After the attack

[Miss Lydia]

Great news and so happy to hear no wounds and it seems you maybe right, He is now going to have to take the lead and it's all new to him. But sounds like he made some great progress today, I know your thrilled and I am too and I don't even know him. LOL It may take some time for things to get to the new norm but I'm thinking if Ray ate out of your hand before he'll do it again. Mine love dried mealworms so try that. I'd hold off on antibiotics since you have seen progress and you didn't see any open wounds. Just give him a few more days and see if he continues to make positive progress. and please keep us updated..

 

[yinzerchick]

Happy! Happy! Happy!

Much progress in the past couple days! Ray is now walking around with the young females, they're swimming in all their puddle ponds. He's shaking his tail feathers, and flapping his wings. The girls are following him around, he brought them into the yard a few times yesterday (we have a little puddle pond in the yard for them too) and he ate some corn I threw out to them.

They all seemed to know they were going to go into the barn last evening, and it was easy herding them in. We set up a little shelter for them inside the barn, and made a bed of hay for them. I didn't think they'd use it, but when I turned out the lights, I could see them going under it and checking it out. I don't know if they slept in it or not. They seem to like to be exposed for some reason...maybe because it's been warm at night?

Even without doors on the barn, I'm fairly confident it's safe. We have 5 guineas that roost in the rafters of the barn, and 5 chickens that have decided to make it their home. The donkeys are patrolling the pasture next to and behind it, and the side where the ducks are is totally secured to keep goats out...so it's pretty secure. The goats also sleep in the barn, and they're not little goats, big full size nubians.

This morning they've already been in the swimming in the yard, out in their pool we relocated to the goat pen behind the barn, and are now resting near the back door of the barn.

Thank you again for helping and your concern!

 

[Amiga]

Glad, glad for this report!

I will say, as a true worrywart who has seen the results of some predator surprise attacks, please do not underestimate the boldness of predators. If they strike once, they will strike again, watching the behavior patterns of all the animals including you. I would make whatever the ducks sleep in something that a predator could not breach. Many of them are very sound sleepers, and they are ground sleepers. Very vulnerable.

 

[Gagroundhog]

That's wonderful news! I'm so glad he's better! Congrats!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Happy! Happy! Happy!

Much progress in the past couple days! Ray is now walking around with the young females, they're swimming in all their puddle ponds. He's shaking his tail feathers, and flapping his wings. The girls are following him around, he brought them into the yard a few times yesterday (we have a little puddle pond in the yard for them too) and he ate some corn I threw out to them.

They all seemed to know they were going to go into the barn last evening, and it was easy herding them in. We set up a little shelter for them inside the barn, and made a bed of hay for them. I didn't think they'd use it, but when I turned out the lights, I could see them going under it and checking it out. I don't know if they slept in it or not. They seem to like to be exposed for some reason...maybe because it's been warm at night?

Even without doors on the barn, I'm fairly confident it's safe. We have 5 guineas that roost in the rafters of the barn, and 5 chickens that have decided to make it their home. The donkeys are patrolling the pasture next to and behind it, and the side where the ducks are is totally secured to keep goats out...so it's pretty secure. The goats also sleep in the barn, and they're not little goats, big full size nubians.

This morning they've already been in the swimming in the yard, out in their pool we relocated to the goat pen behind the barn, and are now resting near the back door of the barn.

Thank you again for helping and your concern!

Wonderful news, sounds like Ray is coming out of shock great.

Glad, glad for this report!

I will say, as a true worrywart who has seen the results of some predator surprise attacks, please do not underestimate the boldness of predators. If they strike once, they will strike again, watching the behavior patterns of all the animals including you. I would make whatever the ducks sleep in something that a predator could not breach. Many of them are very sound sleepers, and they are ground sleepers. Very vulnerable.

I agree with A, we can never let our guard down as I found out this morning when we were visited by a huge red tail hawk, everyone is okay but sure did scare the willies out of us all. Now I am having to rethink the small area where they ducks/geese have always taken for safety, not sure if the hawk could have actually gotten into the area with that huge wing span but I am not going to take any chances. This hawk is bold. Please take every effort to make sure your ducks are safe especially at night when most preds are on the prowl.