Help! Ducks attacked by mink!

[Lukemjm]

Update:
Carmella(Saxony) is all cleaned up around her wounds. Photos below. They are all fairly small(smaller than a mustard seed) and appear to be puncture wounds. Gave her some soup made from soaked food, water, and some ACV. Gave her more fresh water. She is now standing with her head upright (most of the time), but still disoriented and tired. She was very vocal and active right after we cleaned her wounds and doused them in Vetericyn. Gregory(Pekin) got some of his wounds cleaned up, but he is MUCH stronger and also more cognicent than Carmella, so it is taking longer to get him cleaned.

Neither of them are eating regularly, and they are having lots of trouble with their aim, so drinking is difficult for them, but they are doing it on their own.

Photos of Carmella's wounds:

 

[Miss Lydia]

Those awful predators go for the neck. Bless their hearts. Glad to hear there is some progress though. Keep offering food and water as often as they will take it and hopefully you’ll see more steady improvement in the next few days. You are working on finding out how the mink got in? Youlll need to fortify their pen and coop to keep this from happening again. Any space 1” or larger a mink/ weasel can get through. If you have poultry vitamins you probably should put some in their drinking water to help.

 

[MROO]

Sorry for posting so much, I'm just very nervous and I'm not sure what else to do. She is visibly dizzy and can not hold her head up. I hope and pray she will make it through the night. I feel like I've done everything I can.

I am not a "duck person" (I guess I'm chicken-hearted?,) but it sounds like you're doing everything right, so far. You are keeping them warm, keeping them safe, making sure they are fed and clean water. Most of all, you are here, on BYC, checking with the many experienced duck people who can offer you real help and moral support.

 

[MROO]

Update:
Carmella(Saxony) is all cleaned up around her wounds. Photos below. They are all fairly small(smaller than a mustard seed) and appear to be puncture wounds. Gave her some soup made from soaked food, water, and some ACV. Gave her more fresh water. She is now standing with her head upright (most of the time), but still disoriented and tired. She was very vocal and active right after we cleaned her wounds and doused them in Vetericyn. Gregory(Pekin) got some of his wounds cleaned up, but he is MUCH stronger and also more cognicent than Carmella, so it is taking longer to get him cleaned.

Neither of them are eating regularly, and they are having lots of trouble with their aim, so drinking is difficult for them, but they are doing it on their own.

Photos of Carmella's wounds:
View attachment 1687681 View attachment 1687684 View attachment 1687689

Poor Babies! Can you put an antibiotic in their water? And if you use an eyedropper to deposit water along the sides of their beaks, they should swallow it more readily.

 

[MROO]

Don't own a scale except for cooking(max 2lbs). Vet is not an option right now

If you have a relationship with a vet, sometimes a call will give you some good over-the-phone advice.

 

[Lukemjm]

Carmella is back to standing with her bill on the ground, neck bent over.

 

[Lukemjm]

If you have a relationship with a vet, sometimes a call will give you some good over-the-phone advice.

Thanks. Don't have a vet, and the only broad spectrum antibiotic I could find was sketchy off eBay. I would have to take them in to a vet and get a perscription, which we can't really do right now.

 

[Lukemjm]

Those awful predators go for the neck. Bless their hearts. Glad to hear there is some progress though. Keep offering food and water as often as they will take it and hopefully you’ll see more steady improvement in the next few days. You are working on finding out how the mink got in? Youlll need to fortify their pen and coop to keep this from happening again. Any space 1” or larger a mink/ weasel can get through. If you have poultry vitamins you probably should put some in their drinking water to help.

I have some vitamins for their water, I've been putting that in there. And I entirely rebuilt the duck run, with a wood floor and no holes, nothing that can be dug through. The biggest holes are the chicken wire which I've heard some small weasles can squeeze through. New coop as well, with no gaps or holes bigger than 1/4".

Also got a trap for the varmint and I'm going to put that out tonight.

 

[Lukemjm]

Carmella is back to standing with her bill on the ground, neck bent over. View attachment 1687716

This is my biggest concern right now. Any insight into this behavior would be very appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would imagine she is in pain. You can order antibiotics on line fish antibiotics no different than what you get from the vet but you have to know weight before getting proper dose. I really don’t know what else you can do now except supportive care and hope and pray. Maybe someone else can help.