Can they get sunburnt?

[kara_leigh]

I had my ducklings outside today in the chicken tractor. They were outside from around noon until 6:00 or so. I just noticed that one of my younger ones, ~2wks, has really red feet. The webbing between his toes seems to be burnt. Is that possible? They aren't normally like that. They had shade, so they weren't in the sun all day unless they wanted to be. None of the other ducks have red feet, just the one.

If not from the sun, what could it be? They are really red, but normally they are BRIGHT orange.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had my ducklings outside today in the chicken tractor. They were outside from around noon until 6:00 or so. I just noticed that one of my younger ones, ~2wks, has really red feet. The webbing between his toes seems to be burnt. Is that possible? They aren't normally like that. They had shade, so they weren't in the sun all day unless they wanted to be. None of the other ducks have red feet, just the one.

If not from the sun, what could it be? They are really red, but normally they are BRIGHT orange.

I've never seen a ducks feet get sunburnt, do you have some antibiotic salve you can rub on them? just make sure it doesn't have pain reliever in it. since it;'s been a while since you posted are they looking better today?

 

[keringordon]

I've never seen a ducks feet get sunburnt, do you have some antibiotic salve you can rub on them? just make sure it doesn't have pain reliever in it. since it;'s been a while since you posted are they looking better today?

I've never heard of a duck's feet getting sunburned but my Pekin ducks feet turn brown. initially he was getting antibiotics every day and getting antibiotics rubbed on his feet but I had to put some other chickens in the kennel and put them back with the others. Its been about 5 days and I'm soaking his feet right now and I noticed the brown is just the top layer so yes Duck's feet can get sunburned. he already has bad feet from so much bumble foot because I live in the desert and it's been 110 now for about 3 weeks. I went to ground twice a day and they have pools to go in but it's only going to get worse with the temperature.

 

[Miss Lydia]

With that kind of heat I would try to keep him and any others out of the sun. Getting sunburned in the desert is probably a good possibility plus heat stroke. At bedtime so he doesn't wash off the ointment I would apply some kind of antibiotic ointment on his feet.
Even the sand can burn. Even Veterycin spray for wounds and infections may help.

 

[keringordon]

Yes Im well aware of all of this. I used prescription antibiotics plus oral antibiotics I get when I go to Mexico. I have a large stash of medicines. They have shade and I have three groups of ducks and four groups of chickens. Most of the hens are in the fenced corral but if they try as hard as the roosters they can get out since the roosters always seem to get in. There are also fire ants everywhere and the diotrimeous earth isnt working at all this year. When I went into tractor supply the girl there said they lost a dozen bantams from fire ants and moved their pen. I have some low toxic poison I put down that they shouldnt be messing with. There are five pools and shade everywhere unless they run from group to group which they wont. Next year all the hundred trees that are saplings will provide tons of shade. I will take a pic of my ducks feet when he is done soaking. I got the ducks from an old couple who kept them off the ground in a wire cage so I dont know how old they are.....what stupid people they are.

 

[keringordon]

Yes Im well aware of all of this. I used prescription antibiotics plus oral antibiotics I get when I go to Mexico. I have a large stash of medicines. They have shade and I have three groups of ducks and four groups of chickens. Most of the hens are in the fenced corral but if they try as hard as the roosters they can get out since the roosters always seem to get in. There are also fire ants everywhere and the diatomaceous earth isn't working at all this year. When I went into tractor supply the girl there said they lost a dozen bantams from fire ants and moved their pen. I have some low toxic poison I put down that they shouldn't be messing with. There are five pools and shade everywhere unless they run from group to group which they wont. Next year all the hundred trees that are saplings will provide tons of shade. I will take a pic of my ducks feet when he is done soaking. I got the ducks from an old couple who kept them off the ground in a wire cage so I don't know how old they are.....what stupid people they are.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Not being there in person makes it hard to actually know what this maybe but it could be burns from sun or wet ammonia bedding.

 

[keringordon]

Not being there in person makes it hard to actually know what this maybe but it could be burns from sun or wet ammonia bedding.

I'm not sure if you're referring to my post or the one above it. I know what caused the burns on my ducks feet its the sun. My ducks are not caged up. He looked much better today than they did last time and they're healing up nicely although it's going to take a couple more weeks to get them back to normal. Out of 15 ducks he's the only one who has it. I did lose one chicken a couple weeks ago but that was so early in the morning it couldn't have been from the heat and when she was drooping I took her in the bathroom and she died later that day she was only 11 months old. my oldest chicken who was real old he did have a stroke and he lived in my bathroom for two more weeks before he passed he had all the signs of a stroke. when he got called in the winter rain he used to have seizures so I had to go get him and bring him inside every time it rained. Keeping poultry isn't easy if you really love them a lot. I just keep thinking how my grandfather used to own the biggest duck farm in the world and what a horrible person he was responsible for killing all those lives I'm glad I never met him because he died right before I was born. To kill one duck is a tragedy to kill millions is beyond understanding. How people can stand there and pull down out of a live goose over and over is just something I cannot comprehend.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Why did your Grandfather kill all ducks and geese?

You are doing great at caring for your drake and the rest of your flock. Glad to hear he is improving.

 

[keringordon]

Well because he owned the biggest duck farm in the world that's what they do they sell ducks for people to eat. He didn't have geese but I do and its horrible how they are treated when their feathers are pulled out if them. They do the same to rabbits for their angoras and their screams are horrible. I saw that on youtube.