Runty duck (recovering 7week old)

[seashoreduck]

So, thanks to some flockmasters like Amiga and Miss Lydia my lame duck is *starting* to be a bit more moble as he's on his liquid vitiman water.

(here's the the original thread) https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/785107/not-getting-better-lame-duck/10

-7ish week old Mallard
-one of 4 kept together (8 in the grain store's original shipped box)
-unknown gender but no obvious drake feather
-on this currently Vitimans and Electrolytes Plus click for the link to the stuff
-eats tomatos, duck crumble, some meal worms

His/her brothers and sisters are starting to feel meaty and heavy.... this may have been the duck who was always smaller, there was one, Webby, who was bigger, but now the healthy 3 are all the same size.

My guy really hasn't grown much past the 4 week mark when I got him well maybe somewhat, but not a whole heck of alot.

If I get this guy up and standing and running around should I return him to the run? Should I try to beef him up? if so, how?

 

[Amiga]

I am thrilled to read this report!

Yay for both of you!!

I think that if much of his diet is balanced ration, enhanced with fresh vegetables and mealworms for protein, seems that's a good recipe for ducky body building. Swim time will probably help, too, as he or she gets stronger.

Reintroducktions will take a little time and patience, first separating everyone by some temporary fence, feeding them treats at the same time, then when they seem calm side by side, letting them together in the pen, supervising closely. A little shoving and poking is normal. Flattening someone is not.

 

[seashoreduck]

I have been socalizing her on a daily basis either by bringing one of the fat 3 into the house (my dad was visiting and started to call them the "eatin' ducks" grrr) or by letting runty sit in the yard with them. The other start their free ranging next week....so I'm very worried about letting the little one out with those contitions....may buy extra chicken wire

Never so glad to feel a duck "kicking" me when I pick it up. Weak little kicks but kicks none the less. Did great swimming this morning, will take another swim after work.

When she's on the opposite side of the fence they all settle down and act almost like brooding ducks on eggs and stay nearby. She/he snuck into the fenced in area and they got all excited for food/becuase of my guests, and just naughty in general and decided the little one was one to climb on.

Speaking of the climbing...is that a duck thing? They are facinated by the padio bricks and any twigs or wood pieces in their run and love to climb. When I had them in the house they climbed all over the furnature in the house like little mice. They try and scale the chicken wire, so I've left it unfraimed as if it's stiff they try to climb it with beaks and big duck feet.

They're crazy.

 

[Amiga]

Sounds like you both are doing a brilliant job

Yes, especially young ducks - at least my runners, too - seem to like to scramble all over the place. Acht used to walk along the temporary fence, one foot on the ground, one stepping on the bottom of the fence to find weak spots.

 

[seashoreduck]

Sounds like you both are doing a brilliant job

Yes, especially young ducks - at least my runners, too - seem to like to scramble all over the place. Acht used to walk along the temporary fence, one foot on the ground, one stepping on the bottom of the fence to find weak spots.

He's wierd as he dosn't seem to like the mealworms all that much. Nutty about tomatos. My friend grows roaches to feed to her blue-toung skeith and the bigger ducks ate them like candy. Lil one squaked as if I was poisioning it. Oh well. They will be good bug hunters. I noticed there are no ants, bees or bugs in their pen now, as well as very "mowed" grass. What meat would be good? Burger? Hot dog?

I was thinking of calling the duck "Connie" short for Congress (hahaha) but now I'm thinking of doing something different. Perhaps "Mercy"



As far as my other 3 trouble makers....

Going to call the boy duck "Darkwing" and still waiting on the genders of the other two..."Webby Spaz" is the one with the very dark beak with the knot on it (born that way and she gave me a helluv a time when I first got them, excape artist and climber extrodinare)

Down to one female with no name.

 

[Amiga]

Neat names so far.

What about unsalted sardines in water, not oil? Or cat kibble? Not much, just a tablespoon a day, maybe. That is just a guess, I don't have grams per kilo of body weight tables on these things.