Relatively new to duck keeping, started our flock with 5 Khaki Campbell ladies and one drake. Recently within the last two months, added 2 Muscovy ladies as we were hoping they would sit and we would get some babies! Within the last two days, one of our Muscovy's has began to sit on the nest, leaving only a couple times a day to do her business.
The other Muscovy has begun to act SO weird, we noticed two days ago that she laid her first egg! It was small and had a bit of blood on it. She spent the entire day yesterday preening in the pen, especially around her vent area. Whenever I checked on them, she was preening. Occasionally she would itch, so I began to think maybe some sort of bug was bothering her. Her feathers look ruffled and she looks quite bedraggled, almost greasy. This morning when I let them out of the coop, she came right out, had something to drink and foraged around a bit. I went out again to check on her, and she was laying in the coop, sort of on her side in a very lethargic manner. Usually the Muscovy's won't let me catch them, and will try their best to get away. When I picked her up and inspected her, she looked fine! I couldn't see anything wrong with her and she was feisty and trying to get away from me. When I released her, she couldn't stand up right, and her wings wouldn't open up all the way. She slunk into the corner and laid down again. I went into the shed and prepared a dog crate to keep her in while I tried to figure out what was wrong, when I returned to get her, she was back in the yard drinking and foraging again. She still looks pretty haggard, but is walking fine.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY DUCK! I'm sort of thinking it might have to do with her laying? She seems sort of confused on why her best buddy is always in the coop, as they usually stick side by side. Help!
The other Muscovy has begun to act SO weird, we noticed two days ago that she laid her first egg! It was small and had a bit of blood on it. She spent the entire day yesterday preening in the pen, especially around her vent area. Whenever I checked on them, she was preening. Occasionally she would itch, so I began to think maybe some sort of bug was bothering her. Her feathers look ruffled and she looks quite bedraggled, almost greasy. This morning when I let them out of the coop, she came right out, had something to drink and foraged around a bit. I went out again to check on her, and she was laying in the coop, sort of on her side in a very lethargic manner. Usually the Muscovy's won't let me catch them, and will try their best to get away. When I picked her up and inspected her, she looked fine! I couldn't see anything wrong with her and she was feisty and trying to get away from me. When I released her, she couldn't stand up right, and her wings wouldn't open up all the way. She slunk into the corner and laid down again. I went into the shed and prepared a dog crate to keep her in while I tried to figure out what was wrong, when I returned to get her, she was back in the yard drinking and foraging again. She still looks pretty haggard, but is walking fine.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY DUCK! I'm sort of thinking it might have to do with her laying? She seems sort of confused on why her best buddy is always in the coop, as they usually stick side by side. Help!
