The Duck Thread

[Lynn Manes]

Well, cocktail is still alive! I post a pic after coffee.

Yeah Cocktail!! Congratulations to you both

 

[Lynn Manes]

Very pretty egg assortment

Nice. Do you eat the dove eggs too?

 

[Lacrystol]

So, just checked on Cocktail... No change what so ever... Tomorrow is her actual due date. She can't walk because yolk is in the way. But she's still going strong!

WAIT did I read that right, tomorrow is her due date, why the heck is she rushing out now. OH that girl.....

 

[Lacrystol]

No need to clean her, lets try to put some neosporin on and around it. This will keep it wet but also keep infections away, I don't see the belly button closing up so i don't see it going inside causing issue, make sure its not pain reliever..

I want to say its shrunk a little but can't say for sure. When you can sent a pic but try to have her legs apart so the main focus is on her sac..

Also since your right there, look all around it, look for any discoloration, any black spots, anything.. Right now inside that sac, I can see it changing to a lighter color, and that kind of worries me, I'm wondering if an infection is starting up and that's why no progress is being made.

I was hoping kathy would confirm to see if she see's it as well, This would be in internal infection, nothing your doing or causing.. She made need some antibotics but lets see what the next pic looks like.

if it is an internal infection, it's not progressing very fast, quite slow actually so perhaps we can stop it with the correct dose..

 

[WVduckchick]

LOL, I asked, no I have never eaten a frog leg, I'm not sure if I could bring myself to do it to tell the truth..

Just found some frozen frog legs in the back of my freezer. They got hidden under other stuff and were too freezer burned. Hated to throw them away, but scared to eat them. They are sooo good. Can't believe they got shoved to the back and I forgot about them!

 

[TheDrake]

So many questions about my ducklings... This is my first time, I got them when they were 4 weeks old and now they are 5 weeks old, so yeah it's been a week. I went from keeping them in a big plastic container with hay on the bottom and their food and water in to lining the outdoor cement bottom tin top kennel with chicken wire from top to bottom and letting them in there during the day and putting them back in the container at night. To letting them stay in the kennel all day and night. Keep in mind I have their plastic container sideways on the ground with hay in it and a plastic dog crate with hay in it and their food and water feeder and a plastic tub of water they can easily get in and out of for bath and swim time... But I take the bath and swim time water away at night because I'm a worry wart.
They like me and they do not avoid me but they don't like to be picked up. I what to have a good relationship with them so that when they grow up they are friendly, and I would like for them to eat out of my hand. So far they aren't that into snacks. I've been reading about safe snacks for ducklings. They didn't care about the clover I put in their water (they picked it out and dropped it) or the scrambled eggs they didn't touch at all... The thing they seed to like the most was sweet peas but they only picked at them a little, but i boiled them I didn't just thaw them and I didn't mash them up, so I'm going to try that next.
I still don't know if I have boys or girls because they are still peeping. So I can't name them yet
If I have more than one drake will one end up running off the other? When they get fully feathered and can fly I will let them outside the kennel where they can forage and go in the pond.
Will a brother mate a sister and if so is that ok?
And when they are adults should I try to get them in the kennel at night or will they be okay because they could fly away from predators?
Thanks for listening and thanks for any input
~Jasper

 

[casportpony]

No need to clean her, lets try to put some neosporin on and around it.  This will keep it wet but also keep infections away, I don't see the belly button closing up so i don't see it going inside causing issue, make sure its not pain reliever..

I want to say its shrunk a little but can't say for sure.  When you can sent a pic but try to have her legs apart so the main focus is on her sac..

Also since your right there, look all around it, look for any discoloration, any black spots, anything..  Right now inside that sac, I can see it changing to a lighter color, and that kind of worries me, I'm wondering if an infection is starting up and that's why no progress is being made.  

I was hoping kathy would confirm to see if she see's it as well, This would be in internal infection, nothing your doing or causing..  She made need some antibotics but lets see what the next pic looks like.

if it is an internal infection, it's not progressing very fast, quite slow actually so perhaps we can stop it with the correct dose..  

Yeah, I saw the discoloration, but didn't want to be the "buzz kill". Yolk sac infections can be very hard to treat even with something like Baytril. Has it pooped yet? Will it drink?

Important to remember that it should only have fluids until it poops.

-Kathy

 

[Lacrystol]

So many questions about my ducklings... This is my first time, I got them when they were 4 weeks old and now they are 5 weeks old, so yeah it's been a week. I went from keeping them in a big plastic container with hay on the bottom and their food and water in to lining the outdoor cement bottom tin top kennel with chicken wire from top to bottom and letting them in there during the day and putting them back in the container at night. To letting them stay in the kennel all day and night. Keep in mind I have their plastic container sideways on the ground with hay in it and a plastic dog crate with hay in it and their food and water feeder and a plastic tub of water they can easily get in and out of for bath and swim time... But I take the bath and swim time water away at night because I'm a worry wart.
They like me and they do not avoid me but they don't like to be picked up. I what to have a good relationship with them so that when they grow up they are friendly, and I would like for them to eat out of my hand. So far they aren't that into snacks. I've been reading about safe snacks for ducklings. They didn't care about the clover I put in their water (they picked it out and dropped it) or the scrambled eggs they didn't touch at all... The thing they seed to like the most was sweet peas but they only picked at them a little, but i boiled them I didn't just thaw them and I didn't mash them up, so I'm going to try that next.
I still don't know if I have boys or girls because they are still peeping. So I can't name them yet

If I have more than one drake will one end up running off the other? When they get fully feathered and can fly I will let them outside the kennel where they can forage and go in the pond.
Will a brother mate a sister and if so is that ok?
And when they are adults should I try to get them in the kennel at night or will they be okay because they could fly away from predators?
Thanks for listening and thanks for any input
~Jasper

Lots of insite, OK, ducks do like to be in groups, the only time I have seen one away from the group is a newcomer, not so much babies, I mean picking up a duck else where and having him join the group. Usually this doesnt go well because the current ones have already teamed up with mates and have there own groups so when a new commer shows up, the competition is on. So with you it sounds like you have a group of 5 weeks old. They usually stay in there own groups until MATING time, OH BOY, then you'll get a horn dog male leaving his group to go get THAT girl. and that's when they Tag team that female.. but for the most part they stay in there little groups.

As far as liking you, LOL, well peas is probably the best thing, understand once they are outside, IT's an ALLL new ball game, it's time for them to be adults and no longer need you. This is a good thing...

You always want to secure them at night even if they can fly. I had a fox come into the yard last year, grab my duck by the neck and Off he goes with my duck. Once we noticed and HEARED because my ducks are trained I guess you can say, to FLY up to the house when there's danger... Then we know there's a PROBLEM.. but Immediately we run out and chase after him, he would let go because the foxes here aren't very big and they have a very hard time running with a duck in there mouths. The duck is fine, no harm done to him but there's an example of even though they can fly, you should STILL take pre-cautions..

 

[Lacrystol]

Yeah, I saw the discoloration, but didn't want to be the "buzz kill". Yolk sac infections can be very hard to treat even with something like Baytril. Has it pooped yet? Will it drink?

Important to remember that it should only have fluids until it poops.

-Kathy

Yeh, I wanted her to hold off on giving her anything for at least 24 to see if the sac shrinks up or absorbs, But now we are past that. I'm thinking the same thing, we may have an infection going on, would make since seeing how it's not making any improvements as far as shrinking up or absorbing...

No pooping yet and I'm not sure about the eating and drinking yet. can't walk but that doesn't surprised yet..

 

[TheDrake]

Lacrystol I'm just worried that when they are independent adults they won't get in the kennel at night. If they will, then be sure that I will lock them up tight!!! Where I am is not attached to any woods and I have not seen any foxes or coyotes, better hope I don't either because I have a gun with their name on it

I love all animals but I need to protect my ducks... They are my babies.