How Long Do I Keep him In?

[Captain Cluck]

This is my first time dealing with an injured bird - I mostly do mammals, so I have more questions:

The 3 week old duckling that was injured last Sunday is now 4 weeks old and seems so much better now. I have been keeping him in a wire crate in the house (with his whole family) and treating his wound with Saline/Iodine and Blue-Kote. I've been keeping his family with him because he acts so depressed when by himself, but happier when mom & siblings are in the crate with him. (they are splashing water and tearing up newspaper tight now.)

How long do I need to keep this little guy in? The wound has scabbed over and in some areas has cracked a little, but not bleeding. Can I let him go back outside to run around during the day, or should I keep him in longer? I have been letting the adult ducks out to play by themselves for a few hours and then pen them back up. The chickens do not bother the ducklings. Only the setting ducks and the drakes bother them.

Can I put bag balm or olive oil on the scab to keep it flexible so it will not crack again, pr should I just continue doing what I've been doing? I do not have antibiotic ointment.

 

[lady feathers]

As long as the wound is completelt closed I don't see why he couldn't go back out with momma and his siblings, bag balm sounds like it would be fine but I don't know for sure with poultry I have used it on both our goats and pigs works great. I would just check it when he comes back in or when your feed them and if it is open clean it up again and blukote!

 

[Captain Cluck]

Thank you Lady feathers. Out they go today. Would you let him free range with his family, or let the family free range and keep him in the crate outside?

I did put him outside in his crate and left the family to free range a few days ago. They free ranged on the porch next to the crate. They wouldn't leave him for more than a few minutes.

Do you think it would be OK to put them in the outdoor pen at night in their locked crate (to keep them separate from the cranky adult ducks)? I am getting complaints from my family about "duck smell" to put it politely - and that is with cleaning the crate several times a day.

 

[Judy]

Be careful. Scabbed over is not at all the same as closed or healed, it is a stage of healing.

 

[Captain Cluck]

Good to know. How long do you think it would take to heal enough to let him free range outdoors?