If not from mating or other predator, it's also
possibly a hawk attack. I have seen them try (and succeed at times) to get a Canada goose
.
I recently had one of my pullets escape hawk attack and had a very bad wound. I separated her so that she would have a place to rest without worrying about others "curiosity pecking" at the wound. She healed very well. This is what I did:
First a note: I DO NOT like using blu-kote on a wound. Once it is on there, that blue color stays for a long time and it is VERY HARD to see the condition of the wound. You can't tell if it is getting red/irritated/infected as that gentian violet in it stains everything a dark blue that lasts and lasts. When I have a wound I need to see if it is getting infected and do something about it quickly...and I don't want to guess. Just my .02 on that.
-I flushed out the wound. I happened to have some Vetericyn on hand. But it is just a bottled "Dakin's Solution" that you can make yourself with items you already have at home. Recipe here:
http://www.virginia.edu/uvaprint/HSC/pdf/09024.pdf Put it in a squirt bottle (like a mustard bottle, etc.) that you can use to thoroughly flush the wound.
-I have N
uStock in my first aid kit. It is very healing and very quick. It also
deters flies very well.
Very strong smell, however. This stuff really works and is one of my "go-to" products. It is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
-I also have an herbal wound formula made for poultry in my first aid kit that I used on it for about a week afterwards. It can be found here.
http://www.moonlightmileherbs.com/poultryherbcart2014.html It is the wound formula.
-
Assuming that you don't have any NuStock or the wound formula there are some natural items that work
even against antibiotic resistant bacteria. One of them is RAW honey. (Not the kind you get at the grocery...the kind you get from someone that will guarantee that it has not been heat treated and that there are not other added ingredients like corn syrup.) Sounds counter-intuitive, but it really works. It is also very sticky and things get stuck to it. I would also think it would draw flies and may not be the best item to use during fly weather. I have never tried it in the summer.
If I didn't have anything else in my first aid kit, I'd make the Dakin's and flush the wound and just uese the antibiotic first aid ointment you can get at the store with no added pain reliever. Then I'd keep watch on the wound. Possibly another flush if things were getting stuck to it (like bedding and what-not).
Honestly...most of what I'm saying is to encourage anyone who has animals to
have a first aid kit ready with items to treat a wound. Hopefully you won't ever need it. But when you do, it is so important that you don't have to order items and wait for them to show up (or use items that you really don't want to use but don't have anything else).
Hope that is some help.
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ETA: I have never used NuStock on a duck and if anyone decides to try it, I would recommend trying it on a small area to see if there is any adverse reaction. More and more I lean toward using the least intrusive items possible that don't lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria, etc. Neither NuStock OR Blu-Kote are "approved for use in poultry". That can just mean that it has never been tested on them but are not an issue. Never-the-less, this is something you should consider.
RE: Blue Kote:
Quote:
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/10/diy-anti-pick-antibacterial-blu-kote.html