Sickly duck at local produce store...

[jenniemig]

Chickens do not use penetration for mating, it's much like a "vent kiss" whereas ducks have long spiral penises that will wind and screw into almost any shape (there are videos on YouTube of the experiments they tried on duck penises and it's actually really interesting to learn about why ducks have this particular "appendage). If a drake successfully mates a chicken hen, it would cause internal injuries and she would likely die or be severely maimed by such an event.

Wow

good to know. I will defenitely be separating mine now. Even though I don't know if I have boys or girls yet, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Amiga]

Regarding the store, my feeling is that an impression has been made upon them. It is up to them whether to see it as a gift that will help them be better members of the community, or try to suppress it. I know for me, sometimes the gift of criticism is something I do not appreciate until later.

I am not advocating a denial of their negligence. They have been reported, so I think it is good to let that play out. And I think at this point - certainly for me - it's good to focus on

that

beautiful

ducky!!!!!!

 

[SampyArctica]

Thanks for the info, subhanalah! I'll supervise whenever they are together, until we can get Whistles a girlfriend or two to play with.

We're looking to move out soon to be closer to my uni as the house we're in now (the parents house!) goes on the market soon. Hopefully we can find somewhere with a lot of space so we can expand the flock.

Another new picture of Whistles!



Today was the first day he'd spent by himself all day, as both my partner and I have gone back to uni. Holidays won't last forever! But we set him in a fenced off area outside with his pool and some rubber duck friends and a big mirror, my partner came home to him happily sitting right in front of the mirror, having a chat to his reflection, before he decided to go for a very splashy swim, haha. When we brought everything inside, he still decided to sit in front of the mirror. With how much he seems to love his reflection, it wants me to get him ducky friends even more.

I'm also studying at a university that specialises in all things animal, and they have their own animal hospital with an avian specialist there, it turns out (my first day was today, so I didn't know they had an avian vet there until today!), so I've booked him in and his first vet check is tomorrow. My uni is about an hour and a half drive though, a little under a three hour round trip, so I'm hoping he'll be alright in the car for that long. But fingers crossed! Finally get to have a professionals opinion on my little baby. I had no idea how hard it was to get an appointment usually though! It seems like such a specialised field that all the avian vets around my city are booked out already from now until Friday. And so much more expensive than a regular dog/cat vet, did not expect that. We've never had to take any of our chickens to the vets before, just our cat, so I'm a little...nervous and curious about it all.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the info, subhanalah! I'll supervise whenever they are together, until we can get Whistles a girlfriend or two to play with.

We're looking to move out soon to be closer to my uni as the house we're in now (the parents house!) goes on the market soon. Hopefully we can find somewhere with a lot of space so we can expand the flock.

Another new picture of Whistles!



Today was the first day he'd spent by himself all day, as both my partner and I have gone back to uni. Holidays won't last forever! But we set him in a fenced off area outside with his pool and some rubber duck friends and a big mirror, my partner came home to him happily sitting right in front of the mirror, having a chat to his reflection, before he decided to go for a very splashy swim, haha. When we brought everything inside, he still decided to sit in front of the mirror. With how much he seems to love his reflection, it wants me to get him ducky friends even more.

I'm also studying at a university that specialises in all things animal, and they have their own animal hospital with an avian specialist there, it turns out (my first day was today, so I didn't know they had an avian vet there until today!), so I've booked him in and his first vet check is tomorrow. My uni is about an hour and a half drive though, a little under a three hour round trip, so I'm hoping he'll be alright in the car for that long. But fingers crossed! Finally get to have a professionals opinion on my little baby. I had no idea how hard it was to get an appointment usually though! It seems like such a specialised field that all the avian vets around my city are booked out already from now until Friday. And so much more expensive than a regular dog/cat vet, did not expect that. We've never had to take any of our chickens to the vets before, just our cat, so I'm a little...nervous and curious about it all.

What a special happy duckling. If you have a dog or cat crate big enough to carry Whistles in and some doggie pee pads with old towels underneath they work great for transport. he won't need food and water while driving. I hope ya'll can find an awesome place to move to that is everything you want and more. Look forward to hearing about his check up.

 

[Amiga]

When I take the ducks to the vet, I don't give feed - I have a few who get carsick. Yup. I will spare the details.

Anyway, water is good, especially if they do get carsick. Here is what I made, based on advice from Majestic Waterfowl.



On the right is a plastic food container, I cut out the center of the lid leaving just over an inch around the edge.



I snug the plastic inside a flat bottomed, straight sided pyrex container - that is to reduce spillage. Works, mostly.

 

[SampyArctica]

Thanks all for the info!

Will update on how it went when I get back tonight.

 

[SampyArctica]

Update on the vets: not much was able to be diagnosed in a regular consult without tests being done - blood work and x-rays. The vet said that the wheezing that can be heard from Whistles are from some of his air sacs rubbing together, possibly due to blood vessels growing into them, although they are not supposed to have their own blood supply. He said this could be caused by just an irritation from the dust he breathed in at the produce store, it could be a respiratory infection or it could be (and he suspects that it is) aspergillosis. But he said he can't accurately say until we have some tests done, so that'll probably happen sometime after pay day.

In the meantime, here's another video that was taken today:

And he does get grit.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Update on the vets: not much was able to be diagnosed in a regular consult without tests being done - blood work and x-rays. The vet said that the wheezing that can be heard from Whistles are from some of his air sacs rubbing together, possibly due to blood vessels growing into them, although they are not supposed to have their own blood supply. He said this could be caused by just an irritation from the dust he breathed in at the produce store, it could be a respiratory infection or it could be (and he suspects that it is) aspergillosis. But he said he can't accurately say until we have some tests done, so that'll probably happen sometime after pay day.

In the meantime, here's another video that was taken today:

And he does get grit.

He is the cutest thing this side of heaven. and as good as he looks and acts I've have a hard time believing he has Aspergellosis that usually takes them down pretty fast since it's pneumonia. He just doesn't look sick, is he acting sick, seems to be a very happy duckling to me.

 

[Amiga]

I think the TLC is going to continue to help him improve quickly.

 

[subhanalah]

I love that video! What a smart duck! He's talking to you!
I agree, I don't think it is as serious as asper....I don't know how to spell it. But a culture will be great, I think maybe steam treatments in the bathroom may help clear up whatever muck is still bothering him.