LadyHawkeAvry
Songster
I was in the process of deciding which of my six saxonies would be a permanent house duck. They were too big to keep cooped up in the growout pen, and it was time to give the space to the chicks, so I put them outside. Narcissus the goose lays down ground rules for any new bird that enters the yard. He gives a single reminder that he is dominant, then ignores all new comers unless they fail to follow his rules. He likes the flock inside the confines of the perimeter fence. Their area is over an acre of woods and field, but he seems to like to know that everyone is safe inside. Missy and one of her sisters kept challenging the fence. Narcissus would pick them up off of the fence and carry them a little bit off and let them go. They kept going back. Eventually he lost his temper. He got a hold of Missy, pinned her down and tore all the feathers off of her back. (Hence the name MissBehavin - she doesn't like to follow the rules). I brought her inside, and decided she would be my house duck. She will not go outside unless you carry her out (then she is happy to take rides in the car), and will not go anywhere near the back door. She likes to be with me when I am home, so when I go out back it upsets her - she remembers the trauma of being out there, but also wants to follow.
Pale girl is getting a little more mobile every day. She is spending more time traveling with the flock, and Narcissus leaves her from time to time to patrol. She is still limping heavily, but folds her leg normally under her now, and stands with equal weight on both legs on occasion. She doesn't walk as much as everyone else, and will still spend some time resting while everyone else forages, but she is starting to act like s duck again. Either Narcissus, Ducky, or Big Boy checks on her regularly if she is not roaming with the group. I'm still surprised how fast she went from little limp to completely lame with this. My big hatchery pekins have a tendency to strain their joints (those huge bodies on tiny legs) but usually rest for a few days and are good as new. My breeder egg pekins don't have the leg problems, and have much lighter bodies. Right now she is asleep in the chive patch, surrounded by her friends and the geese. I think her being with her flock is just as therapeutic as the antibiotic I filled her joint space with....
Missy is still snubbing her duck feed. I'm trying to get her to eat at least a little of it each day. She has been holding out, waiting for me to break down and put a tray of food out for her. Now she is just sitting and staring at me.. Waiting for me to give in....
