I'm just going to check on Miss Muffet

If you've been to the farm you would have heard me say "I'm just going to check on the ducks" well I've been doing it in overdrive this week. After last week's vets appointment I was so worried that she wasn't going to get any better - but I was wrong.

On Wednesday she started eating a little more and hobbling around. And she's just gotten better since then. Now she's foraging for food and even managing to run away from me! Below is a photo of her a few minutes ago walking away from me. While she's not fully recovered she does seem to be walking better and eating more. She's still very thin but getting there. I'm not sure if she'll ever walk again normally but as long as she isn't in any pain - that's the main thing. Her breathing is not longer hard so I'm pleased with that. Below is a shot of Tommy for good measure. He's so handsome.

One week

I took Miss Muffet back to the vet today to see if I could get a bit more of an answer on her health. A different vet looked at her and diagnosed her with emphysema. He feels that she's too puffy around her chest and lungs. He basically told me if she doesn't pick up in a week I should bring her back to be put to sleep.
He gave her a shot of something, hopefully that will stimulate her appetite. I'm not giving up on her just yet as she ate some grain this morning and a few pieces of pasta so hopefully she'll increase on that tomorrow.

I cleaned Speedy's nest out, she's completely egg crazy. Today she was sitting on the side of her nest watching some hen lay an egg. Then when she'd done her business Speedy moved in, to keep them warm. I was having none of that and took away all of the eggs. So now she's back to sitting on zero eggs.

Pact

I made a pact with Miss Muffet on Sunday (before I left) that if she makes it through this I'd let her have babies soon. While we didn't quite shake on it, I will live up to my promise.
I came home this afternoon to find her still in the pen but in a different position. She ate a few pieces of pasta, a chip and drake some water. She stood up a little but then sat back down. Tomorrow I'm going to take her back to the vet as her course of antibiotics has finished. I think the next step for her is an x-ray. I still find humor in her illness, when ever I go into the pen to try and feed her or give her water she always manages to find enough strength to turn around on me. She's like Naboo turning her back on me.

I noticed a little mark on Speedys face as she was facing a different way in her nest. I had a poke underneath her and found only one egg. I'm not sure where the other 4 or 5 went but they are gone. I told Speedy she has been acting all loco and took her last remaining egg. She now has zero eggs so hopefully she'll be up and walking around soon. She's so boring when she nests.

Sunday

Basically I'm at a loss in what I can do for Miss Muffet. She's still in the chicken pen with everyone, she's still got her water by her side, but now she hasn't eaten anything. I feel like she's gone back to how she was on Wednesday. Its now been two days since she's eaten anything and I feel like she's drinking even less fluids now.
Everyone is being kept in the pen today as I'm off to Brisbane and the neighbour isn't here to pen them. I'm going to hurry back tomorrow to so I can feed the animals and see how she is.
I don't really feel like she's in any pain though, which is good.

Saturday

So much for thinking that Miss Muffet would be up and walking around again. Since yesterday she hasn't really eaten anything, and now she's drinking less and less fluids. I'm still at a loss what I can do, but at least its much cooler today. I took her for a little swim yesterday as it was boiling hot. She sort of even did some little walking, well I wouldn't call it walking but its all she can muster at this time. Tomorrow it will be a week she's been like this.
My sister's dog was here at the farm yesterday/this morning. It went after the good mother, but lucky for us she got away.
Also, the good mother is no longer hanging out with her kids, she's back laying eggs so the kids have been ditched. Mind you they are all pretty old now so its fine.

Miss Muffet update.. more

I had to go to Brisbane today and leave Miss Muffet on her own. I plonked her down under a tree and left here there all day. It was hard leaving her as I wasn't sure how she was going to go. This morning when I first woke up I tried to feed her some food to no avail. I went and got a packet of curios and her face lit up. She knows the noise of the packets opening and loves it. She even ate one or two of the curios.
This evening when I got home I found Miss Muffet half sort of standing underneath a different tree to where I had left her (it was the next tree over). I took her down her water and she even ate some food. I got some more scraps from the cafe and took over the whole bag and just picked out a few things she likes. I decided that tonight she can stay in the pen as I know she's much happier over there. I think if she eats a bit more tomorrow she may just be up and walking around by the end of the week.
What a relief. I still don't know what it was or what has been affecting her. I'm going to continue to give her the antibiotic water (she's been on it since Tuesday). While I'm not sure she's out of the woods, I'm just so pleased she's eaten something.

Miss Muffet update

Well nothing has really changed since attending the vets yesterday. They are unsure what it is and the vet still seems to think its a tick. Miss Muffet is now on liquid antibiotics, last night she slept on the veranda. I can't put her back in with the animals as she needs her water to the separate. She's not really eating food anymore, the occasional curios but that's it. The vet said she's lost a little weight and perhaps she just has no energy and muscle to stand up. She's now outside near the back door and I think much happier, although still not eating. I'm really not sure what it is or if she will get better. Her breathing is at times through her mouth and others time through her nose. I just wish she'd eat some food.
I've looked over her a few times and unfortunately I can't find a tick.

Vet's (again)

I'm taking Miss Muffet to the vets today. Miss Muffet still isn't walking and now her breathing seems to be worse. It sounds like she's wheezing now. When I called the vet they told me to look over her for a tick, but I just did and couldn't find one. She pooed on my twice today.
I went and purchased some ham and fed her some as when I offered her grain this morning she wasn't interested. I'll let you know the prognoses when I get home in a few hours

Rusty

Well Ladies eye seems to be looking much better. After being away for a day and her only receiving the eye ointment once a day (instead of twice) I was very pleased with the results.
Miss Muffet on the other hand is a real concern. I will keep a close eye on her tomorrow and perhaps take her to the vet. Am I one of those panicky mothers? While she's still not walking, I'm concerned about her breathing. She's breathing through her mouth and taking quite deep breaths. I went put earlier and gave her the water so she can drink and re-hydrate herself. I'm hoping that's what it is, but I'm not sure. Because I wasn't at the farm today I'm not sure what she got up to, but hopefully she's just hot and thirsty.
If I go on the net and search for duck illness I just get worried... So I'm not going to do that.
Miss Muffet and Lady are finally putting Rusty's house to good use. I put that dog house in the chicken pen about six months ago, thinking they would love it. Tomorrow I'll get some photos.

Duck troubles

I've been managing to put Lady's eye ointment on by myself. I wouldn't call her happy about me catching her twice a day but she's getting better at accepting that I do it. I haven't really noticed her eye being much better. It was initially, but now its just the same. It's puffy and she's wiping it ab it but fingers crossed it will be much better into the new week.

Now Miss Muffet is limping/ not walking. She was fine when I went out there to give them food in the morning but then when I came back after getting bananas she wasn't. She's now keeping Speedy company in the chicken pen. I think she may have some sort of arthritis or something in her left foot as its always bothered her, i think some days more than others. But she is laying at the moment so it could be just another reason for her to sit down. This morning I was watching Tommy and he kept closing his eyes, and I was worried about him getting conjunctivitis but then I just realised he was sleepy.

Trip fit for a Lady

I just got home from taking Lady to the vets. I noticed about lunch time today she had her eye closed (very unusual for a duck) and was rarely opening it. I tried to get a closer look and couldn't even see her eye. I ended up grabbing her and taking her to the vets in an esky, when I had a look I thought that she'd lost the top layer of her eye - but I'm no vet.
Well lucky I'm not a vet as she's only got conjunctivitis. You should see the scratches on my arms from trying to catch Lady, I look like my old house-mate Alan from the psych ward.

Its going to be interesting trying to put Lady's eye ointment on by myself, but I'm sure I can work it out. Lady was actually very well behaved at the vets today, I think we've bonded.

Update: I went back tonight to give Lady more eye ointment, it was even harder this time but managed to give administer with less scratching, plus my neighbour was on hand to hold her down. I told Papa that it was difficult to which he replied all Yoda like "Lady knows your trying to help her, she will be fine". What I think she remembers is me scaring her and trying to wrap her in a towel as she attempts to flap her way to freedom. We'll see how it goes tomorrow. I hope Miss Muffet and Tommy don't get this.

Speedy

Here is Speedy nesting. This is her bed and nest, even to the point where I thought about getting a sign for it. Actually the sign was more me writing on it with a nikko pen "Speedy's Bed". I opted against this option when I realised the neighbour (who lets them out every Monday) would think I was pretty crazy. I'm beginning to think that Speedy's eggs aren't going to hatch, as an incubation period for chickens is 21 days. Speedy has been sitting on these eggs since the day after we got home from Japan, so well over 21 days. She's been getting off the eggs every morning so I think she is starting to realise this as well. I'll have to get papa to take the eggs as I don't want anything to tarnish our relationship.

Miss Muffets revenge

Miss Muffet has been seeking out Golden Child exact her revenge on him. I think he's no longer attempting to mate with her anymore has he's now getting some hen action (brown bitch).

The photo above is Miss Muffet and Golden Child (I keep calling him Young Boy) and the next photo is her chasing off after him.

Sticky Beak

Here's Brown Bitch coming over for a sticky beak yesterday when I was taking photos of her adopted kids.

Speedy got off her eggs this morning for some food, it was good to see her walking around. I'm beginning to think her eggs should have hatched by now.

Orphan love

I was watching crazy hen last night and noted that she let brown bitches reject kids sleep with her. It seems that is just what she needed - a little chicken love. She's now their surrogate mother hanging out with them. I'm not sure if I mentioned it in my wrap up, but I will do so now. You see crazy hen really wants kids of her own, but I think she may be too old too lay - I'm really not sure. She was sitting on one of the brown hens eggs. When we got home from Japan I found a hen nesting outside of the pen on the ground, the nest was really not hidden or anything. So one day when she was off eating Papa and I moved the eggs inside the pen thinking she's either going to forget about the eggs or go and sit on them. She forgot about them and crazy hen came along after about 3 days and started sitting on them. I knew they wouldn't work out as there was that space of a few days before they were incubated again.
I'm very pleased with this new development as crazy hen really needed to stop sitting on those eggs as they were really rank.

Its official

Well its official - Brown Bitch is the worst mother hen ever. Maternal instinct isn't really a thing you'd associate with chickens but after watching my brood over the years I've now realised it is.

We've had three really good mothers over the years - the current mother that has 8 chicks, she started with 8 and I'm sure all eight will grow up. Speedy's real mum, she was a good layer and always brought up a lot of kids, she even died protecting her kids. And lastly me - Speedy is still alive, she's two now.

Brown bitch on the other hand has just rejected her two latest kids and they are only about 2 months old. She's already pecking them to leave her alone. Its hard, because although she's a bad mother and rejects her kids it means now she'll start laying again and we get eggs again. I'm sure her latest rejects will grow up as long as they stick together. One of them is this cute light grey colour so hopefully it will mature.

I didn't want to take a photos of Brown Bitch so here's a mildly in focus picture of my backdoor bandit Miss Muffet. I now put water at the back door, do you think this encourages them? How green is the grass? I'm lovin it at the moment with all the rain we've had.