The Quack Shack

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Nice broadleaf plantain ...

The ducks love the tiny leaves. I tried it as directed and it is not my taste. The duck-yard is full of these plants and also the small-leaved variant.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Compare this with the relaxed posture of Buffzilla Duck:

No smoke over her nostrils, relaxed posture and her tails is neatly folded. Today she actually allowed me to touch her and give her chest rubs - after biting down on my other hand. And the ducklings are less and less afraid of me too.​

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Thanks for dropping in @shawluvsbirds .

This is what we're doing:

- vitamin concentrate in water (a broad set of vit's / minerals; let's say this is something like "rooster booster" in the USA)
- main food is peas (bcs she prefers them and can eat a lot; also some corn)
- sprinkled with yeast (B complex) and finely ground eggshells (calcium)
- kept in a dog crate inside the duck house overnight for safety
- kept in a very large dog crate most of the day so that we're sure she's eating and drinking and how much (the other ducks gravitate towards her although they also do long-range trips around the property)
- let out of that crate for an hour or two to try and get some exercise (running to catch up with the group when it moves).

Most of the above has been going on for the last week and a half.

The little duck has grown overall and its large feathers are growing. But no real progress yet about walking. Can run for 15 ft, then gets into the hunchback pose as seen in the video, staggers for 2 more steps and drops, then needs to rest for a moment before it can be raised to move again.

Mostly she just sits in one place when out of the crate unless the flock is on the move. Picks half-heartedly at grass, doesn't approach food or water basins. Is then transferred back to the crate where she eats and drinks just fine.

One explanation would be that she was bullied heavily by stronger ducks in her original home so she's just super passive when in a group - although she does want to be a part of it; runs to join them, calls to them when they move away, etc.

The 5 older ducks attacked her when we first brought her home. They pestered the 2 (somewhat older) ducks that came with her as well but not by far to the same degree. Now they don't anymore but maybe that was just one bad experience too many.

Our next move will be what @WannaBeHillBilly suggested - we seem to be thinking along similar lines: water based exercise, ie. we'll fill a grape picking tub with water high enough so that she has to paddle and just drop her in (while standing by of course).

Sounds like your doing everything you can!
All you can really do is wait and see.
Or pay a vet bill.

 

[Canadian Wind]

@Canadian Wind - Here is the reason why i don't dare to touch Violeta Duck's duckling:

Do you see that tiny cloud of smoke over her nostrils? Come a little closer and you will get fifth degree burns…

A wider angle picture shows that the dragon's tail is spreaded out which is a sure sign that she is ready and willing to attack, smoke still lingering over her nostrils…​

I also see the red laser eyes charging up! Good idea, stay away!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Update on crazy broody ducks:
The Black Swedish has left her nest sometimes this afternoon. I left the one egg in there, maybe she decides to sit after she has laid another one this night.

Buffzilla is getting more and more tame, she is huffing and puffing an biting me, but more out of principle that really out of protecting her nest and offspring. I managed to "steal" six eggs from her clutch. They were forgotten under the wet straw close by the duckling pool. Candled all of them, saw blood vessels and pulse, so i marked them and placed them into the CCI. Some seem very close to hatching already.

Violeta Dragon Duck: Still just one duckling out and there's no way of candling any eggs without being mortally wounded. I manage to gain some trust by distributing cat-food and water. First she attacked the cat food container viciously, then emptied it in ten seconds. When i came back with another scoop , she huffed but did not attacked then gobbled don another load while her duckling was sitting in the nest. The nest on the ground has its disadvantages, i won't be able to leave food or water for the duckling out over night and i assume by tomorrow the little one will be very hungry and thirsty. Time will tell…

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

They are in the house about 9 pm to 6 am and half of one side of the house is a full height chicken wire door which lets in the light fully and is south-east oriented. Also some vent openings in the corners but those are small.

My eyesight is not really olympic but the eggs should be large and white, I think I should be able to notice ... or maybe one of these days there will be somebody visiting and go oooh what's with all the eggs

The underside of the house is blocked with a wire mesh; there are some semi-hidden spaces in the bushes inside the orchard so I'll take a closer look just in case.

They will also bury them in the bedding.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

They will also bury them in the bedding.

Oh yes, they do! - Sometimes i find them when cleaning out the duck-house after months and when they break…

 

[Supercow]

First impressions from duck physiotherapy, ie. dropping Junior in a large tub of water.

It went well. She was torn between trying to escape the unfamiliar environment and doing the regular duck things when there's water - dunking her head by herself (finally), fluffing her feathers, paddling well. We'll definitely do this again.

 

[Supercow]

This is the second session.

What we liked best was that I had a hard time catching her to put her in the tub. Until now it was a given that she would run for a while and flop down; this time around she was unusually persistent and even when exhausted she would quickly get up and continue running.

So I guess things are going in the right direction.

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

She looks so much better.