*~*Runner Duck Club*~*

[lilredracr]

Are your Runners going to be adults or ducklings? Chickens aren't always the most accepting birds when it comes to newbies so integrating slowly with fencing in between would be best even if adults ducks. Of course ducklings will need to be kept brooded till feathered in unless you plan on having a heat source inside the coop your planning. Over winter My Runners spent their nights in with the chickens and Muscovies and all was well I made poop shelves under the roosts so the ducks wouldn't get pooped on. {They decided sleeping under the roosts was better than not for some reason. lol}
Now that breeding season has started I moved the Runners back into their own house because tempers were getting started and chickens were getting picked on. May not happen in all situations but it is here and since they have their own house anyway it wasn't a problem to move them back. So I guess best to try them all together watching to make sure the chickens accept them as part of the flock after initial introductions and hopefully it will work out for all. One thing to keep in mind though it isn't a good idea to put feed and water inside with ducks they make the biggest mess and your bedding won't stay very dry and that isn't so good with chickens.

They will be ducklings and I plan to brood them separately until they can hold their own with the adult chickens. I'm in So. Cal., so I'm thinking they will be inside with a heat source for a 2-3 weeks, then outside brooder with heat. My integration plan includes a fenced area then them having a safe place they can run too and only they can fit, until they are full grown. My main concerns are: them not getting pooped on in the coop - was thinking a droppings board; and secondly ease of getting the eggs. I have a "best nest box" size small - was thinking of mounting that just off ground level for both ducks and chickens to use. My set up now is hard to get the eggs and I'm tired of dirty eggs. Am I crazy to think the ducks will go in the nest box? Or should I plan an access door for under the droppings board?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I put up a dropping board just recently because my Scovies the ones that don't roost along with the Runners in winter like to sleep under the roosts. So just put up a poop board inside main part and also in the outer part it is working out great. Except boy that smelly poop. I put cheap vinyl over the board so I just scape off the poop and then spray with Oxine ah and wipe. Most of my ducks just lay their eggs in the deep shaving on the floor I only have a few that will fly up to the next boxes mine are up off the floor about 4' and only my Muscovies can get to them.

 

[lilredracr]

They will be ducklings and I plan to brood them separately until they can hold their own with the adult chickens. I'm in So. Cal., so I'm thinking they will be inside with a heat source for a 2-3 weeks, then outside brooder with heat. My integration plan includes a fenced area then them having a safe place they can run too and only they can fit, until they are full grown. My main concerns are: them not getting pooped on in the coop - was thinking a droppings board; and secondly ease of getting the eggs. I have a "best nest box" size small - was thinking of mounting that just off ground level for both ducks and chickens to use. My set up now is hard to get the eggs and I'm tired of dirty eggs. Am I crazy to think the ducks will go in the nest box? Or should I plan an access door for under the droppings board?

@Amiga What do you think?

 

[Amiga]

I do not have chickens, just ducks. What I have read here is that older birds can be brutal toward younger ones, so I would proceed with caution. Hiding spaces may not be enough protection if older birds decide to go after the youngers.

Many people have both and make it work. I would keep them separate till the ducks are grown, and introduce them with supervision. Ducks can also get pushy. I know drakes can harm chickens, trying to mate with them.

 

[Duck Hill]

How is Cinnamon, @Duck Hill ?

I am really struggling with the fact that Cinnamon is struggling and hasn't gotten better.

The vet has fallen in love with Cinnamon, too, and my repeating bills have been significantly dropping in amount. The first operation (emergency visit fee, exam, anesthesia, operation, meds, etc) was nearly $400. The last (same) operation was billed as "anethesia" and "exotic exam" for less than $100. Still, it's been extremely expensive.

On the one hand, I don't want to give up if she has a chance. I keep hoping she will get better.

On the other hand, regardless of the money, the repeated operations (which allow her to breathe) cause discomfort. She doesn't like the vet visits, struggles to breathe till her swelling goes down, has a few good days (a week or two), then struggles to breathe because her breathing passage is clogged by Aspergillosis/Aspergilloma. Then the vet does an operation to open up her breathing, and the cycle starts again.

I hesitated with the last operation, but the vet thought we should try again. Now she's at home recovering. But I'm not sure I should keep going. Maybe she can enjoy her last days when she gets over this operation, and when her breathing is labored again, it will be time to let her go. But it is so hard to make the decision.

 

[Amiga]

Majestic Waterfowl had Laddy treated successfully for aspergiliosis. He received medication in the form of a fine mist in a covered crate. One of their newsletters reported on that.

http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/mmissue121.htm

 

[Widlast]

"older birds can be brutal toward younger ones"
Yes, they most certainly can. I kept my younger ones separate until such time as they were equally as tall as the older birds. They could see each other, but not touch. First day there was an awful lot of quacking and posturing going on with the older ones. After about a week I left them out together in the outside pen and monitored them during the first few hours. There was a bit of neck biting and nipping, but nothing too serious. The older gals just wanted to make absolutely sure the newcomers knew where they were in the pecking order.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Duck Hill ever heard of Oxine ah? I use it all the time in my coops for cleaning and have used it to mist my birds too. Please read this and see if it worth trying on Cinnamon.

I feel for you and her

https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/

 

[Ravynscroft]

I am really struggling with the fact that Cinnamon is struggling and hasn't gotten better.

The vet has fallen in love with Cinnamon, too, and my repeating bills have been significantly dropping in amount. The first operation (emergency visit fee, exam, anesthesia, operation, meds, etc) was nearly $400. The last (same) operation was billed as "anethesia" and "exotic exam" for less than $100. Still, it's been extremely expensive.

On the one hand, I don't want to give up if she has a chance. I keep hoping she will get better.

On the other hand, regardless of the money, the repeated operations (which allow her to breathe) cause discomfort. She doesn't like the vet visits, struggles to breathe till her swelling goes down, has a few good days (a week or two), then struggles to breathe because her breathing passage is clogged by Aspergillosis/Aspergilloma. Then the vet does an operation to open up her breathing, and the cycle starts again.

I hesitated with the last operation, but the vet thought we should try again. Now she's at home recovering. But I'm not sure I should keep going. Maybe she can enjoy her last days when she gets over this operation, and when her breathing is labored again, it will be time to let her go. But it is so hard to make the decision.

Completely understand... both sides of that... still got my for her and you... do check out the links Miss Lydia posted, hopefully something will help her...

Majestic Waterfowl had Laddy treated successfully for aspergiliosis. He received medication in the form of a fine mist in a covered crate. One of their newsletters reported on that.

http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/mmissue121.htm

@Duck Hill ever heard of Oxine ah? I use it all the time in my coops for cleaning and have used it to mist my birds too. Please read this and see if it worth trying on Cinnamon.

I feel for you and her

https://www.shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/

 

[Duck Hill]

Amiga, Miss Lydia, Ravynscroft... thank you so much for your continued support. And thank you for the suggestions.

I have been using one of the treatments suggested by Majestic Waterfowl for two months and have no reason to believe the Oxine would be significantly different from the F10sc. I have used nebulization of properly diluted F10sc. This treatment has helped clear her lungs and the vet says they now sound quite clear. In other words, this treatment has been effective with aspergillosis in the lungs. I recommend it to others.

Unfortunately, this treatment has not helped the aspergilloma in her sinuses. (An aspergilloma is a solid mass or ball of aspergillus fungus.) This is probably because the F10sc (or Oxine) must touch the mold to be effective. In her lungs it was on the surface and therefore the treatment was effective. In her sinuses it is in a ball under the skin and not reached by the treament.

Recent operations have revealed that the aspergilloma, which at first was only in the front of her sinuses, has not only returned each time, but it now extends at least to the back of her sinuses. This means that everything I have tried (itraconazole, nebulization as suggested by Majestic Waterfowl, various herbs, and repeated operation to physically remove as much of the aspergilloma as possible) did not work to stop the aspergilloma from growing and extending itself.

The anatomy of ducks is such that the back of the sinuses connect to smaller openings (diverticuli) around the eye and brain and to air sacks in the head area. These openings are incredibly close to the brain - and an aspergilloma can cross that barrier. I don't want my duck to suffer that fate.

The situation at this time is... Cinnamon is clearly uncomfortable, worried and in distress. She strains to breathe, and has done so for nearly three weeks. She has grown to hate nebulization and other treatments to the extent she now runs away from me and will not even come for an earthworm (though she gobbled it when I threw it near her). The two latest operations have caused stress for her but no improvement. As a result, I am incredibly sad, but no longer struggling with my decision.

As the aspergilloma has been growing and extending further into her head in spite of careful treatment, and as Cinnamon is clearly worried and unhappy much of the time, I now believe the time has come to say goodbye to her. I fear that prolonging her life will only lead to suffering.

I will say goodbye to Cinnamon tomorrow.