The Duck Thread

[caesargirl]

When I get some close ups, we can all play name that breed!!

 

[City farm]

Thank you! His crop feels normal once you feel it, looks big when he is crouched down. I brought him in. His poop is watery, light green with some dark ones intermittently. He is fussy for his food, and backs away from his food with his head down in a weird way? Left him, he was preening himself..... thank you so much for your replies...I put Probiotics and electrolytes on his.water, minced garlic with the peas and corn I left him..... Will add molasses to his water.

How's your guy doing? Any changes??

 

[City farm]

I was givin these two about a month ago when they were found alone near a river. They are definitely domestic, any ideas on what breed they are? Hens or drakes?

They look like chocolate Muscovy's.. You'll love them they are the quietest duck breed..our still make some noise, soft chirps .. If you have a drake he will have more of a hoarse noise.. Will they eat out of your hand? Well, if you don't have duck's already and you decide to keep them you just became one blessed family.. Duck egg's are exquisite, better than our chicken egg's..your rooster did not bother them?? They are beautiful..

 

[cawtlc]

Quote:

He passed away yesterday. I left him with electrolytes and probiotics in his water, some meal worms, chopped lettuce and crumbled food...... I noticed before I left he would eat/drink, then seem uncomfortable, backing away from his food with his head low. Is it possible he had something stuck? his crop wasn't full. no foul smells, but he did have lime green poop, watery, with some very dark specs in it. I didn't autopsy him, but did ask my vets office last night when i stopped to pick up some medicine for a kitty and the vet that could do the necropsy was away at a seminar. They said probably bacterial, seeing how not everyone was sick (and i hope that stays that way!), no sneezing, no coughing - but maybe the play time in the rainstorm was too much (my horse paddock, though clean, filled up where the poop is cleaned up, and it created algae later that day - after they played in it, so i imagine it was there to begin with). Perhaps that made him ill? I'm so worried now. I don't coddle my chicks/ducks, but I do take good care of them. I had his sister die at 2 weeks old, and now he's gone. The other two i purchased elsewhere, hopefully they are OK. I'd love any suggestions. I've had chickens forever, had two die over the winter suddenly. I've never had ducks until these, and the first two die. Building a new coop that is to die for and bigger, we do a lot to make sure they're all happy and healthy, but feel like a mama-duck failure. @City farm

 

[caesargirl]

@cawtlcnot a momma duck failure! You did what you could and still tried after. I'm sorry for your loss. Is it possible to preserve a fecal sample for your vet to test? And to help prevent bacteria, in their drinking buckets ACV is a huge help. All my ducks have tubs and a pond to do duck stuff in but I do provide extra buckets to drink out of. They can only get their heads into the holes on the sides (5gallon pails with lids) I add ACV and they do search out the freshest water for drinking, when offered.

 

[Ducky1324]

Ok so is there anyway to get the ducks like tags so if the fly away and someone finds them they can bring them back???

 

[cawtlc]

@cawtlc not a momma duck failure! You did what you could and still tried after. I'm sorry for your loss. Is it possible to preserve a fecal sample for your vet to test? And to help prevent bacteria, in their drinking buckets ACV is a huge help. All my ducks have tubs and a pond to do duck stuff in but I do provide extra buckets to drink out of. They can only get their heads into the holes on the sides (5gallon pails with lids) I add ACV and they do search out the freshest water for drinking, when offered.

Thank you. I feel so sad. He was such an outgoing fella for a Khaki! I could, the poop is absorbed in to a newspaper, think that'll still be ok? It was so wet.... I put Braggs ACV in a plastic bowl, they don't get in that bowl, but they do mix food & water in it. I saw a DIY bucket as you describe above - sure would keep things dryer! We were going to add that to the new coop (which is going to be bigger). They only have a pool to swim in when I let them free range, as the old chicken coop isn't set up well enough for me to access it and clean that easily. I went in to it yesterday and had to crawl thru the chicken door! lol but I wanted to clean the pen more thoroughly since Hughes passed away (he was in my house, i put him in a big dog crate for the night).

 

[caesargirl]

Thank you. I feel so sad. He was such an outgoing fella for a Khaki!  I could, the poop is absorbed in to a newspaper, think that'll still be ok? It was so wet....  I put Braggs ACV in a plastic bowl, they don't get in that bowl, but they do mix food & water in it. I saw a DIY bucket as you describe above - sure would keep things dryer! We were going to add that to the new coop (which is going to be bigger). They only have a pool to swim in when I let them free range, as the old chicken coop isn't set up well enough for me to access it and clean that easily. I went in to it yesterday and had to crawl thru the chicken door! lol but I wanted to clean the pen more thoroughly since Hughes passed away (he was in my house, i put him in a big dog crate for the night). 

I've lost pets before, always a kick to the gut. I'd try the sample anyway... You might get an answer. Worst comes to worse, vet says it's not useable. We use 5 gallon buckets with screw top lids and just cut 4 holes around the sides about halfway up. Used some sandpaper to buff the edges and voilà! Especially great in the winter, keeps the duck house from being a huge frozen poop soup skating rink!

 

[Ducky1324]

Can you put ducks and baby chickens together or no cause I have ducks and I wants some chickens.?.?.

 

[cawtlc]

I've lost pets before, always a kick to the gut. I'd try the sample anyway... You might get an answer. Worst comes to worse, vet says it's not useable. We use 5 gallon buckets with screw top lids and just cut 4 holes around the sides about halfway up. Used some sandpaper to buff the edges and voilà! Especially great in the winter, keeps the duck house from being a huge frozen poop soup skating rink!

I just noticed that you live in Unity Maine and I live in Unity NH!