# Muscovy drake not doing well.



## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

Hey, I’ve got a brown bar Muscovy drake and he’s not looking so good. His face is dark and he keeps laying down. I don’t know what’s up... 
I got him last September, but only had him for 3 day and he flew away for 8 months, then we caught him. I don’t know if he’s depressed because he’s caught or what. He was fine for the time I’ve had him back, but just started doing looking/acting like this. There 6 ladies for him here and he’s been happy with them (as well as there another drake but he doesn’t seem to care). Any help greatly appreciated, thanks! 



-CaliFarmsAR


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

How hot is it where you are? Here in TN it is in the 90s and the big ducks are having a hard time coping with the heat.
Is there any other symptoms? Be sure to separate him from the hens until you know what you're dealing with.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

danathome said:


> How hot is it where you are? Here in TN it is in the 90s and the big ducks are having a hard time coping with the heat.
> Is there any other symptoms? Be sure to separate him from the hens until you know what you're dealing with.


It’s been 90s as well and all he really is doing is sitting down a lot and not moving. He also looks off in face color compared to my other drake. If I go to catch him he’ll run but falls over. Is that normal? This is my first time with Muscovies.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

CaliFarmsAR said:


> It’s been 90s as well and all he really is doing is sitting down a lot and not moving. He also looks off in face color compared to my other drake. If I go to catch him he’ll run but falls over. Is that normal? This is my first time with Muscovies.


_*I can't answer that. They can be clumsy, but you have to compare his movements of now with when he seemed OK. Is he panting or breathing loudly? Be sure he is in the shade with water close. If you can get him to somewhere cooler, that would help. Panting means he is too hot.*_


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

danathome said:


> _*I can't answer that. They can be clumsy, but you have to compare his movements of now with when he seemed OK. Is he panting or breathing loudly? Be sure he is in the shade with water close. If you can get him to somewhere cooler, that would help. Panting means he is too hot.*_


Ok. He is not breathing loudly or panting. Before he was acting off he would walk around, mess with the ladies, and is face was red and looked good. Now he sits, will move a little, doesn’t mess with the ladies much, and his face is dull.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

CaliFarmsAR said:


> Ok. He is not breathing loudly or panting. Before he was acting off he would walk around, mess with the ladies, and is face was red and looked good. Now he sits, will move a little, doesn’t mess with the ladies much, and his face is dull.


*There are numerous possibilities if it's disease. A veterinarian might be able to help. The best I can tell you is to separate him so others don't become ill. Provide a cooler place with food and water close. If he is still eating and drinking, that's a good sign. Vets are expensive I know, but it is the best choice; especially if you can find one used to dealing with birds. Good luck.*


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

danathome said:


> *There are numerous possibilities if it's disease. A veterinarian might be able to help. The best I can tell you is to separate him so others don't become ill. Provide a cooler place with food and water close. If he is still eating and drinking, that's a good sign. Vets are expensive I know, but it is the best choice; especially if you can find one used to dealing with birds. Good luck.*


Thank you!


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

*Ducks usually are pretty hardy. Supposedly this is a more common problem with ducks. Look it up and perhaps it will give you some idea what to do. I found this online.*

What do ducks eat? Just about anything. Ducks love to eat shiny things including spare change, screws, bolts, wire, staples or pieces of metal, which can lead to a duck disease called “hardware disease,” which isn’t really a duck disease at all but rather a type of poisoning. Signs of poisoning, whether it be from hardware disease, botulism, which is caused by bacteria found in stagnant water, or aspergillosis, which is caused by mold spores in wet feed or bedding, include lethargy, diarrhea, decreased appetite/weight, seizures, dehydration, vomiting, drooping wings, unsteadiness or difficulty walking. Toxins can work quickly, so while a visit to a vet is highly recommended in a suspected poisoning situation, feeding some molasses can help flush the toxin, as can charcoal pills, followed by lots of fresh, clean water, and of course removing the offending metal, dirty bedding or water or spoiled feed.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

To step into the middle of this discussion, pics are helpful when it comes to trying to come up with answers.

Have you seen his droppings?


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> To step into the middle of this discussion, pics are helpful when it comes to trying to come up with answers.
> 
> Have you seen his droppings?


I can get some pictures of him. No, I have not really.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Those can tell a story too. Compare his to other normal droppings of the others.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Those can tell a story too. Compare his to other normal droppings of the others.


They don’t look good. He’s over a year old and is 4lbs 10.3oz.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Pictures please, Muscovies are generally very hardy ducks.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

Poultry Judge said:


> Pictures please, Muscovies are generally very hardy ducks.


Yes I did know that thanks. Here’s his face.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

He doesn't look right but I don't know enough about their health challenges to offer any good ideas.

Are you certain he's eating and drinking?


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> He doesn't look right but I don't know enough about their health challenges to offer any good ideas.
> 
> Are you certain he's eating and drinking?


Yes, I am.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Any chance at all you can get a vet involved? I've found farm vets are pretty willing to see our feathered ones.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Any chance at all you can get a vet involved? I've found farm vets are pretty willing to see our feathered ones.


I maybe able to get him looked at, but I’m not paying to get him treated unfortunately.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm sorry that you can't have him treated. Especially after going to all of the trouble to get him back home again.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> I'm sorry that you can't have him treated. Especially after going to all of the trouble to get him back home again.


Thanks. Our vet is just to expensive.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No getting around it, they are. I spent quite a bit on vet bills with my birds but they were show silkies so the money spent was a bite the bullet thing.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> No getting around it, they are. I spent quite a bit on vet bills with my birds but they were show silkies so the money spent was a bite the bullet thing.


Wow. So you show silkies? I’ve wanted a silkie but I hear they can get/be dirty (not to offend you!).


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No offense at all.

I sold out ten years ago. It became too much work so I cut down to just the birds that were special to me. No more breeding what I kept.

They don't get anymore dirty than any other bird. That girl in my avatar loved to take mud baths. I was so shocked when I saw her after she did it the first time. The next morning she was sparkly white again. Goes to show, they know more than we think we do. From then on, when she saw a good mud puddle she was in it.

I think her face is stained in that pic because I gave them watermelon.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> No offense at all.
> 
> I sold out ten years ago. It became too much work so I cut down to just the birds that were special to me. No more breeding what I kept.
> 
> ...


Wow! So you used to show them?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

CaliFarmsAR said:


> Wow! So you used to show them?


Funny thing, no. I wasn't into showing. I didn't want to stress my birds or expose them to anything that might be out there. I was very involved in the Silkie world though and was an officer in our local poultry club. 

The girl in my avatar was having none of going anywhere. Just sitting her in my truck had her freaking out. Nope, no way was I doing that to my birds.


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## CaliFarmsAR (May 27, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Funny thing, no. I wasn't into showing. I didn't want to stress my birds or expose them to anything that might be out there. I was very involved in the Silkie world though and was an officer in our local poultry club.
> 
> The girl in my avatar was having none of going anywhere. Just sitting her in my truck had her freaking out. Nope, no way was I doing that to my birds.


Ohhhh ok.


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