Anyone Know How to Make Sick Duck Eat?!

Jul 26, 2018 11:07:29

Hello Duck-raising Permies!
I have a Silver Appleyard duck that got sick about three weeks ago. At first it just acted tired, then stopped eating. At times it had head/neck tremors as well. Last week it finally started eating (the day before we left for a week long vacation: great timing, right?!). Three days into the trip our poultry-sitter told us the duck had stopped eating. Throughout this entire sickness she has been drinking normally. It hasn't eaten since 7/21 a.m. Before this it weighed (I would guess) about 8 pounds, now it weighs probably 4. After much research, I finally concluded that it would be best to give it a Coccidiostat to see if that helped (thinking that it was going to die of starvation or whatever else was wrong with it and that the amprolium (apparently the safest for ducks) couldn't hurt) in it's drinking water.

However, I still need to get the duck to eat. Do you have any ideas of what might entice her? Already tried her regular food, fish, and scrambled egg.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

Jul 26, 2018 13:09:36

Sorry, not a duck owner. I did have something similar with a chicken a couple years ago. Lasted a few days, but the one thing she would eat was meow mix. Weird, but they have always liked chasing the cat and stealing her food so I figured it was worth a shot.

Hope the duck recovers.

Jul 26, 2018 15:19:22

My ducks also love to eat cat food. Another thing they love to eat is sweet potatoes. People actually use these to lure wild ducks. I just chop mine up really fine, but if you cooked them until soft and then let them cool, they might smell more and entice the duck.

Mine also love to eat tomatoes! A big tomato cut in half is a big treat for my ducks.