Help! Ducks attacked by mink!

[Texag87]

Gave Carmella 30mL of food through the tube a while ago. She is holding her head up better and is more talkative than previously. She tends to hold her head off to one side though, as shown below. This happens when she is laying down as well. I hope it is just because she is still tired/sore and hopefully it will continue to correct itself. Still making her a pillow to sleep under, or else she ends up laying on the side of her face and she gets crusties on her eye which I then have to wash off with saline. They are just wood shavings mixed with tears.
View attachment 1690153
Going to get in one more feeding before bed. (water first for Carmella she's not drinking by herself still)

Rou was like that for a while. Holding her head off to one side. I am optimistic

 

[Lukemjm]

Thanks for all the positivity everyone! Carmella is doing so much better than she was at the beginning of the thread. Thanks for the tip about Rou. I got their coop weasel proofed(no gap bigger than 1/4"), but not the whole run yet. I'll have to wait until next paycheck to afford welded wire panels. For now I will just lock them in the coop at nights. But they aren't moved back outside yet. I'm going to try to keep them together as long as I can, but if Gregory gets any more energetic than he is now, I may have to separate them. At least after and during feeding times when Carmella really needs to relax and keep her head up. But we will see how the next day or so goes. If she catches up a bit in energy, and is able to put up with him, then I would like to keep them together. I'm just so glad Gregory doesn't Peck at her neck at all. I know a lot of drakes do that, but he is so sweet.

 

[casportpony]

Carmella looks so much better in that last picture.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

3 nights ago, our two ducks (1.5 year old Pekin Male, 2.5 year old Saxony female) were attacked by a mink or weasel. I awoke at 4am to my dog (so proud of him) barking and growling incessantly out the window in the direction of our duck run. I was concerned for our little guys, and went out to check on them. Much to my horror, they were both covered in blood, laying in the rain. Our Saxony was laying with her neck outstretched, motionless and I thought she was dead for sure. Our Pekin was flopping around, trying to stand. Thank God they were both alive. I immediately brought them inside, dumped some shavings in a corner of my house, and set up a heat lamp and some fresh water. They both drank a teeny bit, but mostly just stayed still. The bleeding stopped within a couple hours . Once stores opened up, I went and got some poultry electrolytes and ordered pure b vitamin supplements online. That first day, I mostly spent varmint-proofing their run and coop. They have been outside for two days eating and drinking, but hardly eating compared to normal. Today when I got home from work, our Saxony was standing in her coop with her head hung low, bill on the ground. We brought her back inside and gave her more electrolyte water, fed her mashed chick starter with b vitamins and milk thistle powder mixed in through a syringe. she ate about 2tbsp of it before she had enough with our fussing. She was doing better for an hour or so, but her head is now drooping again. We moved both of our ducks inside for the night (it's getting down into the 30s at night and our Saxony is still recovering from wetfeather and not entirely waterproofed yet). They are both still very lethargic and clumsy, but they waddle around and bathe and flap their wings. I don't know what to do from here. I just want our babies to be healthy. View attachment 1687268 View attachment 1687269She is like this all the time, except for the hour or so after we fed her with the syringe. Help?!?

Oh I’m so sorry for your ducks and you. I hope they will recover. Damn that weasel

 

[HennyPenny2019]

The Hero, our dog, Boris. Always watching the ducks. He can see them from our window.

Such a good boy! Nothing like a good dog.

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Thanks for all the positivity everyone! Carmella is doing so much better than she was at the beginning of the thread. Thanks for the tip about Rou. I got their coop weasel proofed(no gap bigger than 1/4"), but not the whole run yet. I'll have to wait until next paycheck to afford welded wire panels. For now I will just lock them in the coop at nights. But they aren't moved back outside yet. I'm going to try to keep them together as long as I can, but if Gregory gets any more energetic than he is now, I may have to separate them. At least after and during feeding times when Carmella really needs to relax and keep her head up. But we will see how the next day or so goes. If she catches up a bit in energy, and is able to put up with him, then I would like to keep them together. I'm just so glad Gregory doesn't Peck at her neck at all. I know a lot of drakes do that, but he is so sweet.

So glad for you! Did you name him Gregory after the actor Gregory Peck? That would be hilarious

 

[Texag87]

Lukenjm, this is what Rou looked like after the coyote attack. All she could do is spin around in a circle. She could not hold her head up.you are making great progress with your ducks. She does not take even steps but she is among the best three flyers in the flock. She is also the one who goes around and will “Goose” anyone in the flock. Even the Pekin hen. Ducks can recover better than any other bird in my opinion

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Gave Gregory 50mL of fluids. He's already in a better mood. Here's hoping Carmella does as well.

SO proud of you! I’ve tubed puppies but never a duck/chicken. It’s scary the first time. I watched the videos just now, they are very helpful.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

Congrats and you're welcome! Give yourself and your buddy a pat on the back for figuring it so quickly.

Congrats and you're welcome! Give yourself and your buddy a pat on the back for figuring it so quickly.

Casportpony you are a real blessing to this group.

 

[HennyPenny2019]

This is definitely the most important thing. Basic survival needs. I've never tubed a bird before. Without having to explain the entire thing, how to do you check that the tube went into the stomach? My brother had a nose tube as a baby that he'd occasionally catch on things and my mom would have to put it in again, and she checked to make sure it wasn't in his lungs by listening for a certain sound when blowing air down the tube. It sounds different in the stomach than in the lungs. Is this how it works for birds?

And you're quite welcome for the support. It's literally the least I can do. I know that if I were in this situation, knowing that there were people out there pulling for me and letting me know I'm doing the right thing would make me feel a lot better about the whole situation. The worst is when you're alone and you don't know what to do and you're afraid to do anything because it might make it worse. Having this resource with so many knowledgeable people is fantastic.

If you go back a ways there are a couple of great videos that show you clearly how to do this. Very informative.