy...I guess she was crying bc she was alone again. So I took her down for a visit and I could tell everyone was happy. I didn't let her stay bc I am afraid to leave her since she has that injured leg and can't move very fast. This morning she was shaking like a leaf and still had nothing to eat...so I took her back to the pasture to be with her friends. She was happy...but she can not keep up with the others and they hang around her for a bit and then leave her. I don't know if I am doing the right thing and I have been trying to call the vet back but the line is busy and she doesn't go back until next week for her recheck. Plus they aren't going to listen to this long story
and some of you may have quit reading as well lol! If you have stayed with me here, do you have any advice? Thank you!

For one thing she doesn't need to be out in pasture with a broken leg. if you have a mirror to put in with her I'd try that just make sure the edges are covered. put some poultry vitamins in her drinking water , and keep calling the vet something else maybe going on and he needs to know these new developments. But please don't leave her outside till he takes off the splint. Letting her splash around in a nice warm tub of water may cheer her up that way you'd be right there to take her out when she is tired. He is right water therapy is great but they don't need to be in it constantly just a couple times a day.

 

[Virus]

I'm sorry to hear about your poor girls leg, I hope she gets to feeling better. I think your on the right track putting her by herself and I would try putting stuffed animals in with her to see if she likes them. (my boy has two duck toys since he was a baby and sleeps anywhere they are) Her not eating concerns me greatly though, I assume you don't have a pen or run to lock your ducks away in so it is bad if the boys are so lost without the girls. I would just keep letting her visit them and keep her at other times in her room. Or put them flock by her room and try keeping them there so she doesn't feel as alone. I hope this helped and that she starts feeling better.

 

[scgreenacres]

Hey Miss Lydia,
Well, you are right and I had already gone back and got her and brought her back. She cried the whole back and I did get a hold of the vets office but the farm animal vet wasn't in today but they are having her to call me in the morning. I will put her in the bathtub like you suggested, I guess I misunderstood and thought she needed to stay in the water as our dr. said, " the more she stays in the water the better she will be". I do appreciate you taking time to write to us. Thank you!

 

[scgreenacres]

Hi Virus, I will definitely put some little stuffed animals in with her. Thanks for the idea. Yes I do have a pen for the ducks..they free range during the day but don't go very far at all. They mostly just lay under a big oak tree. I read so much about people having ducks that follow them around and eat from their hands but mine just don't want anything to do with us. Anyhow, we do still love them and I can't stand to see them unhappy. I am worried about her eating too BUT since I wrote that this morning she has ate some...but I will talk to her vet in the morning and we will go from there. Thank you for your message and concern!

 

[Virus]

No problem I hope she gets better soon.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey Miss Lydia,
Well, you are right and I had already gone back and got her and brought her back. She cried the whole back and I did get a hold of the vets office but the farm animal vet wasn't in today but they are having her to call me in the morning. I will put her in the bathtub like you suggested, I guess I misunderstood and thought she needed to stay in the water as our dr. said, " the more she stays in the water the better she will be". I do appreciate you taking time to write to us. Thank you!

I'm glad you went and got her. a duck with a limp or something going on is a welcome mat for a flying pred or walking one so keeping her up till she is healed would be safer. Yes water therapy is gfreat for them but I'd only let her be in the tub or pool maybe 20-30 mins at a time you don't want her to over do. I would hope the vet didn't mean you were to keep her in the water. Most ducks even wild aren't in water constantly.
Please let us know what the vet says and good news too she is eating some. If you have any dried meal worms you might to mix some into her feed that may entice her to eat more, most ducks love dried meal worms.

 

[scgreenacres]

Hey there! Just and update on June Cash. She is completely healed and has her cast off and rejoined her flock mates this week! At first they weren't too excited to see her but now she is leading the way again! Thanks so much for your support. Not many people around me care about my duck life and I guess I just needed a little sympathy. Haha! But thanks ladies...it may not seem like much but I did and do appreciate you taking time to respond.

 

[scgreenacres]

oh and she laid her first egg! How did I forget to mention that!