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In This Issue...

	Where are they now?
	Our New Infirmary
	A Goose Named Pearl
	Lead Poisoning
	Bird Flu/Avian Influenza
	Winterizing
	Get to know your predators: The Great Horned Owl
	All about Muscovy Ducks
	Recommended Reading: Goose Chase
	Reader Poll #11

Get to Know Your Predators: The Great Horned Owl Great horned owls are found throughout the United States and most of Canada. They are one of the most widespread species of owls. Great horned owls eat a wide variety of prey including rabbits, squirrels, shrews, jackrabbits, muskrats, mice, weasels, skunks, gophers, snakes, domestic cats, bats, beetles, scorpions, frogs, grasshoppers, and a wide variety of birds, including ducks, grouse, pheasants, and even other owls. Owls are nocturnal raptors. They have been known to herd ducks and geese into aviary nets and then eat them through the netting. They will take flying ducks from their night roosts without leaving a trace of evidence behind. They are well known for removing and eating the head and neck of their prey. Owls also pluck their prey, but at times they will swallow small animals whole. They gulp their food and swallow many bones along with the flesh. Owls defecate at the site of their kill, leaving behind evidence in the form of a small heap of whitewash on the ground. Protect your flock from owls by providing them a safe night time lock up. Barns or sheds are preferable to aviary areas. Guinea fowl will sound an alarm when any large bird flies overhead but if they are left loose during the night owls can easily pick them right out of their trees. Strobe lights have been used as a night deterrent against owls with varying success. All owls are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. These laws strictly prohibit the capture, killing, or possession of owls without special permit. No permits are required to scare depredating migratory birds except for endangered or threatened species, including bald and golden eagles. In addition, most states have regulations regarding owls. Some species may be common in one state but may be on a state endangered species list in another. Consult your local USDA-APHIS-Animal Damage Control, US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and/or state wildlife department representatives for permit requirements and information. All about Muscovy Ducks Muscovies are the only domestic ducks that are not derived from Mallard stock. They are a South American species. The original (wild type) coloration is black and white, but domestication has produced many more colors, including white, black, chocolate, and blue. The males are large, weighing up to twelve pounds, with the smaller females reaching only seven. Their feet have strong sharp claws and are built to grasp, so that they can perch on branches. Some people think muscovy ducks are ugly because of the large red warty caruncles above the beak and around the eyes. They are, however, very personable and interesting birds, and quite intelligent. Unlike most domestic waterfowl, Muscovies will often fly up and roost. They fly fairly well, especially the smaller females, but are known more for flying around than flying away! A Few Muscovy Facts Muscovies do not swim as much as other varieties of duck, as their oil glands are not as developed. When adopted young and treated well, they become inseparable pets for whom they have bonded to. They are friendly, non aggressive, excellent brooders and breeders. Muscovy ducks do not quack! The males will make a hissing sound, and females will make a sound similar to a squeak, but muscovies do not quack like Mallard derivatives. Muscovy Duck Care If you acquire muscovies as a pet you will have to take care of them. They are largely independent, but they are domesticated animals and they need care. First, they need a water source. They are ducks after all and before anything else. A pond or creek is ideal, but they are also happy with a tub if it is cleaned regularly. But since for most of us cleaning a duck tub is not a favorite pastime, a natural water source is best. Secondly, they need some food. Adult ducks should be fed a non-medicated duck food (for common feed options refer to our flyer. If you have ducklings (baby ducks), they do well on what is often sold as Grower Ration. These are non-medicated crumbs. Be careful not to feed muscovies medicated feed containing antibiotics. Thirdly, they need protection. For the adult flying ducks, the fox, weasel and owl are the biggest enemy. If you are not going to fully enclose their pens or offer night lock-ups, Muscovies are at risk, but they do receive limited protection from a healthy-sized pond, preferably one with wide open banks or some island (e.g. a floating raft) in the middle. Even then one has to be careful when the pond freezes over. If you have ducklings, protection is even more essential. There are a host of predators that will eat a young duckling: crows, snapping turtles, owls, large fish, snakes, rats and more. The information above was obtained from the following: Feathersite Waterland Farm Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure Recommended Reading* | Ordering information | Goose Chase By Patrice Kindl * For our full recommended reading list, click here. If you order from Amazon.com by way of our web site, Majestic receives a portion of the proceeds! Book Description Her name is Alexandria Aurora Fortunato, and she is as lovely as the dawn. But that is only one of her problems. There's also the matter of those three magical gifts of treasure bestowed on her by a mysterious old woman. And King Claudio the Cruel wants to marry her for her beauty and her wealth, and so does his rival, Prince Edmund of Dorloo. Those are two more problems. And, worst of all, she is locked in a tower, with a grille of iron bars and several hundred tons of stone between her and freedom. Some days Alexandria wishes she looked like a pickled onion. Clearly the only thing to do is escape — and, with the aid of her twelve darling goose companions, that's precisely what Alexandria does. So begins the adventure of Patrice Kindl's beguiling heroine. Her flight will take her to strange lands and lead her into perilous situations, all of which the plucky Alexandria views with a wry and witty spirit. Here is a sprightly tale of magic and romance, in which those geese play a most surprising role. Note: Both soft and hardcover versions of this book are being offered as donation thank-you gifts! Please visit our donation page to find out how you can obtain a copy. Reader Poll #11 Question: What topics/subjects would you like to read about in future Majestic Monthly newsletters? Voting Has Closed. Please see next issue for results. Results of Reader Poll #10 Which book on waterfowl do you most often use/refer to?   Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks by Dave Holderread 58% The Book of Geese by Dave Holderread 14% Raising the Home Duck Flock by Dave Holderread 0% Domestic Geese by Chris Ashton 0% Barnyard in Your Backyard by Gail Damerow 0% Other 28% None 0% Contact Us Majestic Waterfowl Sanctuary 17 Barker Road Lebanon, CT 06249 director@majesticwaterfowl.org Our Newsletter The Majestic Monthly is published 12 times per year. Back issues can be obtained online from our Newsletter Archives.

We would like to do something very special for our December newsletter. If you have ever adopted a duck from us, please send us a recent photo of your new flock member along with a brief update on how the quackster is doing. We have been in contact with many of you, but a few of you have slipped through our fingers and we would really enjoy hearing from you. We are planning to feature all of the ducks we have adopted out over the course of the last year in our December holiday issue and we want to make sure everyone is included.

Please send your update and any recent digital photos to director@majesticwaterfowl.org by November 20th. Or you can mail your update and printed photo(s) to:

Our New Infirmary

Our fence building may have been put on hold during all of this rain, but that doesn’t stop us from building!

Our new infirmary measures 8’ x 4’ and is located in the basement of our home. Inside, ducks enjoy soft, clean bedding, food, water and a 10’ x 12’ mirror to keep them company. Ducks requiring specialized care or quarantine measures now have a roomy and quiet place to reside while they await their transfer to the barn.

A Goose Named Pearl

This letter came to us in response to our article on Hardware Disease in our October newsletter. We wanted to share this with everyone. Hardware Disease is a major cause of death in ducks and geese. This letter exemplifies the risks these animals are placed in when they are abandoned to ponds that fall in the range of hunting and fishing. Metal objects are irresistible to ducks and geese. We cannot stress enough the need to routinely check your yards and enclosures for ingestible metal objects and remove them promptly.

Lead Poisoning

Lead paint chips and lead shot from guns are not the only sources of lead poisoning. Because so many domestic ducks are abandoned to public ponds, they are in real risk of ingesting fishing gear, such as lead sinkers and lures.

When lead is ingested, it gets into the gizzard and begins to erode. As it erodes, lead enters the bloodstream and stores in the duck’s body.

• Test your water

Have your pond and any water sources your ducks will frequent tested for lead toxicity prior to building your pen around them or allowing your ducks access to them. If lead levels are high, you can often consult with the testing company or a local university about remedying the problem.   

• Test Your Soil

Have the soil of your pen site tested. If lead levels are high, you will not want to build your duck pen there. It is wise to test your soil before building your waterfowl enclosure to avoid any issues down the road.

• Symptoms

A duck suffering from lead poisoning (confirmed by a blood test) may exhibit seizures, weakness, weight loss, drooping wings and green diarrhea. It can also lead to reproductive problems and increased susceptibility to disease or infection.

• Treatment

Even when lead poisoning is discovered in very early stages, it can be difficult to remedy. Lead needs to be removed from the system with the aid of laxatives and a round of shots. If not discovered in the very early stages, euthanizing is most likely the course of action your vet will recommend to avoid any further suffering of the animal.

Surgery may need to be performed if the discernable, lead object is inside the duck, although this tends to be very invasive and equally risky for the duck. Most vets will suggest euthanization as the appropriate course of action. New endoscopic surgeries are proving effective if you can find an experienced vet.

• Prescription:

Edetate Calcium Disodium (Calcium EDTA or CaEDTA) is a heavy metal chelating agent. It is injected into the animal or given as an IV treatment. So as not to encumber you with complex chemistry, suffice it to say that it will go into your duck’s body and bind with heavy metals. The agent then leaves the body through the urinary tract, taking some of the heavy metals along with it.

Side effects include diarrhea and vomiting. Since it also removes other minerals from the body, excess loss of calcium (hypocalcemia) can result.

Calcium levels should be closely monitored—especially in laying hens, who rely heavily on calcium to produce their eggs. Calcium sources should be removed during treatment and for a couple hours afterwards, and then reintroduced again.

The Truth About Bird Flu/Avian Influenza

Avian influenza is a naturally occurring viral infection among birds. Many wild birds are carriers although they may never exhibit symptoms. The virus can be passed to other birds via saliva, nasal mucus and feces. Susceptible ducks can become infected when they come in contact with these excretions, which are commonly picked up at food and water sources or on pen surfaces.

Humans can catch the virus, but it is very rare that they will pass it further along to another person.

Although it has received a lot of media coverage in the past, bird flu is more common in dense populations of waterfowl, not often occurring among pet ducks kept in roomy and sanitary conditions. 

• Symptoms

Unusual and involuntary movements, swimming in circles, deformation of the neck, lack of interest in food or water, blindness, diarrhea and nasal or eye discharge. Death usually occurs soon after the onset of symptoms.

• Testing

Your vet can perform a cloacal swab, virus isolation test for the H5 and H7 strains of avian influenza. They will need to send the sample to a state approved, regulatory lab. It usually takes about five days to receive test results.

• Prevention

The only way to prevent outbreak is to keep your duck in a closed environment, where no wild birds have access to their food, drinking or swimming water and pen. Since most ducks are not kept in a completely closed environment, you can achieve peace of mind in knowing that outbreaks are extremely rare among healthy pet ducks kept in sanitary conditions.

Winterizing

Winter is coming and for those of us in colder climates, it is time to prepare and protect our feathered friends from the cold.

Bedding is a great source of comfort and protection from the cold ground. A thick layer of hay should be refreshed in their shelter at least twice daily. Do not remove old hay unless it is moldy or wet with water. As hay is piled up on top of itself, bottom layers of hay and feces ferment and make heat. You want to continually build a thickening layer of hay beneath the feet of your ducks and geese over the course of the winter (and then do a thorough spring cleaning next year).

When the ground is frozen, ducks and geese should have access to their dry and bedded shelter at all times. Waterfowl can suffer frostbite if left unsheltered and unprotected from the elements. On extremely cold days, do them a favor and keep them locked inside of their draft-free shelters.

Keep double-walled fountain water dispensers on specially designed heaters, so that your waterfowl will have access to water at all times. Make non-breakable buckets available to them to flush out their bills and to tidy up. Buckets should be refreshed twice daily for best results (try to keep away from areas with hay to avoid soaking).

Give your waterfowl a chance to bathe in a kiddie pool, basin, tub or pond at least once a week, preferably twice a week for best results. Even though it’s cold, they love to swim and it is important that they do so. They need to bathe and preen to properly insulate themselves from the cold. If your duck or goose is shivering, give them access to water.

Do not allow your ducks and geese unsupervised access to pools, ponds, basins, etc that can freeze over in your absence. Waterfowl are infamous for falling asleep in water and getting frozen in. Leaving them exposed to freezing bodies of water can put them in serious risk of frostbite and loss of limbs.

Insulate and draft-proof your duck and goose shelters. If your barn or shelter is insulated, be sure the insulation is not loose or hanging. You do not want your ducks and geese ingesting insulation. If their shelter is not insulated, put up thick sheets of plastic on the walls and then stack bails of hay up against the walls. Be sure the hay is secure and can’t fall on down on top of your ducks and geese.

Your ducks and geese do not have access to greens in summer; do them a favor and add some healthy lettuce mixes (not iceberg) to their daily diet. See our April newsletter for a list of foods to avoid. This will keep them healthy and entertained. As an added protein source and enrichment activity, bring home a dozen nightcrawlers for them to snack on and watch them go crazy!

Use extreme caution when using any kind of heat lamp or space heater. Hay and shavings are EXTREMELY flammable and these devices are the number one cause of winter barn fires. These devices should only be used when they are professionally installed and when instructions and maintenance requirements are specifically followed and adhered to. Otherwise, only use these devices while you are actually in your barn and able to supervise their function. Use them to take the chill out of the air and then shut them off and unplug them before you leave. If you give your ducks and geese access to clean water for bathing, provide them thick bedding, an appropriate level of wall insulation and an environment free of drafts, they should not need an added heat source (unless your climate is extremely cold, maintaining levels close to or below zero).

If you lock your waterfowl up in a barn for the winter, be sure to take them out at least a couple times a week for walks to keep their lives healthy and enriched. Although they tend to prefer the indoors when there is snow on the ground, it is still good for them to get out into the fresh air for a bit of foraging.