We lost Troy during the night lastnight

**Genny** · 05-20-2007, 10:05 PM

I don't know where to begin--first of all I hope it's ok to post this here. I just thought that since more people visit the general I'd post here.

This morning when I went to feed the ducks I walked inside the pen (we're having to keep the ducks in a pen lately because my dad had to bring his dog(that isn't good with ducks here for just several reasons)

When I went into the pen the first thing I always do is look for Troy and make sure she's alright. (Troy is a female muscovy duck that I've had almost 4 years. I got her when she was 1 day old at the Falls. She was without a mother and probably would have died if I hadn't of brought her home. As Troy grew older her left leg started turning upwards and she got to where she couldn't possibly walk on it anymore.) Anyway, for the last almost 4 years of Troy's life I have always carried her food to her and broke it up in little bites so she could chew it well. I always sit her food right next to her so she wouldn't have to walk to get it because you could tell when she walked it was painful at times. She pretty much had to use her wings to support her body to be able to get around any. Some people on some other forums have told me before I should have her pts, because they said she was just miserable, but I knew better. She wasn't like the other ducks, but she definitely was a strong girl who enjoyed life and she really loved me. You could tell that she trusted me. She would try to get away from anyone else in my family that walked near her, but she knew I was the one who fed her. I always made sure she had a clean bowl of water to eat with, and when the days were hot I always put her in the pool and let her swim around and get clean, but I never went inside until she was finished. If I had of left her she might have drowned because since her legs were deformed she could only swim for so long and it was hard for her to make it out of the pool sometimes.

I've had Troy almost four years. She was only like a day old when we got her without a mom. She was the cutest baby duck! Her best friend was a male mallard named Jamoca. When they got grown Jamoca would take care of her and watch over her. They were a cute little couple.

Troy always slept in the dollhouse. She usually slept in there alone since the other ducks preferred under a bush or something, but a wild muscovy came over to or house over a month ago and laid eggs in the dollhouse, so Troy and the mom duck with eggs (that Ive named Anastasia) sleep in the dollhouse with one another every night.

I've never closed the dolhouse door because I always worried that something might try getting inside one night and hurting one of the ducks and if the doors were shut the ducks would be trapped inside, so I always just left it cracked, but last night Anastasia's eggs were about to hatch (the babies have started making holes in all the eggs!!!!) so my mom & I decided it would be best to close the dollhouse door so nothing will try getting the eggs before they get hatched. Troy & Anastasia were inside the D.house.

This morning I got up and went to feed the ducks and when I got there I started looking for Troy first thing like always. I opened the dollhouse door and didn't see Troy....the dollhouse has little windows on the sides that you can push open from the inside.....and they were wide open. I saw tons of Troy's feathers all over the ground inside the dollhouse. I thought that Anastasia had probably been mean to her during the night and made Troy jump out. I started looking for Troy *I'm always afraid and get scared if I can't find troy right off because she's so much like more dependant upon me that the rest of the ducks are. I looked and then I saw Troy lying in a corner on the ground. She was killed during the night. I ran over to her just crying....I saw bloody tracks that looked like a raccoon. It just killed her--I feel so bad. Troy depended on me to take care of her.

I wrapped her in some towels and my brothers buried her for me. We buried her right next to our other ducks that have gone on to the RB. Jake, Topaz, Chance, Reese, Apple and Pocahontas.

I just feel so terrible. I wasn't out there; I mean I'm sure it was around 2,3,4 am, because I was up really late checking on the eggs. I just can't believe it--she was always a scared duck, very cautious and not very trusting. There were only 3 ducks she trusted in her entire lifetime and we've had close to 30 and she's met them all but only trusted 3. She only trusted me too. Evety single day when I fed her I would sit down on the ground next to her while she ate (she was afraid to eat while i wasn't out there because the other ducks would take her food, so I always watched her and made sure she got all she wanted.

I hate that she might have went through some pain. I hope it wasn't painful for her because she didn't deserve this at all. She had a heart of gold.

Today was my birthday and my mom keeps telling me she's so sorry it happened today, but I thought it wouldn't have mattered if it happened last week, today or tomorrow...the pain is still there and just as strong.

I just keep thinking about her and I miss her so much. She was a sweet duck and I'll never forget her.

Yesterday I spent some extra time with her for no reason at all really...I just talked to her and pet her for a while and now I'm glad I did that. I never knew that'd be one of the last times I'd get to hug Troy and let her know she meant so much to me.

If you've read this all thanks, because I owe it to Troy to let everyone know what such a great and wonderful muscovy she was!!

I'll love you forever Troy. I'm sorry this happened, but now you're at te RB and I'm so sure your little leg is normal there. I love you baby and I'll see you again someday....

Troy
2003-2007

**Genny** · 05-20-2007, 10:12 PM

I also wanted to add this about the eggs (there are 15 now, one has hatched) We thought it would bebest to bring the eggs inside incase the raccoon comes back tonight. We put them under 2 lamps and we tried brining the mom, Anastasia in but she won't stay inside she keeps trying to walk all over the house... so I had to end up letting her go back outside... so the eggs are inside but I'mm too afraid to take them back out with her. What if the R. comes back?? It would eat them and they have all started cracking holes, so will they be alright if we keep them warm even if they don't jabr their momma now??? thanks!!

**Karen** · 05-20-2007, 11:40 PM

Rest in peace, pretty girl. I don't know how warm things have to be for the eggs to hatch safely - might want to PM critter crazy or Google incubation temperatures.