Support Group for Abused Duck Keepers

[New duck mommy 2021]

Yes I’ll definitely wait till then. I would love to rescue and help some ducks in need. People don’t understand what type of care needs to go into them. They think they are all cute and fuzzy forever. But they aren’t small forever

We see this to often on the groups. Ducks ditched with leg issues or to many drakes so they dump them at ponds
I try to be really responsible with my hatching
I find buyers first before I start to incubate
I also give them a full run down if how to care for ducklings so they end up with strong healthy adults
I screen the buyers with questions first to make sure they will have proper homes
I know they won’t get the full royalty I provide because I’m above and beyond with my babies
all I expect is a normal loving home that keeps they looked after
I have one girl most would have culled long ago that I’m over 3000 in vet bills and still not done
She got a gleat issue in December and we have been to local and avian vets more then 15 times
4 antibiotics and now a fungal pill along with hormone shots to stop laying eggs to help give her vent area a break
But she is a beautiful loving duck who doesn’t act sick
She eats well , drinks , plays , runs with her flock and has laid an egg everyday through all of this
But she gets gleat built up on her urethra and outer vent
That needs constant cleaning
She has wet feather that started a month after the gleat issue
I tried the dawn dish soap but it didn’t work
It’s to do with her fungal issue
We have done X-rays ( heart is great
Poo sample twice
Blood sample twice
Fungal on oil gland , urethra and a other area that lead to aspergillosis diagnosis not of the lungs though )
No idea why or how it started
I have 16 ducks and nobody else is dealing with this
Fresh water 2-3 times a day
Fresh feed twice a day never getting old feed from day before
I clean the pen on my hands and knees everyday so they never go to bed in a dirty coop
At the time it was very cold with winter so we didn’t have any pools or ponds going
But I did move the ducks to the coop and we extended the yard right before winter hit
So maybe she got something from the ground
Sorry that was a long story. I got carried away

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Well, wouldn't you know it. I've been giving ducklings treats whenever I come to clean their water and now they SCREAM the moment they hear us come home. This baby especially.
Little Killgor is a daddy's baby for sure.
View attachment 3442083
How much do you guys wanna bet this one's gonna grow up to be the most demanding dictator?

If he is a drake you are in trouble. You will be wearing rubber boots to Protect your toes in plus 40 c

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

We see this to often on the groups. Ducks ditched with leg issues or to many drakes so they dump them at ponds
I try to be really responsible with my hatching
I find buyers first before I start to incubate
I also give them a full run down if how to care for ducklings so they end up with strong healthy adults
I screen the buyers with questions first to make sure they will have proper homes
I know they won’t get the full royalty I provide because I’m above and beyond with my babies
all I expect is a normal loving home that keeps they looked after
I have one girl most would have culled long ago that I’m over 3000 in vet bills and still not done
She got a gleat issue in December and we have been to local and avian vets more then 15 times
4 antibiotics and now a fungal pill along with hormone shots to stop laying eggs to help give her vent area a break
But she is a beautiful loving duck who doesn’t act sick
She eats well , drinks , plays , runs with her flock and has laid an egg everyday through all of this
But she gets gleat built up on her urethra and outer vent
That needs constant cleaning
She has wet feather that started a month after the gleat issue
I tried the dawn dish soap but it didn’t work
It’s to do with her fungal issue
We have done X-rays ( heart is great
Poo sample twice
Blood sample twice
Fungal on oil gland , urethra and a other area that lead to aspergillosis diagnosis not of the lungs though )
No idea why or how it started
I have 16 ducks and nobody else is dealing with this
Fresh water 2-3 times a day
Fresh feed twice a day never getting old feed from day before
I clean the pen on my hands and knees everyday so they never go to bed in a dirty coop
At the time it was very cold with winter so we didn’t have any pools or ponds going
But I did move the ducks to the coop and we extended the yard right before winter hit
So maybe she got something from the ground
Sorry that was a long story. I got carried away

You poor dear! I am glad you got all that out, it is a heavy burden carrying all that inside.

Somewhere you have guilt for not curing her... But that isn't your job. Your job is care, and you have done that 1000 times more than anyone would have asked.

We can't make them immortal and we can't take away all suffering. Those are part of being alive... You have no place for self-doubt or criticism.



You are awesome

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Posting here because my thread is probably dead by now (plus I appreciate the fact that you all care)

Depending on what any of my other ducks look like, will I at any point need to pull a scab out if its just in an early stage? I'm so awful, squeamish, etc at anything medical hah so I'm really hoping I won't have to. I've spent the morning doing a little extra research and now I'm wondering if there are any ways of going about treatment without tweezers or scissors at the end of the process? I know @BelovedBirds said something about just the epsom soaks (I'll do like 20 mins per duck with only epsom salt, I don't have Iodine or anything) and then spraying vetericyn or applying Neosporin, right?
I'm gonna confess now, in the 4 or so years I've had ducks I've only treated this once with a 20 minute epsom soak a day for a week, nothing else, and it seemed to work I think but I wasn't very confident.

It might just be a dermatitis, which would not have a scab/plug. Same treatment, just no skin removal.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

You poor dear! I am glad you got all that out, it is a heavy burden carrying all that inside.

Somewhere you have guilt for not curing her... But that isn't your job. Your job is care, and you have done that 1000 times more than anyone would have asked.

We can't make them immortal and we can't take away all suffering. Those are part of being alive... You have no place for self-doubt or criticism.



You are awesome

Thank you
I will continue to do all I can for her
She is my little Xmas day hatch she shares a bday with dougie @BelovedBirds duck
That’s how we met on here
We hatched together

 

[BelovedBirds]

Thank you
I will continue to do all I can for her
She is my little Xmas day hatch she shares a bday with dougie @BelovedBirds duck
That’s how we met on here
We hatched together

Way back during all the hatching stress, lol!
They're still keeping us on our toes

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

Well i guess my other 2 ducklings arent coming in again. I had my ordered placed Feb. 15th, was told they would be in March 17, and then that they would be in today. Now they wont be in till March 31st. The wait is killing me.

 

[BelovedBirds]

We see this to often on the groups. Ducks ditched with leg issues or to many drakes so they dump them at ponds
I try to be really responsible with my hatching
I find buyers first before I start to incubate
I also give them a full run down if how to care for ducklings so they end up with strong healthy adults
I screen the buyers with questions first to make sure they will have proper homes
I know they won’t get the full royalty I provide because I’m above and beyond with my babies
all I expect is a normal loving home that keeps they looked after
I have one girl most would have culled long ago that I’m over 3000 in vet bills and still not done
She got a gleat issue in December and we have been to local and avian vets more then 15 times
4 antibiotics and now a fungal pill along with hormone shots to stop laying eggs to help give her vent area a break
But she is a beautiful loving duck who doesn’t act sick
She eats well , drinks , plays , runs with her flock and has laid an egg everyday through all of this
But she gets gleat built up on her urethra and outer vent
That needs constant cleaning
She has wet feather that started a month after the gleat issue
I tried the dawn dish soap but it didn’t work
It’s to do with her fungal issue
We have done X-rays ( heart is great
Poo sample twice
Blood sample twice
Fungal on oil gland , urethra and a other area that lead to aspergillosis diagnosis not of the lungs though )
No idea why or how it started
I have 16 ducks and nobody else is dealing with this
Fresh water 2-3 times a day
Fresh feed twice a day never getting old feed from day before
I clean the pen on my hands and knees everyday so they never go to bed in a dirty coop
At the time it was very cold with winter so we didn’t have any pools or ponds going
But I did move the ducks to the coop and we extended the yard right before winter hit
So maybe she got something from the ground
Sorry that was a long story. I got carried away

I don't envy you
But I'm the same, I think they're just worth so much more than money, to me.
I had someone recently tell me that I could've saved myself Dougie's vet fees with a "simple meat cleaver" and that I could've bought several ducks to replace her, with the money I spent.
To me that's just so incredibly disrespectful and it made me so uncomfortable.

My Dougie could never be replaced. Back in the summer, spending £80 to ensure she'd be okay and get some pain killers, was very much worth it. I'd do it again, many times over.

My thing isn't money, it's fear of losing them. I have a very big fear of vets. Sounds silly, but I had a really traumatic experience with losing a beloved pet as a child, and that bad experience with awful vets, stuck with me. Whenever I walk through those doors I fear leaving alone. That was something I had to face for the first time, back when Dougie sprained her leg. But I'm glad that trip was okay, and the receptionists adored her.

 

[Corbdee]

We see this to often on the groups. Ducks ditched with leg issues or to many drakes so they dump them at ponds
I try to be really responsible with my hatching
I find buyers first before I start to incubate
I also give them a full run down if how to care for ducklings so they end up with strong healthy adults
I screen the buyers with questions first to make sure they will have proper homes
I know they won’t get the full royalty I provide because I’m above and beyond with my babies
all I expect is a normal loving home that keeps they looked after
I have one girl most would have culled long ago that I’m over 3000 in vet bills and still not done
She got a gleat issue in December and we have been to local and avian vets more then 15 times
4 antibiotics and now a fungal pill along with hormone shots to stop laying eggs to help give her vent area a break
But she is a beautiful loving duck who doesn’t act sick
She eats well , drinks , plays , runs with her flock and has laid an egg everyday through all of this
But she gets gleat built up on her urethra and outer vent
That needs constant cleaning
She has wet feather that started a month after the gleat issue
I tried the dawn dish soap but it didn’t work
It’s to do with her fungal issue
We have done X-rays ( heart is great
Poo sample twice
Blood sample twice
Fungal on oil gland , urethra and a other area that lead to aspergillosis diagnosis not of the lungs though )
No idea why or how it started
I have 16 ducks and nobody else is dealing with this
Fresh water 2-3 times a day
Fresh feed twice a day never getting old feed from day before
I clean the pen on my hands and knees everyday so they never go to bed in a dirty coop
At the time it was very cold with winter so we didn’t have any pools or ponds going
But I did move the ducks to the coop and we extended the yard right before winter hit
So maybe she got something from the ground
Sorry that was a long story. I got carried away

Oh my goodness I'm sorry! This is definitely not your fault, look how much you spoil your little rulers.

It might just be a dermatitis, which would not have a scab/plug. Same treatment, just no skin removal.

Oh good to know, I'll look into that.

Thank you
I will continue to do all I can for her
She is my little Xmas day hatch she shares a bday with dougie @BelovedBirds duck
That’s how we met on here
We hatched together

Aww thats nice! I love BYC

 

[Corbdee]

Just been out there for an hour, went out to check all other ducks feetsies and left the duck area having raked the coop, tilled the run ground to try and work on drainage, spread grass seed in the run because I've tried for years to get grass in there but they always either eat the seed or the grass dies, but this'll be the time it works, I know it . Also cleaned up broody's area a little.

You know what I didn't do, though? Check the rest of the ducks for bumblefoot
I did finally check cocoa puff's other foot (yep his name is cocoa puff and he's my chocolate runner). He was much more calm I think hehe. The thing I've realized is that since he already has black feet, its hard to see if he's got a black scab, but I did notice 3 more spots on that foot. I was wearing gloves so I couldn't tell if it was hot to the touch.