Spinning duck

[n_holzer]

Hello, I'm wondering if anybody can help me with a problem I'm having with my duck...

I have a 2 year old Mallard drake, and recently he's been spinning in circles, while holding his back feathers in his bill. He had wet feather from last year, during the winter, so I had to keep him away from submergable water, until may time, when I gave him a small tub of water to test the feathers. This is when it started really, he dived in and straight away was swimming in circles. I presumed this was just the excitement of having swimming water again, but the behaviour seems to have worsened. He does it when I open the back door for him to come into the house, and he hesitates so I presume he doesn't want to come in so start to close the door, and he goes to grab the back feathers and spin. He'll also do it when he goes to jump into his pool but misses and then spins. Now it's even started when I go to put him away at night, and as I'm closing the door on him he spins. I'm really worried this is stress related. He lost his friend at the start of may, and for a few weeks was grieving, and it took him a while to get used to being alone, but he perked up a lot and seemed happy. He eats fine, he's on duck pellets, grit, corn mixed with this once a week as a treat, and verm-x daily, as well as iceberg lettuce as a treat. He'll also eat worms and slugs occasionally.
I am currently having a new aviarey type pen build for him, and am planning to get another friend for him when this is all built and he's settled, but I would like to get this problem cleared up first. I'm not sure if this is a behavioural problem due to stress or something, or a symptom of a medical condition, or even a mating routine? He went for a vet check up in may after his friend died to make sure he was in good health, and they put him on baytril as a preventative measure against any illness. I wanted to try this forum for help before taking him to his vet, as he is really not good with travelling, and gets car sick. Any suggestions, or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.
You must be very worried and it sounds like you care for your duck very much.
The behaviour is hard to analyse from description alone, sometimes what may sound abnormal may be easily explained from watching a video as it may be a normal behaviour exaggerated, or performed out of context which can happen.
Would it be possible for you to pm me a video clip?
It's molting season at present (I am in Dorset), however some of my mallard drakes have started courtship behaviour which is usually performed on water. What bathing facilities does he have?
When you describe te spinning, is it controlled, how many turns does he make and does he do anything else before or after?
Zo
X

 

[n_holzer]

Hi and thank you ,

Sorry for the late reply, but I've been trying to catch his spinning on video, but he's not been performing it for the camera! I don't know if this is because he knows I'm filming him or something.
He does it when he's in his pool and I'm pouring water in; he'll run and leap into the pool and then when I've finished pouring he will just act normal, pruning etc. When he tries to jump into the pool and misses, he'll spin and grab his tail then just stand there. He sometimes does it randomly in the house and ends up spinning until he's in a laying position. He will also sometimes grab the wing feathers and mutilate them nearly. He has a large plastic pool which was actually the base to a guinea pig hutch, so it's deep enough for him to dive under. This is only temporary tho until he has a proper built in pool within his new home. He is also going through moult at the moment. The spinning is I'd say, controlled, I wouldn't describe it as a loss of co-ordination.
I took him to a vet in tiptree yesterday; I got the vet address from a link on here actually. He has already seen robin from millennium vets but I didn't want to take him that far, so decided on tiptree. The vet ruled out an ear infection, as the spinning is not constant. She examined him and said his feathers are lovely, his eyes are bright and there's no mucus in the nose or mouth, and no parasites. It's more than likely stress and possible separation anxiety. She is phoning me back today to prescribe medicine for him. We have been having a few home improvements and I think the change has stressed him out.
He is my best buddy to be honest, I know that sounds sad but we are always together and are quite close. I spose it does cause him Stress when I'm at work and not with him, so in the long run it's going to be healthier for him to have a mate.

Thanks for reading btw x

 

[n_holzer]

I do have a video but I can't seem to post it, it's saying the extension mov is not allowed?

 

[Marigold]

Could you perhaps upload it to YouTube and then copy and post the link?

 

[n_holzer]

http://instagram.com/p/rM9MnwykuG/

I have uploaded it on instagram, if you cant open that link then you can try my facebook link, and its the video at the top of the page:

https://www.facebook.com/naomi.holzer.7?fref=nf

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Thanks for posting that. I have to say having studied duck behaviour for many years I have never seen this behaviour.
The only advice I can offer is to have him checked over by a vet to make sure there is nothing odd going on with him health wise, as you would with any abnormal behaviour, and monitor him.
Has it progressed from anything less extreme and does he get any kind of attention from you when he does it? can you remember when you first saw this behaviour or something similar and what you did when it happened?
zo
x

 

[n_holzer]

That's ok, thanks for watching it!

It started in May when I gave him swimming water again, and has deffinitely got worse. Most of the time I do kneel down and talk to him to try and calm him, and sometimes I try to ignore him.
The vet thinks it's stress as it started in May, when his friend also passed away. Also separation anxiety from when I go to work and leave him. He's been prescribed anti-depressants to try and calm him, and I am also going to work on some positive associations with him to relieve his anxiety. In the long run though it's a friend that will make him feel better again! X

 

[dorsetduckowner]

I see you are in Essex, this weekend there are 3000 ducks in Essex desperate need of a home. I posted about it yesterday. Perfect as a companion for him. You could give one of these ducks a perfect life. Would ou consider this?

 

[n_holzer]

Absolutely yes, I saw this too. Very sad situation! I thought it was the drakes they were trying to get rid of? If it's females then I'll be more than happy to take one on

 

[n_holzer]

I've just read the article again, it says it's the males he's trying to get rid of. It's a female I'm planing to get for Albert. I wish I could give them all a home! If I lived in a place with a huge garden or field I'd have them in an instant, but my garden just isn't big enough. So sad :-(

 

[dorsetduckowner]

They want all 3000 of them rehomed. So go get yourself a little girl! They are desperate! Perfect size for your little mallard too. Those little Cherry Valley girls are really sweet little things.
Where they can be collected from today: If you wish to collect a duck, the farm in Norton Field, Norton Lane, is open from 10am to 5pm today, Saturday and Sunday.

For more information call 01277 362414 or email [email protected]

 

[dorsetduckowner]

It's all of them. I checked.

 

[n_holzer]

Oh I didn't realise! How lovely! I'll give them a ring and see what the score is, thank you x

 

[dorsetduckowner]

They are saying just turn up, I imagine their phones are going mad. Spoke to the sanctuary taking the vast majority in and they confirmed, turn up and take what you want, remaining ones will go to slaughter tomorrow

 

[n_holzer]

That's really upsetting :-( it's going to be tough choosing I'll feel so awful for the ones I leave behind.

 

[dorsetduckowner]

you seem like you are very caring, why not pick one that needs extra care, there are some that are really struggling. Let me know how you get on x

 

[n_holzer]

Well I'm happy to say that I went to the farm, and the ducks had nearly all gone! There were people queuing up outside, and the car park was packed. News must have spread cos people were coming from all over. Although I came out duckless, I was over the moon, and surprised to know that they had managed to re-home all 3000 of them! And from what I could see, they were going to good homes, and I really doubt any will be going to slaughter.
Looking at them, they were a little too big for my Albert anyway, and the garden. Beautiful tho, Aylesbury hybrids I think x

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Ahh brilliant, I heard most got saved. Amazing what can be done in such a short space of time. They are Cherry Valley ducks, they can range in size from little layers to the whopping Super M3 strain which weigh a stone. Sadly they are not bred to live past 7 weeks and struggle with leg and heart issues if they grow to adulthood as I sadly found out.
So on the look out for a mate for Albert still then?

 

[n_holzer]

I think all got re-homed, I saw on Facebook that it was apparently confirmed they had all gone. I hope so anyway! Cherry valley I've never heard of that breed, that's really sad though about their life span. I suppose they are only bread for eggs and meat then?
Yeah I am on the look out for 1, or 2 females for Albert. Although I've got tonnes of books on ducks since keeping them, and researched quite a bit, I've deffinitely got to do a bit more if I'm going to keep a mix of a male and females. I'm considering breeds, as I would have loved female mallards, but hear they are very noisy (as much as I don't care, but considering neighbours). I hear muscovys are fairly quiet? Also 1 or 2 ducks; my vet thinks because Albert is so attached to me, that he wouldn't fuss over females as much, but I'm thinking 2 ducks is better for mating season. Saying that, my little call duck used to be the randy bird, and would forever try to mate my foot, whereas alb never seemed at all interested. I also don't want little Albert juniors waddling about, so is it just a case of removing eggs daily?
Before I get Albert any friends, I would ideally like to have his house built and settle him in first, so I've got a bit of time to do some reading up!