Duck killed another duck

[Daisysduckfarm]

Hello! Unfortunately I found one of my male pekin ducks dead inside the coop..

For reference it is a 10 feet by 20 feet runner cage with access to a wooden coop. Inside the coop there is middle divider for nighttime male/female separation. So they still roam together during the day.

I leave the rubber door open so they have access to a fenced roaming space, due to some bad weather in my area they were confined to their runner cages (normal for them) this event happened on day two.

There are 6 females to 3 males…and yesterday I noticed the male pekin (Meeko) was staying inside the coop as opposed to interacting (normal eating and walking observed prior to this) I got him out and be joined his group as usual (day before death)

I do know one of the other males (Duke) is a bit more aggressive than the other two so my question is

• ⁠am I right in suspecting death by duck?
• ⁠if this male pekin was the cause of death should I expect him to kill again?

I suspect bird on bird death (picture of bird not included) I found meeko on his stomach with his back feathers ruffled and blood from beak/eyes. Barely any feathers pulled from him it seems.

I have NEVER seen Meeko (dead) fight with the other boys before and Duke (suspected killer) is from the same hatch housed from birth together.

Any advice is helpful, I feel this is more of an emotional issue…I don’t want to get ride of Duke as he is my other OG duck but don’t want to find another male or female like that

 

[nuthatched]

Any marks on the body?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If he was killed by one of your males there would be gashes on the body and ripped feathers particularly on his head/back. If it is unusual behavior for him to hang out in the coop by himself there is a good chance something else was going on with him. Minimal blood from eyes/nares points to toxin or an infection. The ruffled feathers are most likely post death. When a bird dies all of the others come to check it out. On another note, 3 males to 6 females is way too many males especially if they are confined for periods of time.

 

[Daisysduckfarm]

Any marks on the body?

None that I saw other than minimal blood from eyes and beak, he had one foot tucked but no signs of injury/bumblefoot

 

[Daisysduckfarm]

If he was killed by one of your males there would be gashes on the body and ripped feathers particularly on his head/back. If it is unusual behavior for him to hang out in the coop by himself there is a good chance something else was going on with him. Minimal blood from eyes/nares points to toxin or an infection. The ruffled feathers are most likely post death. When a bird dies all of the others come to check it out. On another note, 3 males to 6 females is way too many males especially if they are confined for periods of time.

I knew I would have to work on my ratio (I was hoping not like this)

If it was toxin or infection what should I look for in my other ducks? Just odd behaviour? I’ve have these ducks for about 2 years now and haven’t faced a big disease yet, knock on wood I don’t

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I knew I would have to work on my ratio (I was hoping not like this)

If it was toxin or infection what should I look for in my other ducks? Just odd behaviour? I’ve have these ducks for about 2 years now and haven’t faced a big disease yet, knock on wood I don’t

lethargy, drinking less, eating less, self isolating are usually the first signs. With toxins they usually go fast within a day or so. If you see those signs I would do charcoal flush.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

• ⁠am I right in suspecting death by duck?

Pictures would help, but from what you are saying here : I personally don't think your boy was killed by another of your drakes.

I found meeko on his stomach with his back feathers ruffled and blood from beak/eyes. Barely any feathers pulled from him it seems.

Am I right to assume when you say "blood from beak/eyes", you actually mean "blood flowing from nostrils and eyes"... no apparent injury?

 

[Daisysduckfarm]

Hi.



Pictures would help, but from what you are saying here : I personally don't think your boy was killed by another of your drakes.



Am I right to assume when you say "blood from beak/eyes", you actually mean "blood flowing from nostrils and eyes"... no apparent injury?

Hi!

I initially didn’t attach pictures because I wasn’t sure it was allowed…

This is the exact pose I found Meeko in, I figured attack (or maybe now accident) because his back looks like my females when they get laid too much it’s just pushed around a lot…

I personally thought his neck looked twisted here, my boyfriend said ducks just have bendy necks…and the “minimal blood” is very minimal, like a lining around vent/eye areas….so my theory was he got hurt, didn’t die right away, and blood came out when he was taking last breaths

(that is all very sad to imagine and don’t know if it’s accurate for duck anatomy) but made most sense for how little and where the blood is…someone mentioned infection is this what the aftermath of infection or disease could look like.

Rest of the flock has exhibited normal for them behaviours, no weird poop and good drive for food/pleasure

 

[Daisysduckfarm]

Hi!

I initially didn’t attach pictures because I wasn’t sure it was allowed…

View attachment 4090710

This is the exact pose I found Meeko in, I figured attack (or maybe now accident) because his back looks like my females when they get laid too much it’s just pushed around a lot…

View attachment 4090711

I personally thought his neck looked twisted here, my boyfriend said ducks just have bendy necks…and the “minimal blood” is very minimal, like a lining around vent/eye areas….so my theory was he got hurt, didn’t die right away, and blood came out when he was taking last breaths

(that is all very sad to imagine and don’t know if it’s accurate for duck anatomy) but made most sense for how little and where the blood is…someone mentioned infection is this what the aftermath of infection or disease could look like.

Rest of the flock has exhibited normal for them behaviours, no weird poop and good drive for food/pleasure

Forget to mention that I touched nothing in the picture, that is how the bedding was as well, I didn’t pick up any feathers. It looks the worlds most peaceful fight if it was one…he stayed inside the coop periodically the previous day but I hadn’t noticed any “I’m sick” signs

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Hi!

I initially didn’t attach pictures because I wasn’t sure it was allowed…

View attachment 4090710

This is the exact pose I found Meeko in, I figured attack (or maybe now accident) because his back looks like my females when they get laid too much it’s just pushed around a lot…

View attachment 4090711

I personally thought his neck looked twisted here, my boyfriend said ducks just have bendy necks…and the “minimal blood” is very minimal, like a lining around vent/eye areas….so my theory was he got hurt, didn’t die right away, and blood came out when he was taking last breaths

(that is all very sad to imagine and don’t know if it’s accurate for duck anatomy) but made most sense for how little and where the blood is…someone mentioned infection is this what the aftermath of infection or disease could look like.

Rest of the flock has exhibited normal for them behaviours, no weird poop and good drive for food/pleasure

Your duck was definitely NOT killed by your other duck based off of those pictures. Toxins and some infections (particularly toxins) can exhibit the symptoms of bleeding from the eyes and nares at death. Based off of the fact that your others are acting normal, I would say that he ate something that was toxic.