Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[ruthhope]

I presently have 5 drakes in drake jail. I have been contemplating rehoming a couple of my Call Drakes. One of them escaped out of jail last night sometime and this morning there it was, pacing back and forth in the large pen trying to get back with it's Mafia brothers. It had 11 hens it could have been chasing but instead I watched it for quite sometime, just pacing back and forth wanting to be with them. They are perfectly happy to be in jail so they are going nowhere. They are sweet little fellas, I just put them in jail because they were trying to mate my Mallard hen, three on one. As long as they are happy to be isolated from the girls I am keeping them. When I go in their large pen to feed them they never try to escape or leaven when the door is open. I had injured my foot and thought they had enough food to last overnight but saw this morning it had ran out. I am sure that is the only reason the one escaped. He was hungry thinking he could get back in. I just wanted to share, some people think its cruel to keep them separated but mine don't seem to mind a bit so as long as they are happy so am I. I even had the daughter to the one that escaped in the pen where he could have gotten to her but he only wanted back with his gang.

Definitely not cruel to keep your drakes separated from the females. All drake flocks are just fine and it's kind to protect the females from over mating!! Thanks for the update @Luv Ducks

 

[Luv Ducks]

Update on my acute niacin deficient ducks. The two muscovy are still limping but all three muscovy went foraging this morning (good sign). They each chomped down on the Vit B Complex soaked mealworms last night and this morning and are drinking Rooster Booster Poultry Cell in their water.

Pingywingy, the special needs pekin, is not eating, not even mealworms. I again gave him his Vit B Complex by pipette down the side of his tongue this morning. He is drinking his Poultry Cell water, quite regularly and so I am going to make him up some oral rehydration salts (which has glucose in it) and add his Poultry Cell to that.

I had to pick him up from the back of his dog crate as he made no effort to get up. He had a swim in the kiddie pool and did preen himself when I lifted him out of the water. But, he is just lying behind his food and water bowls now.

I put the three muscovies' food on the outside of Pingy's run, by Pingy's food, so that they come there and eat by him. I hope that will encourage him to eat. Now it's raining and cold for this time of year, so I have rigged up a tent over the temporary run, using a tarp.

Pingy is not improving at the moment.

The brewer's yeast arrives from Amazon today

So sorry to hear this. I pray that he starts eating soon.

 

[Luv Ducks]

Definitely not cruel to keep your drakes separated from the females. All drake flocks are just fine and it's kind to protect the females from over mating!! Thanks for the update @Luv Ducks

You are most welcome and thank you!

 

[Luv Ducks]

Update on my acute niacin deficient ducks. The two muscovy are still limping but all three muscovy went foraging this morning (good sign). They each chomped down on the Vit B Complex soaked mealworms last night and this morning and are drinking Rooster Booster Poultry Cell in their water.

Pingywingy, the special needs pekin, is not eating, not even mealworms. I again gave him his Vit B Complex by pipette down the side of his tongue this morning. He is drinking his Poultry Cell water, quite regularly and so I am going to make him up some oral rehydration salts (which has glucose in it) and add his Poultry Cell to that.

I had to pick him up from the back of his dog crate as he made no effort to get up. He had a swim in the kiddie pool and did preen himself when I lifted him out of the water. But, he is just lying behind his food and water bowls now.
View attachment 3541404
I put the three muscovies' food on the outside of Pingy's run, by Pingy's food, so that they come there and eat by him. I hope that will encourage him to eat. Now it's raining and cold for this time of year, so I have rigged up a tent over the temporary run, using a tarp.
View attachment 3541408
Pingy is not improving at the moment.

The brewer's yeast arrives from Amazon today

He is such a beautiful Drake. I hope that he improves soon. If you put water in his food and make a mash do you think he might try it?

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Anyone know if mom should be off the eggs after external pips
5 of 6 have them and a few have multiple hits
It’s been 20 mins of her off so far and most mornings she stays off 1.5 hours
Should I be pushing her back in and keeping her area closed off now so she stays put

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Anyone know if mom should be off the eggs after external pips
5 of 6 have them and a few have multiple hits
It’s been 20 mins of her off so far and most mornings she stays off 1.5 hours
Should I be pushing her back in and keeping her area closed off now so she stays put

She has gone back on now
Was off for about an hour
It’s cool here this morning but it rained so it humid too

 

[Maddcatter]

Anyone know if mom should be off the eggs after external pips
5 of 6 have them and a few have multiple hits
It’s been 20 mins of her off so far and most mornings she stays off 1.5 hours
Should I be pushing her back in and keeping her area closed off now so she stays put

So long as the eggs feel warm, you're probably good. At that stage they do produce their own body heat, and the egg will retain some of it...

That's just my logic though. I can't get my ducks to sit on eggs.

 

[Isadora]

She has gone back on now
Was off for about an hour
It’s cool here this morning but it rained so it humid too

Phew, glad to hear that. Being off the nest that long would get me worried.

 

[Maddcatter]

So.... This worked...

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Phew, glad to hear that. Being off the nest that long would get me worried.

Sure had me panicking
She is only a year and first time broody
All kinds of things can go wrong
My bator is ready in case but I really would like her to see this through