Happy future for disabled duck hen

[User635240]

This silver swedish duck became mostly paralyzed in the legs after some illness last month (either botulism or avian metapneumovirus... Ongoing frustration). She can swim but gets harassed by the muscovies and cries, so I put her in a cage with a couple other failure to thrive birds. There was one little Cayuga duckling hatched naturally in the coop that stopped growing for whatever reason so I put him outdoors in the same cage with the disabled waterfowl. Well, this Swedish hen went right to task. She made a nest for him and snuggled with him while the temps dropped to 60° outdoors. Little duckling is full of energy today. Looks like this disabled Swedish hen has job security on the farm!

 

[Miss Lydia]

This silver swedish duck became mostly paralyzed in the legs after some illness last month (either botulism or avian metapneumovirus... Ongoing frustration). She can swim but gets harassed by the muscovies and cries, so I put her in a cage with a couple other failure to thrive birds. There was one little Cayuga duckling hatched naturally in the coop that stopped growing for whatever reason so I put him outdoors in the same cage with the disabled waterfowl. Well, this Swedish hen went right to task. She made a nest for him and snuggled with him while the temps dropped to 60° outdoors. Little duckling is full of energy today. Looks like this disabled Swedish hen has job security on the farm!View attachment 3904357View attachment 3904359

Did you treat your Sweish for botulism or antibiotic for the other?
very sweet picture

 

[User635240]

Did you treat your Sweish for botulism or antibiotic for the other?
very sweet picture

Unfortunately I didn't understand what was going on with all these birds until several died or became injured. They all came from Hoover's so I assumed bad breeding. The little Cayuga duckling is on Tylosin now; I think it has helped.

 

[ruthhope]

I just took my 2 recent rescued ducklings to my friend as I am in the UK for 2 weeks. My husband can manage my drakes in the backyard but not little fluffies! My friend has 2 adult muscovy that has been hit by cars and have pelvic or leg injuries that stop them walking. Both kead happy lives despite their disabilities and although they were feral arenow happy to see her and have good food and water on hand and supervised bathing evert day. The female muscovy lives to be a mom!! She is laying although the drake cannot mount her so her eggs are not fertile. She loves to adopt ducklings. My little fluffies -- they are about 7 weeks old and have tail feathers but no flight feathers -- were snuggled up next to her within 15 minutes of them being introduced. Like yours, @goatsnoats , some female ducks are very caring adoptive or foster moms!