The Duck Thread

[Miss Lydia]

Should I add some Epsom salt to her bath?

No you don't want her to drink ES is is also a laxative.

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK so a Friend of mine got some white crested ducklings on Wednesday and she said today they have been sneezing a lot. Is that something to be concerned about?

Maybe and maybe not, any other symptoms like discharge from eye or nares? not eating? ask her to put some Apple Cider vinegar in their water bowls, 1-2 Tab to 1 gal of water, and make sure she is using something deep enough that they can wash out their eyes and nares with.

 

[DuckDodgers]

I think they are eating regularly, as of discharge I am not sure. They can wash their eyes and face. So 1-2 Tablespoons to a gal of water? I will go over and take a look at them to see about the discharge and report back later.

 

[DuckDodgers]

Just went over. They are eating, acting, pooping normally. No discharge from the eyes or nares. They did have the window next to the brooder open. I suggested they close it as that was probably the cause of the sneezing ( dust and pollen coming from outside).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just went over. They are eating, acting, pooping normally. No discharge from the eyes or nares. They did have the window next to the brooder open. I suggested they close it as that was probably the cause of the sneezing ( dust and pollen coming from outside).

So they are young ducklings? they dif don't want them to be in a draft.

 

[Starfire669]

No you don't want her to drink ES is is also a laxative. 

So Ebony was soaked in warm water 5 times today. We did 10-15 minutes in Epsom salt, then 10-15 minutes in just water. She did not drink any of the ES water. She finally passed the egg, but it looked damaged. She is still limping, and holding her tail to the side, but the limp at least don't seem as bad.

Howard is gone, I packed him off to my sisters before I did something I might later regret. I sent Loudmouth the female duck that thinks he is the handsomest drake ever, with him as my sister don't have any ducks, just 2 geese and some chickens. If they don't work out there, both come back to me. This gives me time to cool off, get Ebony fixed up, and see if my friend is still interested. His ducks are all younger and Howard could injure them the same way he injured Ebony.

 

[Ren2014]

My baby girl Ebony is injured. I went inside to grab my cup of coffee, was gone maybe 3 minutes. When I got back Howard had Ebony pinned in a patch of gravel. She was trying to escape, I ran Howard off and Enony is limping badly. Checked her feet and she has small cuts on the bottom. I already soaked her in some Epsom salt. What else can I do for her?

Howard is in drake jail. He stays there until either my friend can pick him up or we put him down for dinner. Which ever happens first. I can't stand to even look at Howard right now.

O no, sorry to hear this. I was thinking of Howard today as I was putting all of our drakes in drake jail. Will be thinking of Ebony and prayers for quick recovery.

They can be so rough on the girls and her being so much lighter in weight. Soak again today and keep her from doing alot of running around. I have a duck in a small pen I made by using a dog xpen she wasn't able to walk yesterday so she is in hospital pen.Hopefully with a few days of rest Ebony will be up and running around again.

x2

Quote:

So Ebony was soaked in warm water 5 times today. We did 10-15 minutes in Epsom salt, then 10-15 minutes in just water. She did not drink any of the ES water. She finally passed the egg, but it looked damaged. She is still limping, and holding her tail to the side, but the limp at least don't seem as bad.

Howard is gone, I packed him off to my sisters before I did something I might later regret. I sent Loudmouth the female duck that thinks he is the handsomest drake ever, with him as my sister don't have any ducks, just 2 geese and some chickens. If they don't work out there, both come back to me. This gives me time to cool off, get Ebony fixed up, and see if my friend is still interested. His ducks are all younger and Howard could injure them the same way he injured Ebony.

Happy to hear she passed the egg and the limp is improving. THRILLED to hear Howard is gone

I hope he does well at your sister's.

 

[Ren2014]

Quote:

Just went over. They are eating, acting, pooping normally. No discharge from the eyes or nares. They did have the window next to the brooder open. I suggested they close it as that was probably the cause of the sneezing ( dust and pollen coming from outside).

What do they have in the floor of the brooder? Pine shavings, sand?

So they are young ducklings? they dif don't want them to be in a draft.

x2

 

[Starfire669]

O no, sorry to hear this.  I was thinking of Howard today as I was putting all of our drakes in drake jail.  Will be thinking of Ebony and prayers for quick recovery.

x2

Quote:
Happy to hear she passed the egg and the limp is improving. THRILLED to hear Howard is gone   I hope he does well at your sister's.

This has surprised the heck out of me. When we got Howard about 10 days ago he was just starting to learn his business and the female ducks would push him off. He got his drake feather a week before we got them. Cam drakes really mature this fast?
Also, he was the Only drake here, why would he force mate ducks if no compition and he had 2 ducks inviting him to mount the,?

 

[Ren2014]

Does anyone have just hens, no drakes? I know it's just nature and y'all are prolly tired of me mentioning it but this duck mating stuff is killing me. When I first separated the sexes, girls were jumping on top of girls. Will this continue if I get rid of all of the boys?? I've been putting them back together here and there but no more as of today!

All drakes are in drake jail until I can find them new homes. The girls and I will be wearing purple (Blu-kote) for awhile now

Things I have learned in my 6 short months (11 ducklings in Dec. and 3 in April) of being a duck owner that I would do differently:

1. Ducks have no bowel control. I had heard ducks poop a lot. Had I been told they can not control their bowels I would have thought twice about getting 11 ducks to start.
2. Hen to drake ratio is of the utmost importance. Never again will I buy un-sexed ducks. I will gladly pay the extra money next time.
3. Ducklings grow VERY FAST
   
   ... 11 cute baby ducks that can't control their bowels in a brooder inside my house; I should of had the duck house ready to go MUCH sooner.
4. You can lead a duck to water but you can't make it swim. Well, I should clarify this and say... you can lead a duck to a stock tank/pond but you can't make it stay. This was our plan... grow 'em up and move them to our stock tank that is just across the fence
   
   Should have moved them from the brooder to the tank. They like our comfy back yard much better.
5. Ducks can scratch and claw you to near death at 20 weeks old. Already working on this one with the 3 KC's. Hope to have them snuggling very soon.
6. DO NOT get Blu-kote on skin. Thank goodness purple is my favorite color