Injured Ducks, looks bad! :(

[DuckyMama92]

New to this site in terms of posting but have read many helpful threads.

I have 4 3-month old Pekin ducks, we keep them in a pen with an accessible coop on the inside. No predators have been seen and I doubt they can get in, I"ve checked several times. But several times now I have come home to bloody wings on one of my ducks due to feathers being plucked out. I've been washing the duck's wings off and putting bacitricin on the injuries, but it still looks pretty nasty. Today I discovered I missed an injury on her back between the wings and another duck has been injured today. Again, washed them off, put bacitricin on and hoping for the best, though I've noticed one of the duck's wings twitch almost constantly. I noticed one of the other 2 ducks nipping at an injured one, right in the wing, took it and isolated it in the coop. Kept the coop door open just a little so he could peek out but not get out. What could be going on? I can't tell if they are female or male yet, could it be a dominance thing? they've been together since they were ducklings. Please help!

 

[Amiga]

If there is exposed flesh, I would get the injured duck into some place away from flies - they will lay eggs in open wounds, and that gets really rough.

How large is the area? Are there three drakes and one female? That's another reason to get the injured duck out and away from the others.

I would give the injured one some time in a lukewarm tub of water - and look him or her over really well - under wings, around the vent, the belly. Do the eyes look at all puffy or injured?

I would try to get ahold of a game camera and set it up in the shelter and see what is going on, exactly.

What is the weather like, there, now?

What are they eating? How much? They have water 24/7?

 

[DuckyMama92]

The injuries are mainly underneath other feathers so not entirely exposed. The pen is 13'x13' and the duck seems fine otherwise, eyes are fine, nothing on the belly. My dad and I are thinking of getting a camera if this keeps happening so we can figure out what's going on. I'm giving them Dumor Grower/Finisher for food, they have plenty of it during the day and water 24/7

 

[Miss Lydia]

The injuries are mainly underneath other feathers so not entirely exposed. The pen is 13'x13' and the duck seems fine otherwise, eyes are fine, nothing on the belly. My dad and I are thinking of getting a camera if this keeps happening so we can figure out what's going on. I'm giving them Dumor Grower/Finisher for food, they have plenty of it during the day and water 24/7

I'd go ahead and get the camera instead of waiting to see if it keeps happening. If a predator most likely by now you would have dead ducks but something is going on in there.

Flies can find open wounds anywhere and maggots is not something you want to deal with, if you can keep them away from flies which would be best,if not able to keep them indoors then get a product called Swat TSC carries it slather it all around the wound and keep it slathered to keep the flies off.

 

[Amiga]

Rodents?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Rodents?

Could be Amiga very scary thought.

 

[Amiga]

There are only 4 of them - could they spend a few nights in a safe clean utility room?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How are they doing today?

 

[DuckyMama92]

We isolated the suspect (Buster) in the coop during the day and let him out in the evening, they seem to be more passive at night. Isolated him agian this morning for the day since it seems to be during the day that all hell breaks loose. No further injuries so far and the injuries seem to be drying up. So not really better yet, but no worse.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We isolated the suspect (Buster) in the coop during the day and let him out in the evening, they seem to be more passive at night. Isolated him agian this morning for the day since it seems to be during the day that all hell breaks loose. No further injuries so far and the injuries seem to be drying up. So not really better yet, but no worse.

That's good news but what to do with Buster? will he ever be able to be with his flock? lol Hopefully once everyone heals up Buster can be let loose again and will have forgotten all about pulling feathers out of others.