UK Member Please Say HI

[Gge23]

Hello everyone! How are we all?
It's been a horrible dreary day over here in Ilkley, fog and drizzle all day :/ been very miserable.
Does anyone know anything about ducks? One of my Aylesbury ladies seems very down at the minute. She has never been the most social of ducks, goes off on her own a lot, but always goes back to the group after a while. However today I went out to feed them their afternoon snack and she was all in her own, not coming over for any corn, and covered in mud. I noticed her back end was a little bloody as well as muddy, so I figured that the newly sexually active drakes must've been a bit rough with her. I brought her in and drew her a bath to wash her off, at which point a lot of mud came off her, and she did a few bloody poops. I drained the water and drew her some clean and she seemed to enjoy washing herself off, there was water flying everywhere! She seemed to perk up so I dried her off, checked out her vent to see if there was anything untoward and there wasn't, so put her back outside. I've just been to put them away and she was in her own again away from the others, I opened the door to their coop to chase them in and she seemed very slow, couldn't keep up with the others, and instead of jumping in like usual, she just belly flopped onto the floor and just let her legs hang there for a bit. Seemed like she was having trouble pulling herself up and in, perhaps she is just a bit achy? I just wondered if maybe I'm missing something? As I say, there was nothing wrong around her vent, and she didn't seem to be bleeding from anywhere else, but her sluggishness and slow waddling have just thrown me off a bit. Should I be worried? There couldn't be anything happening that I can't see could there, like problems laying? Because there is usually one egg on a morning when I let them out, but there was nothing this morning, and then this happened.

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hello everyone! How are we all?
It's been a horrible dreary day over here in Ilkley, fog and drizzle all day :/ been very miserable.
Does anyone know anything about ducks? One of my Aylesbury ladies seems very down at the minute. She has never been the most social of ducks, goes off on her own a lot, but always goes back to the group after a while. However today I went out to feed them their afternoon snack and she was all in her own, not coming over for any corn, and covered in mud. I noticed her back end was a little bloody as well as muddy, so I figured that the newly sexually active drakes must've been a bit rough with her. I brought her in and drew her a bath to wash her off, at which point a lot of mud came off her, and she did a few bloody poops. I drained the water and drew her some clean and she seemed to enjoy washing herself off, there was water flying everywhere! She seemed to perk up so I dried her off, checked out her vent to see if there was anything untoward and there wasn't, so put her back outside. I've just been to put them away and she was in her own again away from the others, I opened the door to their coop to chase them in and she seemed very slow, couldn't keep up with the others, and instead of jumping in like usual, she just belly flopped onto the floor and just let her legs hang there for a bit. Seemed like she was having trouble pulling herself up and in, perhaps she is just a bit achy? I just wondered if maybe I'm missing something? As I say, there was nothing wrong around her vent, and she didn't seem to be bleeding from anywhere else, but her sluggishness and slow waddling have just thrown me off a bit. Should I be worried? There couldn't be anything happening that I can't see could there, like problems laying? Because there is usually one egg on a morning when I let them out, but there was nothing this morning, and then this happened.

Hiyah @Gge23 How many drakes to ducks do you have? Those boys can get ultra frisky. I have 3 ducks and 2 drakes and sometimes I have to separate them as the lads get too amorous. My Khaki campbell duck went a bit "off" a few weeks back and stopped laying for a few days (though the other 2 carried on as per usual).... I shut the boys off from the girls for a week and her normal service resumed. They're all back together now but my one Swedish drake has a recurring leg problem which has been aggravated by all the mud so he's not up to much....so only the 1 boy is mating and all seems calm. I'd maybe suggest (if you can) giving her a rest from the drake(s) and seeing how she is after a few days. At least you could eliminate drake issues if she doesn't change.

Sasha xx

 

[Gge23]

Hiyah @Gge23 How many drakes to ducks do you have? Those boys can get ultra frisky. I have 3 ducks and 2 drakes and sometimes I have to separate them as the lads get too amorous. My Khaki campbell duck went a bit "off" a few weeks back and stopped laying for a few days (though the other 2 carried on as per usual).... I shut the boys off from the girls for a week and her normal service resumed. They're all back together now but my one Swedish drake has a recurring leg problem which has been aggravated by all the mud so he's not up to much....so only the 1 boy is mating and all seems calm. I'd maybe suggest (if you can) giving her a rest from the drake(s) and seeing how she is after a few days. At least you could eliminate drake issues if she doesn't change.

Sasha xx

Hi Sasha

I have two drakes to four ducks. As I say they've only just reached sexual maturity, so I'm hoping it's just because of that and they'll calm down soon enough, that or because it's coming up to spring and they're going into overdrive. I think she is the only one laying as well, the other Aylesbury hasn't started again yet, and the two Welsh harlequins are last years hatchlings, so I'm expecting them to be a little longer. I'll probably see how she is in the morning, if she wants to come out or not. The only problem I have is I don't have anywhere to separate them, otherwise I would keep the boys away for a while :/

 

[Rudies Roost]

Hi Sasha

I have two drakes to four ducks. As I say they've only just reached sexual maturity, so I'm hoping it's just because of that and they'll calm down soon enough, that or because it's coming up to spring and they're going into overdrive. I think she is the only one laying as well, the other Aylesbury hasn't started again yet, and the two Welsh harlequins are last years hatchlings, so I'm expecting them to be a little longer. I'll probably see how she is in the morning, if she wants to come out or not. The only problem I have is I don't have anywhere to separate them, otherwise I would keep the boys away for a while :/

Ratio sounds ok (better rhan mine!).....I just use a roll of chicken wire with some stakes. I find my 2 boys dont need much space...as long as they have a bowl of food and a bath, they don't seem to mind being holed up together. I too only have 1 duck laying (aforementioned Khaki) I'm waiting for the other 2 to come back in to lay but the separation really helped her. Maybe just see how she goes...is she eating ok? My lot are on lockdown due to the bird flu and I do think that they are genuinely bored so maybe she's a bit down? I would check for an egg bind if nothing tomorrow though xx

 

[Gge23]

Ratio sounds ok (better rhan mine!).....I just use a roll of chicken wire with some stakes. I find my 2 boys dont need much space...as long as they have a bowl of food and a bath, they don't seem to mind being holed up together. I too only have 1 duck laying (aforementioned Khaki) I'm waiting for the other 2 to come back in to lay but the separation really helped her. Maybe just see how she goes...is she eating ok? My lot are on lockdown due to the bird flu and I do think that they are genuinely bored so maybe she's a bit down? I would check for an egg bind if nothing tomorrow though xx

How would i find out if she is having problems laying then? As I say I looked at her vent after I washed her and nothing seemed to look out of place, so I'm hoping she isn't having any internal problems.
I will see how she is in the morning then and perhaps think about finding a way to separate the boys. I have decided to sell a pair at the next sale at Skipton but that isn't until March, so it's not long to keep them separated

 

[Gge23]

I haven't seen her eat anything today really, as I mentioned she wasn't bothered when I went to take them their afternoon corn, she would normally come charging over and shove her face in it. Probably just feeling sorry for herself, I hope

 

[Rudies Roost]

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How would i find out if she is having problems laying then? As I say I looked at her vent after I washed her and nothing seemed to look out of place, so I'm hoping she isn't having any internal problems.
I will see how she is in the morning then and perhaps think about finding a way to separate the boys. I have decided to sell a pair at the next sale at Skipton but that isn't until March, so it's not long to keep them separated

To be honest, I'm no expert, and the ducks don't ever seem to get poorly (apart from my boy with his twice broken leg....the miney we've spent on him is scandalous!) but if she is a regular daily layer and it ceases, I'd get her to a vet to check it out. I know that's not always a viable, financial option but I get too worried! I believe that you can feel if an egg is "bound" but I've never been successful as i don't really know what I'm feeling for...@Yorkshirecoop or @rebrascora may be better coaches on that..I've lost a chuck to it but not a duck. Hopefully she will perk up but if mine didn't come for their afternoon corn, I'd be a tad concerned but then mine are greedy "b's"....keep me informed xx

 

[Gge23]

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To be honest, I'm no expert, and the ducks don't ever seem to get poorly (apart from my boy with his twice broken leg....the miney we've spent on him is scandalous!) but if she is a regular daily layer and it ceases, I'd get her to a vet to check it out. I know that's not always a viable, financial option but I get too worried! I believe that you can feel if an egg is "bound" but I've never been successful as i don't really know what I'm feeling for...@Yorkshirecoop or @rebrascora may be better coaches on that..I've lost a chuck to it but not a duck. Hopefully she will perk up but if mine didn't come for their afternoon corn, I'd be a tad concerned but then mine are greedy "b's"....keep me informed xx

Thanks Sasha,
You've been a great help and honestly made me feel a lot better about the whole situation! I will assess her in the morning and see how she is. Of course I shall let you know!
Georgie x

 

[Rudies Roost]

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Thanks Sasha,
You've been a great help and honestly made me feel a lot better about the whole situation! I will assess her in the morning and see how she is. Of course I shall let you know!
Georgie x

You're welcome, sorry I'm not more help...I tend to bumble along with my chucks and ducks! Just a word of caution....I lost a duck 16 months ago that had ingested a nail - it perforated her stomach. I had a post mortem done as it was so sudden, she showed no signs other than a lack of appetite. I don't mean to scare you but the birds seems to show you nothing then it's too late. Please don't be alarmed, I've had other birds go off and they're fine the next day. Fingers crossed for you both

 

[Gge23]

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You're welcome, sorry I'm not more help...I tend to bumble along with my chucks and ducks! Just a word of caution....I lost a duck 16 months ago that had ingested a nail - it perforated her stomach. I had a post mortem done as it was so sudden, she showed no signs other than a lack of appetite. I don't mean to scare you but the birds seems to show you nothing then it's too late. Please don't be alarmed, I've had other birds go off and they're fine the next day. Fingers crossed for you both

Well with the big that my chicken/duck coop has turned into she could've found and eaten anything down there! I most certainly hope she hasn't, but we shall see. Just wish it would hurry up and warm up so that the ground hardens, my poor chickens keeps sinking!