Suddenly sick duck

[Duckfarmer1]

Yes, the rest are fine...troublemakers and some laid back....beautiful mixes of breeds. But now that you mentioned it...we do have one that I thought had bumble foot...I have done tons of research on it with so many birds. We decided to do the surgery ourselves....well, after cutting, it was just a callous...but my other ducks don’t have that...which is why I thought it was bumble foot...so here we cut him without needing to...but then...Chris May have cut something wrong because he bled a lot. Chris used salt to get it to stop....we treated it wrapped it, etc. we kept him, alone in a cage in the barn...but I know ducks get depressed when alone...we’ve rehabbed many and tried to do it in pairs at night...but he’s going to need to be in the tractor..basically an outdoor pen that moves...no more barn..he wouldn’t eat.... do I pair him up...I feel sooo horrible about this and it was probably something else...now he has this pain too

 

[Miss Lydia]

New question quick..about chicks...we have 8 that wee bought about Aug 2 The adult hens are layers and rooster are about I year,we have a large coop, but plan to expand once we include the chicks...so when do we do this? About how old? Their coop shares fence space so that they are somewhat used to each other.

I’d start out making a separation inside your coop letting everyone get use to the idea some newbies have moved in if they free range you could try what I’ve done in the past. I put a dog crate inside the coop everyone that’s new stays in it over night but come morning I open the pop door let all the adults out first then once the coop is empty the crate door gets opened. Mine all free range over a half acre fenced property so they can stay out of each other’s way then evening the young ones go back into the crate usually after. A week they are part of the flock. They will still get put in their place but that’s just part of the pecking order. I have a metal crate that works well for integration because I can put a roost in for the youngsters.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’m sorry about this I had same experience with my Buff duck. I didn’t cut though just kept picking at the top layer till I got it off an when I saw nothing under I cleaned it good sprayed with Veterycin an wrapped for about 3 days. I’d def give him a buddy. They just do so much better.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

We bought this place twenty years ago when it was a run down farm..it had been a farm for about 100 years. We did not do any animal farming until this spring but only for hobby...we love it.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

We decided the same type of thing for the chicks...their coop beside the big coop will now open into their play pen..free range space....they don’t get the yard due to the ducks...ducks come first and chickens are mean to my ducks...lol...anyways. Everyone can play in the day and go sleep separate until they are adjusting.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like a plan! Let us know how it goes.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

And as for my duck with the foot...he was very sad today... I tried a mirror in the pen..I tried a stuffed animal...so I decided to let him out a bit...well he did great. He walked around very well and I kept close tabs on him..he swam so I changed his wrap...then later I put him in our pen with a duck who came to us with a broken leg...we take in rescue animals...so she always sleeps in her own den...so now they can be buddies . I pray he’s going to be okay. He does seem to be doing well..and it looks good

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s great news. I bet he was happy to have a friend too!