Hello Folks!
One of our ferrets got outside through the dryer vent (It was blocked off completely but this little guy wanted out and into the coop-BAD-still not sure how he jimmied the thing open) and he got into our duck pen where our six ducks and seven goslings are. (2 pekin, 4 crested ducks, 5 african goslings and 2 toulouse)
All of them are fairly young, the ducks about six weeks old and the goslings about three weeks. So, the while the ducks are pretty big, all feathered out and such, the goslings are still at the long legged, gangley stage.
The ferret managed to bite a clump of the fluff out of a goslings butt, there is a bald spot and blood, not so much a chunk of flesh missing, but a raw, ripped spot. He seems fine enough, but with all of the blood the chickens are messing with him. So I brought him into the house to wash off his butt and put triple antibiotic ointment on it. I am keeping him in the house in a small animal carrier. He is chirruping for his mates, but I am worried that if I put another gosling in with him for company the gosling will also "pick" at his wound.
I am proud of our biggest white pekin. I may be anthropomorphizing when I say that I think he was a hero. He was running around and around the pool in the pen, with the ferret at his heels, his wings dragging (making all kinds of noise-that's how I knew something was amiss) while all of the others made a bee line for the coop.
As soon as I hopped in and grabbed the ferret he straightened up, tucked his wings back and ran to be with the others. I felt like he was playing decoy to save the others.
At any rate, mea culpa. I should have watched the stupid little weasel better! Now I know.
Does anyone have any advice for me in caring for the little gosling?
Thanks in Advance!
Deb
One of our ferrets got outside through the dryer vent (It was blocked off completely but this little guy wanted out and into the coop-BAD-still not sure how he jimmied the thing open) and he got into our duck pen where our six ducks and seven goslings are. (2 pekin, 4 crested ducks, 5 african goslings and 2 toulouse)
All of them are fairly young, the ducks about six weeks old and the goslings about three weeks. So, the while the ducks are pretty big, all feathered out and such, the goslings are still at the long legged, gangley stage.
The ferret managed to bite a clump of the fluff out of a goslings butt, there is a bald spot and blood, not so much a chunk of flesh missing, but a raw, ripped spot. He seems fine enough, but with all of the blood the chickens are messing with him. So I brought him into the house to wash off his butt and put triple antibiotic ointment on it. I am keeping him in the house in a small animal carrier. He is chirruping for his mates, but I am worried that if I put another gosling in with him for company the gosling will also "pick" at his wound.
I am proud of our biggest white pekin. I may be anthropomorphizing when I say that I think he was a hero. He was running around and around the pool in the pen, with the ferret at his heels, his wings dragging (making all kinds of noise-that's how I knew something was amiss) while all of the others made a bee line for the coop.
As soon as I hopped in and grabbed the ferret he straightened up, tucked his wings back and ran to be with the others. I felt like he was playing decoy to save the others.
At any rate, mea culpa. I should have watched the stupid little weasel better! Now I know.
Does anyone have any advice for me in caring for the little gosling?
Thanks in Advance!
Deb
