The Duck Thread

[ducklover31]

I don't know what's wrong with my Muscovy duck the past year I would let her out of the coop in the morning and she would run straight for the food tray and start eating but yesterday and today when I let her out she would run straight for the food tray look at it then walk away she nibbled at it a few times. All I see her do the past 2 days is eat acorns (she's never done that before) and nibble in puddles so earlier I got some bread and broke it up and put it in the ground she will run straight to it and start eating the bread so I made a bread trail to the food tray and when she got there she looked at the piece of bread in the food tray and walked away. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

 

[hennible]

Ok I'm going to post and then go double check my information but I didn't think we're supposed to feed ducks bread... I have no idea and no experience but just throwing this out there does she have enough access to grit?

 

[Darnbunnies]

I don't know what's wrong with my Muscovy duck the past year I would let her out of the coop in the morning and she would run straight for the food tray and start eating but yesterday and today when I let her out she would run straight for the food tray look at it then walk away she nibbled at it a few times. All I see her do the past 2 days is eat acorns (she's never done that before) and nibble in puddles so earlier I got some bread and broke it up and put it in the ground she will run straight to it and start eating the bread so I made a bread trail to the food tray and when she got there she looked at the piece of bread in the food tray and walked away. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Sounds like her behavior is upsetting you. Does she appear to be loosing weight? Are you sure she is not finding goodies in the yard. Bugs, grasses and flowers are starting to appear here.

Have you tried offering her some hard boiled eggs smashed along with their shells? A small amount of cracked corn or scratch might get her attention. Or, if you can stand it, let her regulate herself. When she gets hungry she will eat.

Any way you decide to go I would recommend not feeding her bread. You'll find lots of warning about feeding bread to poultry. Let us know how it goes. -DB

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't know what's wrong with my Muscovy duck the past year I would let her out of the coop in the morning and she would run straight for the food tray and start eating but yesterday and today when I let her out she would run straight for the food tray look at it then walk away she nibbled at it a few times. All I see her do the past 2 days is eat acorns (she's never done that before) and nibble in puddles so earlier I got some bread and broke it up and put it in the ground she will run straight to it and start eating the bread so I made a bread trail to the food tray and when she got there she looked at the piece of bread in the food tray and walked away. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

I would imagine acorns would be hard to grind up have you felt her chest area does it feel hard or unusually large? and yes grit is very important.

 

[Darnbunnies]

I would imagine acorns would be hard to grind up have you felt her chest area does it feel hard or unusually large? and yes grit is very important.

Good point Miss Lydia, Perhaps she should be kept in her coop with her food and water until the area is swept clean of the acorns. That way with only her good food and water available she will have no other choices and Ducklover31 will be able to determine if she is eating or not. -DB

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good point Miss Lydia, Perhaps she should be kept in her coop with her food and water until the area is swept clean of the acorns. That way with only her good food and water available she will have no other choices and Ducklover31 will be able to determine if she is eating or not. -DB

I think that would be a good idea. DB

 

[BantamFan4Life]

The far right one "the yellow" is the pekin. the duck on the far right, and the duck beside the pikin are what i believe to be khaki cambells, and the two light brown/ tan ducks in the middle are the mystery ducks.

Cute!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Cute!!

got ducks?

 

[BantamFan4Life]

got ducks?

I wish! But I don't think I'll be getting some any time soon. The problem is, we already get too many eggs, which is, besides meat, the only purpose for ducks (not including companionship, which, I don't think ducks are like chickens in that way).

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wish! But I don't think I'll be getting some any time soon. The problem is, we already get too many eggs, which is, besides meat, the only purpose for ducks (not including companionship, which, I don't think ducks are like chickens in that way).

Meat is not The only reason for having ducks they are wonderful pets and companions I have never eaten one of my ducks and most on this thread have them for the pure enjoyment of having them. I'm not knocking someone who raises them for meat if that's their choice, but Ducks are wonderful addition to the back yard flock. Don't get me wrong I really like my chickens too but they don't have the personality that water fowl have.