I have a flock of ten ducks, mostly runners. We live in Central Vermont where the temperature got down into the single digits last night. I haven’t run any external heat out there, as it’s just not gotten to the temps I would think it necessary, and duck farmers out here often don’t run external heat successfully. But my girl Nori, a black runner who was fine yesterday, couldn’t walk this morning and was listless, with sunken eyes. I give them organic locally produced poultry pellet feed with nutritional yeast and occasionally, split peas and a handful of millet and oats, as well as greens sporadically as I can find organic in stores here in winter.
I brought Nori inside, along with her partner Musu. Nori passed away a few minutes later. Musu won’t leave her side. He hasn’t eaten any of the tempting things I’ve given, nor is he drinking. Musu shows no signs of sickness, nor do any of the others. When I try to reach toward him he growls at me, a sound I’ve not heard before. Musu doesn’t want me touch Nori, he hovers over her. When is it appropriate for me to separate him from her, and return him to the flock?
I brought Nori inside, along with her partner Musu. Nori passed away a few minutes later. Musu won’t leave her side. He hasn’t eaten any of the tempting things I’ve given, nor is he drinking. Musu shows no signs of sickness, nor do any of the others. When I try to reach toward him he growls at me, a sound I’ve not heard before. Musu doesn’t want me touch Nori, he hovers over her. When is it appropriate for me to separate him from her, and return him to the flock?