Daffy brutally attacks Daisy (Warning: Graphic Pictures)

[ProudRedneck]

I know my inexperience, ignorance, and just plain stupidity put Daisy (Silver Appleyard drake) in this situation, so please don't try to make me feel any worse than I already do. Daffy, a Muscovy hen, is sitting on a nest of 12 eggs dated 04/01/2023 and forward. I know; I should have stayed on top of collecting the eggs.

Yesterday I noticed on the coop camera that she was relentlessly going after Daisy for almost 2 hours before I woke up to let them (Daffy's three-month-old babies & Daisy himself) out for the day. Later, when Daffy decided to come off the nest for her daily nibble, bath, and poop, I put her on Daisy's side of the yard like I always do, and Daffy would not leave Daisy alone to the point of chasing him down and making him hide behind something just to get away from her. I made the decision to put her on the other side of the yard where her babies forage to see if she shows aggression towards them. I watched her boss them around but never "puffed" up at them or chased them down, and sometimes they were foraging side by side. At this time, I watched all recordings leading up to and during Daffy "attacking" Daisy that morning and assumed what caused the blowup of aggression and figured it was a one-off situation.

Fast forward to this morning. I saw on the camera Daffy attacking Daisy again this morning before I woke up, and the scenario was different in that the lead-up to the attack did not have outside influence like yesterday's attack. Well, today's attack drew blood, and I need to make sure I do what's right to allow Daisy to heal properly. I already have a way of separating Daffy and Daisy so she won't have access to him again until after her babies hatch, and I feel confident that she is back to loving her mate. In the meantime, my focus is making sure Daisy doesn't feel rejected and unloved.

So far, all I have done is sprayed the area with Vetricyn. What else, if anything else, should I do to help him heal? How do I keep flies off of the wound? I don't want him to be eaten by maggots. If better pictures are needed, let me know. Thank you all for helping me help one of my babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Poor boy! she is really not being nice. I'm not sure i would trust her with the ducklings either, I've seen one of my Muscovy broodies who got hold of a chicken or duck and not let go. Thankfully they got away before I had to intervene but mine are not enclosed in a pen. She should be by herself with her eggs. Only thing with this wound is to keep it clean and use the Veterycin several times a day especially before bed when he won't be getting into water and washing it off. This is very important. Or keep him inside away from flies.

I got this at TSC it's called SWAT fly repellent ointment.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Poor Daisy... Hormones are a terrible thing!

 

[ProudRedneck]

@Miss Lydia Yeah, I am surprised by how she is acting with this brood vs. her first, but maybe she learned from the first time that Daisy will kill them if he gets a chance by being more proactive about it this time. Either way, she will be by herself until they hatch now. A silver lining I can find through all this is that it has humbled Daisy enough to start being friends or at least tolerate his three-month-old babies without charging them and running them off. This is why I have had the yard divided in half, "babies" on one side, Mom & Dad on the other. However, they are finally acting like a flock, minus Daffy. Then again, Daisy could be in too much pain to bother chasing. I will get some of the ointment today. If Daisy were still being a jerk to the babies, I would definitely bring him inside. He looks pitiful when he is on one side of the yard, babies on the other, and his girlfriend is sitting on the nest, not coming out to be with him. Needless to say, I have stayed out there with him so he didn't feel alone. Tonight will be a test also on if he will be ok with being on the same side of the divider as the babies in the run for the night. If not, I will close the kennel door for the night, closing off Daffy, and then Daisy can walk freely on his & her side while the babies stay on theirs.

Should I clip away the feathers surrounding the wound or leave it be?

 

[ruthhope]

I know my inexperience, ignorance, and just plain stupidity put Daisy (Silver Appleyard drake) in this situation, so please don't try to make me feel any worse than I already do. Daffy, a Muscovy hen, is sitting on a nest of 12 eggs dated 04/01/2023 and forward. I know; I should have stayed on top of collecting the eggs.

Yesterday I noticed on the coop camera that she was relentlessly going after Daisy for almost 2 hours before I woke up to let them (Daffy's three-month-old babies & Daisy himself) out for the day. Later, when Daffy decided to come off the nest for her daily nibble, bath, and poop, I put her on Daisy's side of the yard like I always do, and Daffy would not leave Daisy alone to the point of chasing him down and making him hide behind something just to get away from her. I made the decision to put her on the other side of the yard where her babies forage to see if she shows aggression towards them. I watched her boss them around but never "puffed" up at them or chased them down, and sometimes they were foraging side by side. At this time, I watched all recordings leading up to and during Daffy "attacking" Daisy that morning and assumed what caused the blowup of aggression and figured it was a one-off situation.

Fast forward to this morning. I saw on the camera Daffy attacking Daisy again this morning before I woke up, and the scenario was different in that the lead-up to the attack did not have outside influence like yesterday's attack. Well, today's attack drew blood, and I need to make sure I do what's right to allow Daisy to heal properly. I already have a way of separating Daffy and Daisy so she won't have access to him again until after her babies hatch, and I feel confident that she is back to loving her mate. In the meantime, my focus is making sure Daisy doesn't feel rejected and unloved.

So far, all I have done is sprayed the area with Vetricyn. What else, if anything else, should I do to help him heal? How do I keep flies off of the wound? I don't want him to be eaten by maggots. If better pictures are needed, let me know. Thank you all for helping me help one of my babies.

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Oh Poor boy and poor you, @ProudRedneck . Your two "babies" fighting. I suspect Daffy, even though female, is bigger than Daisy and so Daisy is at a huge advantage. He is probably a gentle soul and daffy is hyped up by maternal hormones.

I am sure the wounds will heal well after cleaning with soap and water, and spraying with vetericyn. No need to clip feathers. As mine are all males, I have to deal with hormone driven fights -- including, last year, fighting me!!! So I can say with confidence that Daisy will heal and later in the year Daffy and Daisy will be friends again. Can Daisy be separated off with the ducklings for now?

 

[ProudRedneck]

They really do suck @Canadian Wind
Here I was feeling just awful that Daffy was having to put up with Daisy.
Now, I have seen just how brutal Daffy can be if she wants, and I feel terrible for Daisy.

The poor guy just stands around like what the hell did I do?

 

[ProudRedneck]

@ruthhope @Miss Lydia @Canadian Wind

Dad is getting along with his firstborn so far today. This is the first time I have seen him not charge them and for them to allow him within 6 feet of them before they start moving away from him. This makes me so happy to see them together finally. But I hate that it took a fight between Mom & Dad for this to happen. I swear this is a night and day difference compared to two days ago.

Today they finally look like a family, minus Momma/Girlfriend

 

[ProudRedneck]

@ruthhope

This picture will help show my set up and will show the size difference between Daffy & Daisy and her babies.
Daffy's nest is in the kennel on the back wall.
The divider has been put in place because Dad wasn't tolerating his babies being around Momma.

If for some reason Daisy changes his attitude towards his babies once in the run for the night, then I can close the door to Daffy's kennel to keep her separated from Daisy, but still be on the same side of the divider with her and separate from the babies.

 

[Canadian Wind]

Very nice set up! The advantages of being somewhere with no snow, lol!

 

[ruthhope]

@ruthhope

This picture will help show my set up and will show the size difference between Daffy & Daisy and her babies.
Daffy's nest is in the kennel on the back wall.
The divider has been put in place because Dad wasn't tolerating his babies being around Momma.

If for some reason Daisy changes his attitude towards his babies once in the run for the night, then I can close the door to Daffy's kennel to keep her separated from Daisy, but still be on the same side of the divider with her and separate from the babies.
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Your set up has grown in the last 12 months!!!! You definiely have the duck Math bug!!!! Good luck with them this evening!!