A prolapsed phallus (penis) in a male duck is a condition that may need your intervention to avoid permanent injury and infertility. Unlike chickens, male ducks have a phallus that is contained within the body when not in use during copulation.
Causes and Prevention
Overuse, venereal disease, and trauma are the most common causes of a prolapsed phallus. An exuberant male who is housed with too many female ducks is perhaps the most common cause. Maintain a breeding ratio of 1 male to no more than 3 female ducks to help prevent overuse injury.
Help prevent breeding trauma by keeping different duck breeds housed separately. If you want to keep a mix of different duck breeds together, try to keep breeds that are similarly sized. A mismatch in body size between males and females can lead to trauma to either partner.
Treatment
As soon as you notice the prolapse, isolate the duck from the rest of the flock into its own hospital cage while you gather a few supplies:
- Old towel
- Rubber gloves
- KY Jelly or Vetericyn Hydrogel spray
Gently wrap the duck in the towel, leaving his back end exposed to allow you to work on him. Wearing the gloves, very gently lubricate the prolapsed phallus and remove any debris that may be stuck to the skin surface. Once the phallus is moist, very gently coax it to retract back inside the cloaca. If the phallus is badly swollen, discolored or completely dried, veterinary help is needed.
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