Rescue ducks

[A Renee]

Hello everyone,
Couple questions for you please..
I just rescued four pitiful ducks and I’m concerned about the silver appleyard. Her wings are in terrible shape, and I’m wondering if it’s normal to molt wings this time of year, or maybe over mating is the problem. I’m just not too sure but she looks pitiful.

Also, they are used to being fed a handful of chicken feed, thrown out, once a day. So I put their duck food in a dish like I do for the rest of my ducks and she looks at it like I’m insane. She won’t eat out of it, I’m assuming because of her being used to a few pellets on the ground. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Hello everyone,
Couple questions for you please..
I just rescued four pitiful ducks and I’m concerned about the silver appleyard. Her wings are in terrible shape, and I’m wondering if it’s normal to molt wings this time of year, or maybe over mating is the problem. I’m just not too sure but she looks pitiful.

Also, they are used to being fed a handful of chicken feed, thrown out, once a day. So I put their duck food in a dish like I do for the rest of my ducks and she looks at it like I’m insane. She won’t eat out of it, I’m assuming because of her being used to a few pellets on the ground. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Looks like maybe a combination of angel wing and possibly wet feather or picking. But my ducks molted not too long ago, so maybe.

How are you housing them? Do they forage at all? You might be able to entice them by mixing peas or worms in with the pellet.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thought I'd add that most ducks I've seen that are overmated have bald heads/necks, but she may have been overmated.

 

[ruthhope]

Thank you for rescuing these 4 ducks.

I rescued 2 abused and dumped pekin drakes at the beginning of April. Although they cleaned up and put on weight within a month of rescue, it was 6 months before their wings were fully healed, refeathered and looking lovely.

I think your girl will eat your pellets from a bowl in time. Hunger will take her past her hesitancy. My rescued boys, I currently have 5, all adapted to my feeding regime.

With a good diet, her wings will re feather but that might be a longer term improvement. Perhaps, put Nutridrench in the rescues' water to improve their nutritional state.

Good luck and please let us know how these ducks are over the next few weeks

 

[A Renee]

Looks like maybe a combination of angel wing and possibly wet feather or picking. But my ducks molted not too long ago, so maybe.

How are you housing them? Do they forage at all? You might be able to entice them by mixing peas or worms in with the pellet.

Thank you so much for responding. She really is a sweetheart so I’m worried about her. I’m not too familiar with wet feather so I will research that. They have their own house now, very different from a small milk crate they had before. I have built an enclosure for them to forage and explore, yet separate from my other ducks just until they get acquainted and no illness or issues arise. I’ve seen my others molt but had just never seen wing feathers be gone like that.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thank you so much for responding. She really is a sweetheart so I’m worried about her. I’m not too familiar with wet feather so I will research that. They have their own house now, very different from a small milk crate they had before. I have built an enclosure for them to forage and explore, yet separate from my other ducks just until they get acquainted and no illness or issues arise. I’ve seen my others molt but had just never seen wing feathers be gone like that.

I think @ruthhope has the best input, here. Good care and nutrition will correct a lot of that, I hope.

I'm looking forward to the "after" pics in a few months (or more)!

 

[A Renee]

Thank you for rescuing these 4 ducks.

I rescued 2 abused and dumped pekin drakes at the beginning of April. Although they cleaned up and put on weight within a month of rescue, it was 6 months before their wings were fully healed, refeathered and looking lovely.

I think your girl will eat your pellets from a bowl in time. Hunger will take her past her hesitancy. My rescued boys, I have 5, all adapted to my feeding regime.

With a good diet, her wings will re feather but that might be a longer term improvement. Perhaps, put Nutridrench in the rescues' water to improve their nutritional state.

Good luck and please let us know how these ducks are over tge next few weeks

Thank you so much for responding. I hope you are right and I keep telling myself she will get hungry and eat from the bowl in time. I just feel bad for her I guess. I did put some nutridrench in their water yesterday, their first day with me. I will go ahead and continue that then. The other three are great, surprisingly. They come right up to me and even let me pet them. Its things like that, that not only break my heart but continue to amaze me. How can any animal be treated so badly, yet still love and trust.

 

[A Renee]

I think @ruthhope has the best input, here. Good care and nutrition will correct a lot of that, I hope.

I'm looking forward to the "after" pics in a few months (or more)!

I will absolutely keep you updated. Thank you

 

[ruthhope]

@A Renee

How are your rescued ducks doing? Are you seeing a big improvement from the pitiful state they were in when you first rescued them? Have they got new wing feathers yet [that might be a little soon. I got a rehome at the end of December with damaged wing feathers -- inexpert clipping -- and he has no new wing feathers yet]

Please update us on progress! Pictures always welcome!

 

[BabesDucks]

Thank you so much for responding. She really is a sweetheart so I’m worried about her. I’m not too familiar with wet feather so I will research that. They have their own house now, very different from a small milk crate they had before. I have built an enclosure for them to forage and explore, yet separate from my other ducks just until they get acquainted and no illness or issues arise. I’ve seen my others molt but had just never seen wing feathers be gone like that.

How is this baby?