Ducks got attacked last night

[casportpony]

Did your vet offer any advice on how to clean their wounds or say if it was necessary?

@A_Fowl_Guy knows a lot about predators, so maybe he can comment.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@cymbaline just went through this with her ducks.

 

[Tilly6]

Did your vet offer any advice on how to clean their wounds or say if it was necessary?

@A_Fowl_Guy know a lot about predators, so maybe he can comment.

They did not say anything about trying to clean them up. I will try to figure out how to keep them contained while also giving them a bath. I have a small tub, but I would have to do them one by one in that. I’ve never had to deal with so many injuries at once. 3 years without a predator problem.

 

[casportpony]

@cymbaline just went through this with her ducks.

I got one in a hospital cage too. Probable fox attack.

 

[Tilly6]

How bad are the wounds and how deep do they go?

At this point, I don’t know. I will have to figure out how to get them a bath without completely stressing them out again

 

[Tilly6]

While your deciding, wash them so blood doesn’t attract. They are all in shock so I would put them in a confined area and give them time. Give them electrolytes and probiotics for a gallon or two and then go buy a cheap game camera to see what it is. I raised coons all my life. They do eat what they want and leave a mess. But a coon wouldn’t probably attack so many at once. No holes dug around coop or anything? So sad but if necks are straight and they have flesh wounds, you can go down to feed store and buy penicillin. You will need a 17 gage needle because it is very thick. 1/2 cc for 3 days should do. Keep wounds clean and bring them in until healed. I raise both ducks and geese. I bought geese as guardians for them during the day. We ended up buying a metal building because owls eat then like caviar. Want that crop food for babies which are here now for breeding season.

The damage is all head and neck and it’s obvious on the door where the animal tried to pull a duck through. The run is covered. There was no place we saw digging. The hardware cloth was not completely tacked down at the bottom of the door after some snow and ice damage. My top three guesses were raccoon, mink, or feral cat.

 

[casportpony]

They did not say anything about trying to clean them up. I will try to figure out how to keep them contained while also giving them a bath. I have a small tub, but I would have to do them one by one in that. I’ve never had to deal with so many injuries at once. 3 years without a predator problem.

That's a lot to deal with at once for sure!

 

[dehowery]

To have so many ducks wounded sounds like more than one animal > I feel bad for you and your Son who found the massacre. Good luck on the ones that are still alive.

 

[Tilly6]

I got one in a hospital cage too. Probable fox attack.

We had a house go up next door 2 years ago, and the construction work scared the resident foxes off, it’s been there long enough to be ‘quiet’ now so the animals are moving in again. Plus the extra long winter here in the UP of Mi hasn’t helped.
I’m sorry for you all going through the same thing.
I assume whatever it was also tried to pull the duck we had to kill through the door. She was alive but injured to the bone.

 

[longviewrn]

Your "blood bath" sounds familiar... Here in rural Idaho, we have plenty of nocturnal predators, but the most bold are the skunks. They love eggs, and they love DUCK NECKS!.. yup... they will just bite thru the poor ducks necks and leave the bodies in the field. Make sure your pen is predator proof... digging is their specialty. Sorry for your lost duckies.