Help Needed in Aftermath of Attack

[Pyxis]

Something managed to dig a little hole under my duck coop last night. Whatever it was had been picking off my ducks one by one until I was down to just one drake and duck. Well, it reached under/stuck its head under/whatever and dragged the duck out enough to kill her. Evidently Crackers, my drake, stepped in and tried to protect her. Whatever it was grabbed him instead and the duck pulled herself back into the house and died a more peaceful death than she would have, thanks to Crackers. He must have gotten himself free, too, because he's alive but wounded and I need advice. They weren't talking to me when I was letting the chickens out this morning so I got worried. I went into the house and Crackers was huddled next to his dead duck, silent and depressed. I took the duck out and picked him up and looked him over. He doesn't seem to have major wounds that I can tell.

I just got back in from sitting with him. He was so happy to have company and climbed into my lap. I persuaded him to drink, but it looked like his blood and the saliva from the predator (think it was a fisher) have matted and he can't extent his neck. I need to know how to get that off. I also need to know what I can make to tempt him to eat. He doesn't seem interested in regular food. I want it to be almost like a treat, but it still has to have nutritional value, so if anyone could tell me what I could make for him tomorrow morning that would be awesome. And I also need to know how best to treat his wounds. I have blu kote, but that really dries the wounds out and I was wondering if treating him with bacitracin or neosporin might be more beneficial. He's also going to be getting probiotics and as many mealies as he can eat once I run to TSC in the morning.

Any help is greatly appreciated. He's always been my favorite and is a great drake, gentle with the girls and protective, as evidenced by the fact that he almost lost his life trying to save his remaining duck. He never goes after ducklings. I don't want to lose him.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think the only reason he's still moving around is because I'm putting nutri drench in his water and a ton of sugar. He has really watery green poop. Tomorrow I'm making a 'duck food smoothie' and feeding it to him from a syringe if I have to. Thanks so much for all the well wishes! I'm really hoping he comes through this. He's getting fiestier so I have hope.

I forgot you have a female by all means bring one in and see if it perks him up. They do so much better when they have a friend close by..

 

[Amiga]

Let him wash off at a leisurely pace in lukewarm water deep enough to float in.

While he's in the tub, look him over. Your initial impressions may or may not be correct about the nature of his wounds.

Blu kote sounds good.

Poultry nutri-drench would be good for him , or other poultry vitamins with electrolytes and probiotics. An antibiotic cream at first would let the wounds breathe a little. Someone on the forum told me that ointment is sometimes too greasy and slows down healing on some kinds of fresh wounds. You may want to verify that.

Needless to say, don't put him back in that shelter till there is no way for a predator to get in.

He needs to be safe, warm, and quiet.

You can soak oatmeal or wheat berries in water overnight and pour off the liquid to offer to him to drink. It will have nutrients in it.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

take him inside to the bathroom and run a warm (not hot) bath and allow him to float and bath. Allow him warm baths daily until he is fully clean and wounds (you have yet to find) have healed. Calm, quite and inside in dog kennel or the like will be best for him so that the predator doesnt come back tonight for him.

water with sugar in it, or if you have it save a chick or poultry nutri drench (can be found at TSC)

be sure to look him over very well as puncture wounds can be harder to find. Rinse them off very well. You can apply neosporin (without pain relief) or any generic triple anti biotic cream (no pain relief) will keep the wounds healing well. Plan to reapply daily to wounds until they start to heal over.

water and quiet to heal is more important than food tonight

you can boil water and make a warm mash our of his normal food to offer to him.

hardboiled smashed eggs, or scrambled (no milk or water added), even steamed mashed apple may temp him. If you have old fashion oat meal (not instant) sometimes it hits the spot.

pain is a powerful appetite suppressant so be patient on the eating front

 

[Pyxis]

Thanks for the replies. I had been in the process of putting a secure run around the chicken coop/duck house and needless to say, it got finished in a hurry today. I have never had predator problems until this so it caught me off-guard. Tomorrow he'll get a warm bath, and I'm buying a trap to catch the fisher/fox/whatever and then I'm going to kill it. Don't need it coming back and deciding it likes chickens too.

Okay, so he'll get a warm first thing in the morning with a warm mash of his feed and some scrambled eggs. I found my nutri drench so I'll add it to his water. And I'll put neosporin on his wounds first, and then bu kote them after they've had time to breathe a little. Thanks so much for the advice.

I'm halfway to staying outside all night and watching for the predator to come back and whacking it in the head with a shovel when it does.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the replies. I had been in the process of putting a secure run around the chicken coop/duck house and needless to say, it got finished in a hurry today. I have never had predator problems until this so it caught me off-guard. Tomorrow he'll get a warm bath, and I'm buying a trap to catch the fisher/fox/whatever and then I'm going to kill it. Don't need it coming back and deciding it likes chickens too.
Okay, so he'll get a warm first thing in the morning with a warm mash of his feed and some scrambled eggs. I found my nutri drench so I'll add it to his water. And I'll put neosporin on his wounds first, and then bu kote them after they've had time to breathe a little. Thanks so much for the advice.
I'm halfway to staying outside all night and watching for the predator to come back and whacking it in the head with a shovel when it does.

He really needs to be in a warm place because of shock.

 

[Pyxis]

He's in a small kennel in his enclosed duck house with a heat lamp over him, so it stays warm for him. But if you think that's not enough I'll bring him in in a heartbeat.

 

[Amiga]

He's in a small kennel in his enclosed duck house with a heat lamp over him, so it stays warm for him. But if you think that's not enough I'll bring him in in a heartbeat.

If there are no openings larger than a half inch, and nothing that can be chewed through . . . . well, I would keep him in close at hand for a night or three.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

yep, I would have him inside for 3 nights minimum. First to make sure he is healing well, and second to make sure that predator doesnt return and cause more harm or stress.

 

[Baylor]

You can read about my Peeps who was attacked by a raccoon and I was able to save her. I would bring him in the house maybe put him in a bathtub and let him swim and clean up asap. You need to get a good look at the wounds and a warm soothing bath is the best way to do it. Put some towels in the bottom of the tub for warmth and softness after the bath and let him sleep in the house in a warm place. I have lots of info about my Peeps and her return to a somewhat normal life - it took two months of healing for her - she couldnt hold her head up for over a week. Good luck!!