Duck Just Attacked--Need Advice!!

[BickeringToast]

As we just pulled in the drive I could see into the duck yard- it looked like a large bird, possibly some kind of Owl, took flight into a nearby tree. I saw Daphne, the WH flap his wings and head into the night pen. By the time we got out to the pen, Daphne was inside their actual house not moving much, and the other 2 were acting very scared.

I have Daphne inside the garage, basically in a large crate with large pine chips. He was bleeding from 2 areas, both having stopped and his bill seems scratched. I will get some Veterycin in the morning, but right now would it be at all helpful to have him in the large tub, with just a little cool/barely warm water, check out his wounds, and possibly treat anything with saline?

Any advice GREATLY appreciated

 

[Amiga]

Absolutely. Get him into the tub, and check under his wings, around his vent, up and down his neck.

Vetericyn is good. You may want to clip feathers around areas that look wounded so you can get a better look. Keep him in, away from flies - they will lay eggs in open wounds.

For tonight, yes, rinse wounds with saline.

He may be in shock - make sure to keep him warm (not hot, but he may easily get chilled in his state). If he is in shock, he may not want to eat or drink - don't force it tonight, but do make sure he starts drinking by morning - but we can cross that bridge when we come to it.

 

[Amiga]

I may not be online much longer, but I will check back in the morning.

 

[BickeringToast]

Amiga

Thank you for your calm reply!

I put Daphne in a few inches of warm water. He does have wounds on his bill but he was able to drink some water and even eat 1 or 2 of his very favorite green peas. The only other wounds seem to be on the right side of his head and the right side of his neck. After drying him off I rinsed the wounds quite a bit using saline. He seems to have perked up a little, although being inside away from his partners in crime is clearly NOT his 1st choice.

I do think he is doing a little better, although quite sore possibly. He was all for preening during and after his bath, but it looks like it is just too uncomfortable.

The other 2 are locked in the night pen and even locked in their house inside the night pen. The night pen is fully covered but the day area is not. Normally they are in the secure pen long before dark, but with night coming earlier everyday, we made it home a few minutes after dark..

Thank you so much for your thoughts and concern. I will update tomorrow with my wounded felons condition!

 

[Amiga]

Sounds like as good a report as we could hope for under the circumstances. Good work! Any of us can get caught up short - we all learn from these episodes, and I pray Daphne will soon be right as rain.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hows Daphne doing this morning?