PeanutButterQuackers
In the Brooder
- May 1, 2018
- 15
- 18
- 36
Three days ago a mink exposed a weakness in our coop and climbed a straight wall seven feet high to break through a screen. It killed three khaki Campbells.
When my husband discovered this, he immediately came in and got supplies to board the screen.
The mink returned before he did. He opened the coop door and found it on top of another duck. The mink escaped. The duck appeared fine at first- it flew the coop during the distraction. But it wouldn't walk.
My husband realized it was bleeding and brought her in.
I applied gauze for 30 minutes to both side of her head and stayed with her for two hours. For the first 30 minutes her breathing was raspy and she was shaking. When the bleeding stopped I sprayed blu-kote very liberally. She was drinking within an hour.
She's been good about water, but has not eaten since before the attack. I've tried to entice her with cucumber, crumble feed, crumble feed mixed with water, and ground beef.
She's refusing to touch any of it.
Her posture is also concerning. She keeps her head tucked into her back like ducks that are sleeping. I'm not sure if it's painful to do otherwise or if the Blu kote drying has just made it uncomfortable.
-How do I get her to eat? Could reintegrating with her flock help encourage her to eat?
-can I let her take a bath to clean off the blue kote, or will the movement potentially reopen her wounds? They're deep.
When my husband discovered this, he immediately came in and got supplies to board the screen.
The mink returned before he did. He opened the coop door and found it on top of another duck. The mink escaped. The duck appeared fine at first- it flew the coop during the distraction. But it wouldn't walk.
My husband realized it was bleeding and brought her in.
I applied gauze for 30 minutes to both side of her head and stayed with her for two hours. For the first 30 minutes her breathing was raspy and she was shaking. When the bleeding stopped I sprayed blu-kote very liberally. She was drinking within an hour.
She's been good about water, but has not eaten since before the attack. I've tried to entice her with cucumber, crumble feed, crumble feed mixed with water, and ground beef.
She's refusing to touch any of it.
Her posture is also concerning. She keeps her head tucked into her back like ducks that are sleeping. I'm not sure if it's painful to do otherwise or if the Blu kote drying has just made it uncomfortable.
-How do I get her to eat? Could reintegrating with her flock help encourage her to eat?
-can I let her take a bath to clean off the blue kote, or will the movement potentially reopen her wounds? They're deep.
