Seeking help with Muscovy girl.

[Muscath]

Seeking advice: my Muscovy girl is behaving strangely and I'm concerned she's not well.

Background: We bought her and a drake from a pet store, they were both friendly and willingly free ranged in our yard during the day and were locked in at night. The drake was quite young when we got him, but as he grew he became more and more aggressive towards Jemima (our lady). In the end we had to re-home the drake as he was so frisky he'd try and hold the chooks underwater to mate. It was about 2 months ago that he left and I've been trying desperately to replace him since then.

Since he left Jemima has been refusing to come out of her box and stopped laying (although it is summer so I expected that), not eating much and reluctant to go in her pool. It's been very hot here in Australia (up to 118f). The beautiful redness of her carnucle has gone a dull orange and she's become aggressive (biting) anyone who goes near her (except me).

A few days ago we introduced a younger female and older drake who I 'rescued' from someone. (the girl has lost many of her back and wing feathers but I'll ask about that in another thread) I know ducks like friends hence my desperation in trying to find some pals for her.

Does anyone have any advice for me regarding Jemima? Sorry for the long explanation but I'm relatively new to ducks and wasn't sure what would be relevant.

I'd be grateful for your thoughts. Thank you.

 

[Muscath]

This is Jemima on a 'forced' outing from the coop.

 

[Lollyberrybliz]

I hope this isn't a problem, but maybe we can help each other. I can tell you that my little Muscovy female was horribly depressed when her boyfriend, Cyclone, and older drake died in a wild dog attack. I can also tell you that the missing feathers were due to not enough females to go around, so the boys where scratching up the little girls backs. if there are any protruding quills, try and pull them, because she cant grow new ones until there gone.


now if you could help me, one Muscovy mama to another, mine seems to be sick, all of the sudden, at 3.45 A.M. yup, i'm writing this in the dead of the night. she has a boogery nose, and seems terrified in the sudden presence of light. do you possibly have any ideas what's wrong with her so I can l can help her as best as possible? she's about 1 1/2 years old, and as far as I know the vets won't want to see her. do you know something or someone who/that can help? does she need an antibiotic?

 

[Muscath]

Hi Lollyberrybliz

I wish I could help. I sooooo wish I could give you some direction, but I'm too much of a newbie to be any help. I am however in the other side of the world and it's only 8:30pm here, so I'll see if there's anyone in my friends list who's going to have any idea. Stand by, I'll see if I can find someone to help. Wishing your beautiful girl well x

 

[Going Quackers]

Sounds like she has not taken well to the departure of the drake, unfortunately, some drakes are a bit too um, needy? to just have one duck, usually in those circumstances adding more ducks is the best route.

Do watch the other pair doesn't bully her, while she is the top duck by being the original, she is outnumbered. I would try tempting her with treats to get her eating more, i also know many here use a vitamin additive when ducks are poorly, that i have no experience with, so i'll get a member who does.. ...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Seeking advice: my Muscovy girl is behaving strangely and I'm concerned she's not well.

Background: We bought her and a drake from a pet store, they were both friendly and willingly free ranged in our yard during the day and were locked in at night. The drake was quite young when we got him, but as he grew he became more and more aggressive towards Jemima (our lady). In the end we had to re-home the drake as he was so frisky he'd try and hold the chooks underwater to mate. It was about 2 months ago that he left and I've been trying desperately to replace him since then.

Since he left Jemima has been refusing to come out of her box and stopped laying (although it is summer so I expected that), not eating much and reluctant to go in her pool. It's been very hot here in Australia (up to 118f). The beautiful redness of her carnucle has gone a dull orange and she's become aggressive (biting) anyone who goes near her (except me).

A few days ago we introduced a younger female and older drake who I 'rescued' from someone. (the girl has lost many of her back and wing feathers but I'll ask about that in another thread) I know ducks like friends hence my desperation in trying to find some pals for her.

Does anyone have any advice for me regarding Jemima? Sorry for the long explanation but I'm relatively new to ducks and wasn't sure what would be relevant.

I'd be grateful for your thoughts. Thank you.

She almost sounds broody to me, the dull orange is another symptom of being broody, but I'd go ahead and first off put some Apple Cider Vinegar in her [their water] it's a great tonic 1-2 tablespoons to 1 gallon of water, then find some good poultry vitamins and start using them also. Like GQ said the 2 new ones can start to bully her so be sure to keep a look out for this behavior, I'm sure she is missing her mate they really do form a very close bond. But hopefully she'll warm up to these 2 pretty quick. Mating is a very rough part of their lives so try not to interfere unless you feel one or both of the girls is getting harmed. Plenty of nice fresh water for bathing and mating it is easier on the girls if they have a pool. If she has lots of shade you might try closing her door so she can't go in during the day. But most of all now is her relationship with the 2 new ones that they don't bully and that she begins to eat and get her health back. . If you still don't feel satisfied that she is improving a vet maybe something to consider. If you do noticed them picking on her you could try separating your 2 girls from the drake for a few days and see if that makes any difference.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope this isn't a problem, but maybe we can help each other. I can tell you that my little Muscovy female was horribly depressed when her boyfriend, Cyclone, and older drake died in a wild dog attack. I can also tell you that the missing feathers were due to not enough females to go around, so the boys where scratching up the little girls backs. if there are any protruding quills, try and pull them, because she cant grow new ones until there gone.


now if you could help me, one Muscovy mama to another, mine seems to be sick, all of the sudden, at 3.45 A.M. yup, i'm writing this in the dead of the night. she has a boogery nose, and seems terrified in the sudden presence of light. do you possibly have any ideas what's wrong with her so I can l can help her as best as possible? she's about 1 1/2 years old, and as far as I know the vets won't want to see her. do you know something or someone who/that can help? does she need an antibiotic?

I would try ACV in her drinking bucket first before going to antibiotics ACV can kill quiet a few bacteria and she'll be using this water to dunk her head into so she'll be washing her nares out. Pulling out protruding quills can cause bleeding so i don't rec doing that they will fall out on their own at molt. I'm not sure why she is suddenly terrified of light but if you go into a dark coop at night and turn the light on mine would probably be too. Or are you talking about outside natural light? Again poultry vitamins Nutri Drench comes to mind for one.

 

[Lollyberrybliz]

I totally agree with that statement, going quakers. when Cyclone died last summer, we had left the two of them in seperate pens out in the grass, because it had rained the night before and it was all green outside. me and my sister went inside to do our schoolwork (homeschooled<3) and about noon, I heard barking. now don't think of me poorly for this, I didn't have al lot of time and I was scared. I ran outside and grabbed a tennis racket. there were two dogs, no collers, one an American pit bull terrier, and the other was something big and dark, maybe a black lab. I threw the racket at the pit bull, that's how I remember what it was, but messed the bigger one. I managed to chase them into the woods. somehow the screen door that was the top of Cyclones pen had been shredded and blown off. Cyclone was nowhere to be seen. Syrrus, on the other hand, had been trapped by the two dogs, they had collapsed her pen in on itself and she was stuck in the middle. by this time my sister had come out, so I grabbed Syrrus and set her down on our deck so she was safe but could see the happenings. then I went downstairs and grabbed one of my Dads rifles.(now don't look at me like that... I have had training, and corrected his technique at times!) so I went charging out into the forest, while my mom and sister inspected the damage. what broke through my rage was my sister shouting "I found him!". he had been thrown across the yard, maybe 30 yards away, and was lying in the grass, wings spread at awkward angles, huffing softly at us. there was a 5 in diameter hole in the middle of his back. we found out later when my sister was carrying him that it went all the way through. we called a neighbor down who had some experience with animals, and basicly she said to make him comfortable, he might pull through if we could 1, get the bleeding to stop, 2, we could get him out of his state of shock. the real kind of shock, not surprise. and she said she would get on her horse and try to go find those dogs for us and... keep them from doing this again to anyone. so we wrapped him in a towel and got him and Syrrus inside the house (they slept indoors where it was safe. they were in big blue boxes at the time.)(Syrrus now sleeps under my bed!) and so, he was in his box and we had given him food and water, but he wasn't eating, and he was shaking furiously. finally, I thought I had figured out why he was so upset, and Syrrus would not stop squeeking. I picked up Syrrus and put her in his box, with me still holding her. she did her little happy purring thing, and laid her head on his back. he stopped huffing and just looked at her, you could see the relief in his face. I let her sit there for a while, then took her out when my arms started to hurt. Cyclone put his head down and went to sleep. Mom informed us when we woke up that he died in his sleep, a few hours after we left. so we showed his to Syrrus, and she did the whole sad nudging thing, let out a laud honk of dismay, and promptly stopped laying eggs, stopped bathing, and wouldn't let anyone play with her but me.
Your duck is grieving! she thinks that her sweetheart has died without saying good bye! theres really only one thing to do. you have to give her your everything. show her you care, I followed my duck around the house cleaning her messes so that she could be inside with us. heck, now I've really gone off the deep and and bought her an entire harness, so she can were diapers, and not make a mess (link- www.thegoosesmother.com ) if she wants to just sit in your lap, let her. she lost an important part of her, and your job is to fill that hole with you. this can be the oppourtunity of a lifetime for both of you to come closer than ever. she loves you. love her back.



and that, I believe, is the longest single post I have ever written!

 

[Lollyberrybliz]

 

[Miss Lydia]

What a night mare I hope your neighbor was able to locate the dogs, I'm sure when Cyclone died he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was loved. I watch the bond my drakes have with their ducks and I really feel they love each other, maybe not the way humans love but there is dif something there that seems like love, and grieving is very real. What you have done for Syrrus is very sweet, we sure do fall in love with them don't we. Since she is inside alot now I think another thing she may need is some good healthy out door time in a safe place but fresh air and sunshine is very healthy, and I remember some one posting not too long ago about their lil duck [indoor duck] needing to go on supplements because of being an indoor duck I wish I remembered what they were but probably a good quality poultry vitamin would help alot especially on those days when getting outside into fresh air isn't easy to do. We get Vitamin D from sunshine, and that is how they get calcium to form good hard egg shells. Do you offer her oyster shell?