Hey everyone, I'm Chelsea and this a photo of my (about a month old) mouscvy duckling iv named lily. My boyfriend lives on a sheep farm, and they are trying their luck breeding moscuvies for meat! This is thier first ugh littler? Ducklings? Cluster? I don't really know what you would call all the babies. So yesterday we came home from camping and noticed my little girl lily stuck in a fence with feathers missing and blood, after freeing her I realised it wasn't the fence that has caused the injuries but I think the drake has pecked her and made a bloody mess. I instanly rang my vet and explained I couldn't take her into them as they wouldn't spend money on her when she's obly worth $15. They gave me some advice on how to clean her up and if I could see all edges on the wound she wouldn't need to be taken in. I cleaned her with a very diluted betadine and water mix ( a very weak tea colour) her woulda look like a big blood blister and iv been cleaning three times a day! (Snice yesterday morning) after the first clean I noticed flies had already got to her and laid maggots, I instantly called my vet back and they said I could use the stuff people use for fly blown sheep but at my own risk as they have no feed back on it. I dabbed the smallest amount over it and gentle squeezed out any maggots I could see. Today they gave her to me to look after and keep her as a pet if she survives. Iv made up my old rabbit hutch, with plenty of straw a 30cm tray with 2cm of water and plenty of duckling food, I have covered it in fly screen mesh to stop more flies getting to her. She's eating pooping and swimming around normaly! I have noticed today she has a sore leg, won't walk very far and limps, but nothing feels broken! So basicly im asking for all the advice I can get in helping with her care, and rasing her. Also can anyone help with stopping maggots? And how long will her feathers take to grow back? Cheers in advance everyone
I bet she will be fine. Thank goodness you were able to rescue her from the fence. Just keep the wound clean and remove any maggots as necessary. I wouldn't give her any water to play in until she heals. Just make sure the water she does have is deep enough she can clean out her nostrils.
Awfully sweet of you to take her and clean her wounds. I am also glad to hear your not seeing any more maggots because they are killers if left untreated. so keep a close eye on that wound. you did a good thing cleaning the wound with watered down betadine, that will help start the healing process. check and make sure there are not feathers that might grow into the wound as it starts to heal if there are clip them back, she probably won't grow her feather back till next molt unless she was still growing her feathers in then she may grow them back before molt. Mine molt in the fall of the year. Then they grow in new feathers. How old is your duck? And I will say it is amazing how well they can over come the most horrendous injury, if kept in clean bedding and the flies kept off of them. I have a product called Swat which is to keep flies off of wounds its an ointment has pyrethrins in it. you might find something at the feed store or what you already used might be the same ingredients. She may have injured her leg trying to get out of the fence. Hopefully with some rest and water therapy her leg will be okay. If you can get some antibiotic salve with out pain relief that would keep the wound from drying out and help heal too. Or look for some kind of spray that's for livestock, and what would really be nice is if they'd give you another duck to keep her company they just do so much better if they have a friend. There is a product called Blue Kote over here in the USA that has gentian violet[a wild flower] in it works great in healing and disguises wounds. Please keep us updated on how she is doing.. and Welcome to BYC.
Thank you I'm worried about the maggots as I know they can burrow deeper and go unnoticed and I don't want her to get any sicker! After three days im attached and a mother duck with no experience haha I have to run a few errands then im off to the feed store to see what they can offer me to help with lilly products will prob have Differnt names here is Aus so I will try explain to them what you explained to me im not sure how old she is, I didn't really take notice of when they hatched but I think it's roughly a month old! She was singing to me this morning, it's like she knows I am trying to help will keep you updated
They are sweet ducks I'm glad you got her. Look forward to hearing how she is doing. Just remembered using warm salt water can help flush out maggots too. also helps with healing.
[/IMG][/IMG] This is during her clean today, she weight baring and not limping today couple photos of her wounds! Any feed back would be fantasic xo
:She is so precious, and the wound looks good. Now about the dog, I know probably yours but please please be careful all it would take is a split second. Ask me how I know.. What did you find to put on her wound? and great news about her leg!!!
Nothing as yet! They weren't open for some reason I will try again tomorrow! Or Monday as its Friday here and know the food place isn't open Sunday still just doing the weak tea coloured betadine! Again no sign of maggots when I touch the areas but I'm still worried! Did you know if there's anything I can do to draw them out if they are there? Being over paranoid about it I guess but it can't hurt! And yes the dog, that's tilly ( tilly and lilly lol) she's a rescue I have brought up from 3 weeks old, I trust her, they will never be left alone together and Lily's hutch is very secrure! So she is safe from tilly and my other non trust worthy dog who is locked up when lily is out! But I had to say it was a cute picture