After the attack

[yinzerchick]

Question, I had 6 ducks. One was a pair, a male mallard and a female blue swiss. They were the oldest and the "mated couple" among the group. (the rest were the result of them mating, they didn't raise the babies though.)

Long story short, last night was a bad, bad, night. I lost 3 of them to an owl. One was my female blue swiss, and mate to the mallard. He looks like he might be in shock. The other two that survived are both females, and they're with him. They seem to be doing okay, eating, and primping. But he is just waddling around with them with a dazed look. Usually, him and his mate were very personable with me, following me all around, and begging treats. He hasn't acknowledged my presents, accept to move away when I tried to get near him.

Will he be okay? Him and his mate were very tight. Always together. I'm heart broken and sick over this. Not knowing if he's going to be okay, or die of a broken heart is adding to my stress.


I visually checked him for injuries and couldn't see any He wouldn't let me get close enough to touch him, he kept moving away and I didn't want to upset him by cornering him.

Any adivce welcome. Any suggestions for something I could do for him? He's about 9 1/2 months old, and the two other femles are about almost 3 months old.

Thanks,
D.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Question, I had 6 ducks. One was a pair, a male mallard and a female blue swiss. They were the oldest and the "mated couple" among the group. (the rest were the result of them mating, they didn't raise the babies though.)

Long story short, last night was a bad, bad, night. I lost 3 of them to an owl. One was my female blue swiss, and mate to the mallard. He looks like he might be in shock. The other two that survived are both females, and they're with him. They seem to be doing okay, eating, and primping. But he is just waddling around with them with a dazed look. Usually, him and his mate were very personable with me, following me all around, and begging treats. He hasn't acknowledged my presents, accept to move away when I tried to get near him.

Will he be okay? Him and his mate were very tight. Always together. I'm heart broken and sick over this. Not knowing if he's going to be okay, or die of a broken heart is adding to my stress.


I visually checked him for injuries and couldn't see any He wouldn't let me get close enough to touch him, he kept moving away and I didn't want to upset him by cornering him.

Any adivce welcome. Any suggestions for something I could do for him? He's about 9 1/2 months old, and the two other femles are about almost 3 months old.

Thanks,
D.

First off they need a very secure shelter at night or that owl will get them all. and I am very sorry for your loss. One reason we hammer in about secure housing at night especially since that's when most preds come out. Another thing I would do is physically pick him up and check him over really good for injuries. I'ts very natural for shock to occur after an attack but he could have some injuries under those feathers you can't see just by looking from a distance. since he still has some ducks he'll most likely bond with them eventually but they do grieve so give him some time to do that. Right now he needs to be checked over good and kept safe till he is over the shock and stress of losing his mate. When an animal is in shock they need to be kept warm and in a place where they feel secure till the shock wears off. Give him feed and water with vitamins and electrolytes in it to help keep him going while recouping, and please keep us updated on him and the girls .

 

[Gagroundhog]

I'm very sorry for your loss, I hope he and the others will be ok soon.

 

[yinzerchick]

Okay, I picked him up and checked him over. He had some blood on his chest, but we felt and lifted the feathers and couldn't find any wounds on him. I'm assuming the blood was from one of the casualties, probably his mate, Stevie.

He's been staying around the other two ducks, who seem to be absolutely fine. I guess because they still have eachother, they were part of a four-pack. Poor Ray, him and Stevie were best buddies and mates. Stevie and Ray were ALWAYS together, and it was usually just the two of them. I am just heart sick...

I plan on confining them all in the barn tonight. Perhaps even inside one of the brooders, since there's no doors on the barn. They seem to hate being confined at night, so we let them stay in our fenced yard. We have several places for them to go inside, like under the porch steps and inside a shelter we built for them, but they never took advantage of it. Tonight they'll just have to accept that they're going to sleep inside the barn from now on.

Ray, (the mallard) is definately grieving. He didn't eat any of the corn or bread I took out to them. He's just sitting under one of the bushes, not acting like himself at all.I've only seen him get in the puddle pond once, and he didn't even flap his wings or preen himself. He got right out after about 5 minutes. This is absolutely our worst loss ever. Stevie and Ray were so personable and engaging...our favorite couple. Always there to greet me, and follow me around while I hung clothes out, did gardening, or just went out to look around. Stevie was my little quacking shadow. My heart, and my yard, will never be the same.

Oh, and thank you so much for the advice and kind words! I'll keep you posted. Thank you again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay, I picked him up and checked him over. He had some blood on his chest, but we felt and lifted the feathers and couldn't find any wounds on him. I'm assuming the blood was from one of the casualties, probably his mate, Stevie.

He's been staying around the other two ducks, who seem to be absolutely fine. I guess because they still have eachother, they were part of a four-pack. Poor Ray, him and Stevie were best buddies and mates. Stevie and Ray were ALWAYS together, and it was usually just the two of them. I am just heart sick...

I plan on confining them all in the barn tonight. Perhaps even inside one of the brooders, since there's no doors on the barn. They seem to hate being confined at night, so we let them stay in our fenced yard. We have several places for them to go inside, like under the porch steps and inside a shelter we built for them, but they never took advantage of it. Tonight they'll just have to accept that they're going to sleep inside the barn from now on.

Ray, (the mallard) is definately grieving. He didn't eat any of the corn or bread I took out to them. He's just sitting under one of the bushes, not acting like himself at all.I've only seen him get in the puddle pond once, and he didn't even flap his wings or preen himself. He got right out after about 5 minutes. This is absolutely our worst loss ever. Stevie and Ray were so personable and engaging...our favorite couple. Always there to greet me, and follow me around while I hung clothes out, did gardening, or just went out to look around. Stevie was my little quacking shadow. My heart, and my yard, will never be the same.

Oh, and thank you so much for the advice and kind words! I'll keep you posted. Thank you again.

Well relieved right along with you that he doesn't have any injuries, and at least he can have a bit of easing of his grief by still having 2 ducks to be with. Now ducks don't really know that they need protection that's where we come in as their keepers, once you get them into a routine of going in of a night they will get use to it, and it's for their own good. I sure don't want you to have any more heart ache of losing the rest. If the barn doesn't have a door then by all means close them up inside the brooder so they will be completely protected. Once you get them inside give them something special as a treat, something you will only give them inside. this will give them something to look forward to. I wish you the best and again very sorry for your loss.

 

[Amiga]

Ditto Miss Lydia, and I would get them all on some poultry vitamins with electrolytes for a few days.

 

[yinzerchick]

Please help.
My drake doesn't seem well. I can't find any injuries, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have something going on internally. He has drank some, but is not eating or moving around much. I've put the electrolytes in his water, and he wasn't interested in his food.

We let him out of the brooder to be with the two remaining young females. He's resting near them inside the hay ring next to the barn. I was outside watching them, the girls got up to get a drink and eat a little, but he stayed where he was. They eventually went back over and are laying with him. (Yesterday he wouldn't even stay near them) He hasn't come over to the yard, or swam at all. All total, it looks like he's only moved about 20 ft. today.

Should I try to make him eat? He's very much the hunter/forager, and the only treats he ever really seemed interested in was some corn. I offered it and he hasn't touched it, he just turns and slowly walks away.
Could he be sore, perhaps? It is heart wrenching to see him like this. My husband insists it's because it still so fresh, and he's still maybe in shock.

What else can I do for him, I did the electrolytes,and vitamins...is there anything else?
Grief councelling may be in order for both him and me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please help.
My drake doesn't seem well. I can't find any injuries, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have something going on internally. He has drank some, but is not eating or moving around much. I've put the electrolytes in his water, and he wasn't interested in his food.

We let him out of the brooder to be with the two remaining young females. He's resting near them inside the hay ring next to the barn. I was outside watching them, the girls got up to get a drink and eat a little, but he stayed where he was. They eventually went back over and are laying with him. (Yesterday he wouldn't even stay near them) He hasn't come over to the yard, or swam at all. All total, it looks like he's only moved about 20 ft. today.

Should I try to make him eat? He's very much the hunter/forager, and the only treats he ever really seemed interested in was some corn. I offered it and he hasn't touched it, he just turns and slowly walks away.
Could he be sore, perhaps? It is heart wrenching to see him like this. My husband insists it's because it still so fresh, and he's still maybe in shock.

What else can I do for him, I did the electrolytes,and vitamins...is there anything else?
Grief councelling may be in order for both him and me.

I'm thinking another examine may be in order, wrap him in a towel and start on one side and work your way around till you've covered every part of his body, those feathers can hide a lot. Seems he should be coming out of shock slowly and maybe that is it, so hard to know for sure I would say internal injuries but with the talons owls have seems you would see external first. Just keep doing what you are by keeping him safe, and the others too and offering him food and water, good you added the vitamins and lets hope you start seeing him come around In a few days.

 

[Amiga]

I agree with Miss Lydia - start thinking about getting some oral antibiotics. He may have internal injuries. Rest may help. But if it is a serious internal injury, a vet may be needed. How does his stool look? Have you gotten him into a tub of lukewarm water for observation?

 

[yinzerchick]

Okay, I looked him over again. Can't feel, or see anything. (those feathers are thick!)

He hadn't moved all day from the hay ring, so about 4:00 I took him out some water with the electrolytes, and tried getting him to drink some. When I approached him with it, he slowly started moving away and went with the other two ducks into the goat pen. I sat the water down next to the goats water bucket. He drank some. I decided the goats water could use changing, so I poured it out slowly where the ducks were. It made a large puddle and to my delight, Ray started sifting through the mud!

I got some more water and added it to make the puddle bigger, and all three of them waddled around sifting together. They kept sifting and drinking for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime, I went over where one of the big puddle ponds fills whenever it rains, and filled it with the hose. To my delight, all three ducks waddled over and got in. He stretched out his wings. He dipped his head in the water, and even preened his chest and belly a little!

Then they all walked around looking for something to eat for a little while out in the pasture with the chickens. The dynamics of the group are changing, and apparently Stevie was the one that was friendly, and in charge of where to go.

Ray seems a little lost as to what to do, and the young females are used to going with La La the chicken. She's their momma... and when they look to Ray, he's not confident as to what to do now.
So, I'm thinking it may take a little while to get them all on the same page, as to how things work in the evenings now. We're all starting a new routine.

I got the two young females into the barn easily with some corn, Ray was a little less willing to go inside, but I finally just picked him up and put him in with the other two.

Thinking I should just keep monitoring him, seems he definately made some progress today. I have Tylan 50 on hand, will that be okay for ducks if I need it?

What are some tempting treats I could offer besides corn. Do ducks like mealworms? Bread doesn't seem to be doing the trick, and the corn is now hit and miss. I know he loved watermelon this summer, but I don't have any now. Grapes?

I'm sad because Ray use to eat out of my hand and loved his corn, and cherry tomatoes. Now he seems very suspicious of me, and keeps his distance. I'm hoping that he comes around.

Thanks you so much for your help!!