Author Topic: Duck Eyes (Read 5185 times)

PJB · « **on:** October 12, 2013, 02:29:40 pm »

I have noticed that a couple of my Pekin ducks have sore eyes with plummage missing slightly around
the eye area. Is this common or have they picked up a mite or something?
any ideas?

Thanks

goosepimple · « **Reply #1 on:** October 12, 2013, 05:25:09 pm »

Might be an idea to post a pic if it's not a hassle (posting pics is always a hassle

) my muscovy ducks sometimes get eye problems, maybe had a bit of a peck with another duck or hen, but they usually clear up in a week. I'd just keep an eye on them (excuse the pun) and not fiddle around with them just now, it may clear up on it's own - could it be something in the water, access through long grass or something external like that which may have rubbed onto the eye area

doganjo · « **Reply #2 on:** October 12, 2013, 07:41:11 pm »

If it's two of them could it not be an infection? If you can get near them I'd wipe with cool,boiled water and clean cotton wool. Just like you would with any other animal/child. And if it doesn't improve get some ointment for it.

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #3 on:** October 12, 2013, 10:35:05 pm »

can they get their heads in clean water deep enough to cover their eyes? It can cause problems if they can't.

goosepimple · « **Reply #4 on:** October 13, 2013, 04:08:40 pm »

good point, if they only have a shallow pool then just a bucket of water filled to the brim is usually enough for them to douse themselves. let us know how you go pjb.

PJB · « **Reply #5 on:** October 13, 2013, 07:14:47 pm »

I reckon that is the problem. thanks. I have them in a large run ( due to fox's) and i let them roam my garden when i am around and then they can get to the pond i have just installed. They have bowls of water around but then maybe they are not deep enough to douse their heads. They would be when filled but after a few hours probably not.
I will look for something that will do the job. Do you think the eyes will get better after a period of time or will i need to bathe them with something?

Many thanks

pjb

goosepimple · « **Reply #6 on:** October 13, 2013, 07:45:35 pm »

give it a week of dousing first, they won't thank you for fussing

HesterF · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2013, 11:39:24 pm »

I do the same as you - they get fresh water in trugs every morning but it's quite muddy soon after. My understanding was that that would be OK - certainly the breeders I bought from reckoned changing the water daily should be sufficient to prevent eye problems. It's more about making sure it's deep enough, I think. I've bought a big dog bath which is deep enough for them to paddle about in and then I know for sure they can preen and clean all over. Problem is it's so big, you can't change the water daily - just turns the whole run into a mud bath - so they still need clean water elsewhere. OK, realise that was a fairly pointless reply!

H

PJB · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2013, 09:36:03 am »

No not at all a pointless reply, its good to hear from other people. I used a plastic paddling pool for a while inside the run but as you say it gets very muddy and i cannot change water every day.
Its too heavy to carry out of the run so you need to use a bucket or something which is quite time consuming. I bought a pond (big round bowl ) for them and i have dug into the ground but i can only let them out of the run when im in the garden because of a fox problem!!
I also had a bad experience (previous post) as one or two ducks had difficulty gettng out of the pond and one became very stressed and sadly died the next day. I have now put a number of bricks at the bottom at one end so they can climb out. Shame winter is coming as gets dark early and i cant let them roam much in the evenings. Pjb

Mrs Pea · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2013, 05:06:12 pm »

Don't know if you have a drake with them or not, but it sounds very similar to an eye problem we had with our white campbell. Turned out it was our drake favouring her and for some reason when he was treading her, he was grabbing her by her eye instead of the back of her head. We separated them and she is fine now.

Lisa