Sick young drake

[Jtaranc]

Hey all!

I have a mama who was sitting on eggs for what seemed like forever. One actually hatched and he’s a couple months old now. We have had no issues with him til now. Normally he is feisty like mom and will bite the crap out of us.
I found him one day in the yard and he looked weird. I was able to pick him up and I knew he was sick. I brought him inside, warned him up, fed him, basically treated like vitamin deficiency and within 2 days he was hissing and biting so I put him back outside.

He is back to being weak, tripping a lot. Staring off into space. He feels like he weighs nothing.

I can’t figure out what is wrong with him? And his wings droop like they’re too heavy for his body.

He eats duck food. I wonder if he’s getting picked on based on how much better he gets inside my home.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Picked on by whom? How many other ducks do you have? What kind are they? Are there other waterfowl or poultry in the mix?

Do you have more than one feeding station so the ones that can’t get to the food have another place to eat from?

 

[Jtaranc]

Picked on by whom? How many other ducks do you have? What kind are they? Are there other waterfowl or poultry in the mix?

Do you have more than one feeding station so the ones that can’t get to the food have another place to eat from?

At night he goes up with his dad and 4 female ducks including mom. We also have geese and turkeys. Everyone free ranges on 3 acres during the day.

Their feeding station is two 9 foot long PVC pipes.

 

[Jenbirdee]

At night he goes up with his dad and 4 female ducks including mom. We also have geese and turkeys. Everyone free ranges on 3 acres during the day.

Their feeding station is two 9 foot long PVC pipes.

are they Muscovy?

 

[Jenbirdee]

@Miss Lydia

 

[Jtaranc]

are they Muscovy?

2 of the female are Pekin. They’re terrified of life I doubt they’re bullying anyone.

 

[DemeterAD9]

Vitamin deficiency certainly could play a part in it but so could parasites. I'd be checking everyone's poo and see if they look normal. Check for mites, observe skin color around their eyes and inside their mouths to make sure they aren't getting sucked dry of blood from nasty critters.

If everyone checks out then it could be something else, like a foreign body he ate or an injury that got infected. Separate and give him another round of vitamins and whatnot. Make sure he's getting food in him.

 

[Jenbirdee]

2 of the female are Pekin. They’re terrified of life I doubt they’re bullying anyone.

right OK, but you mentioned do you think he might be getting bullied, so if he’s a Muscovy Drake and his father is a Muskovy Drake there could be bullying going on.
Do all @DemeterAD9 suggested and also weigh him so you can weigh him again in a week, etc.
you did say when he was in the house with you he got better though right? Are you sure.
You said you’re feeding him duck food what kind of duck food?
And I have to ask I’ve never seen feathers ends so straight like that. Did you clip them? I’m asking because I really don’t know. I don’t have any Muskovy and I wonder if that’s a natural trait of a young Muscovy.
I do have right now 18 duck hens of various breeds , and two Drakes who are Cayuga mixes and they are father and son. There was a little bit of bullying going on so I separated them last year for mating season, but put them all back together in October and they’re fine now.
If you have enough females for two drakes it can work out. The suggested ratio is 3 to 5 females for every male . I’m just not sure about Muscovy however so I tagged Miss Lydia.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have never had 2 Muscovy drakes that could live side by side. They would chase each other all day the dominant one or fight . Mostly chasing. Which meant neither would eat much they were too busy. Father and son didn't matter.
His feathers do look strange like they have been clipped. I'd say separate him from the drake and put a few females with him for company. Make sure he is eating and check out his poop they can have parasites and they not show up in the poop though.

If you have rooster booster that would be a good way to get some vitamins into him.

Hopefully if it is being bullied he'll start feeling good again eating etc.
How about Niacin was he given niacin when a tiny ducklings? @2 months old he may still need some.

 

[Jtaranc]

I have never had 2 Muscovy drakes that could live side by side. They would chase each other all day the dominant one or fight . Mostly chasing. Which meant neither would eat much they were too busy. Father and son didn't matter.
His feathers do look strange like they have been clipped. I'd say separate him from the drake and put a few females with him for company. Make sure he is eating and check out his poop they can have parasites and they not show up in the poop though.

If you have rooster booster that would be a good way to get some vitamins into him.

Hopefully if it is being bullied he'll start feeling good again eating etc.
How about Niacin was he given niacin when a tiny ducklings? @2 months old he may still need some.

His feather were clipped. He almost flew over our privacy fence and my neighbor has aggressive dogs. This was done a while ago.