ROUEN DUCK

[NAN-MJ]

Hi I was wondering about my 16 and a half year old blind duck well he s not completely blind and can see a bit but not much. He s had leg issues for many years and has been on tramadol and meloxicam for these issues but now with age his legs have gotten worse where they are spreading more apart now and he can no longer get out of his pool like he was able too in march of 2019 so like any handicap person or thing I accommodate him and now take him out n bring him in. Sometimes his legs will go back and he tries to bring them back under his belly but cant always do it so I find him stuck like that once in awhile n help him out then he s all happy again goes back to eating n drinking. His appetite is great always eating and drinking but still he has lost a lot of weight not suddenly though where I now feel his bones protruding but he still continues to eat but now I am thinking that if he was as heavy as he was before his legs might not have been able to handle his weight and he would have went downhill much quicker. I was thinking that this is his last summer with me but just wanted to ask this question about his weight loss just the same. We live in northern Ontario Canada and he is alone since the others have passed on already. So if you have any answers for my very old duck pls write back when you can. Thank you for your time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't have one a old as yours but I can relate I had a Muscovy drake that passed away at one month shy of his 12th birthday. He was a big boy and His last 2 years I carried him from the coop every morning and put him in the front yard with his girls, Then of an evening I carried him back he could walk some but it was really hard for him to do. I think his weight and just that their legs aren't that strong anyway they just wore out. He wasn't over weight just a large drake. About all you can do Is offer support now. Help him as often as he needs it. I kept mine in the front of the house so I could keep an eye on him and knew he was protected. Helping them be familiar with where they are especially with your boy almost blind can help, smaller area less footage to try an navigate. Maybe add some good poultry vitamins to his water so he is getting some immune help. I don't know if at this stage of his life hobbling him would help him keep his legs in proper alignment or make him miserable. But you might read up on it.
I now have his only female from his flock left she is 12 yrs old and trying to keep her comfortable and healthy.

 

[NAN-MJ]

I don't have one a old as yours but I can relate I had a Muscovy drake that passed away at one month shy of his 12th birthday. He was a big boy and His last 2 years I carried him from the coop every morning and put him in the front yard with his girls, Then of an evening I carried him back he could walk some but it was really hard for him to do. I think his weight and just that their legs aren't that strong anyway they just wore out. He wasn't over weight just a large drake. About all you can do Is offer support now. Help him as often as he needs it. I kept mine in the front of the house so I could keep an eye on him and knew he was protected. Helping them be familiar with where they are especially with your boy almost blind can help, smaller area less footage to try an navigate. Maybe add some good poultry vitamins to his water so he is getting some immune help. I don't know if at this stage of his life hobbling him would help him keep his legs in proper alignment or make him miserable. But you might read up on it.
I now have his only female from his flock left she is 12 yrs old and trying to keep her comfortable and healthy.

Hi and thank you for your quick reply I know he can still see a bit since his mirrors that I have in his cabin gets all dirty so he might be able to see his reflection somewhat that's why after he ended up alone I added more mirrors around and even bought some plastic ducks that the hunters use and he seems to enjoy them as well since I have one female by the watering can and sometimes I find her on her side or all wet even so whatever goes on there I don't know but as long as he is happy and he continues to tug at my hair and pull on my bracelets and I give him some massages on his back and when I quack at him and if he is in his pool he lets me know hes ready to come out sometimes I don't even have to quack I will just holler at him and he starts quacking as males do. I guess ill just continue to do what I need to do for him and come this fall well I will have to decide cause last winter was the coldest one he has ever experienced sometimes hitting -50 below and even though hes in a somewhat heated cabin with two heat lamps it was a challenge just the same. So thank you again and sending you great health n happiness for your and your pets.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I commend your care in having a drake this old. Just shows how much care you have given him. I wish you and him the best. Winter can be rough on the old ones we’re her to support anyway we can