NSFW - Ducklings hurt

[Chickycammy]

My mother duck had a nest of 10 ducklings. This morning I woke to find all but 3 dead and 2 having wounds that look like they've been scalped.

They seem fine, eating and drinking but this could easily get infected. Any treatment ideas would be great.

The closest vet for farm animals is 100 mIles away from me.

 

[micstrachan]

So sorry for your losses. The wounds need to be cleaned and perhaps antibiotic ointment without painkiller applied.
You also need to determine what caused this. How is mama duck? This seems like a predator attack to me. What predators do you have where you live and what is your set up like?

 

[Chickycammy]

So sorry for your losses. The wounds need to be cleaned and perhaps antibiotic ointment without painkiller applied.
You also need to determine what caused this. How is mama duck? This seems like a predator attack to me. What predators do you have where you live and what is your set up like?

The mom had a hurt wing, looks broken but I don't think it'll do much damage because she's a Pekin and doesn't fly.

We have bobcats, raccoons, dogs and cats roaming around and no telling what else. The coop looks fine but the run does have some holes between the wood. It's 10 foot by 8 foot made from privacy fence because our neighbors don't like seeing the ducks.

 

[micstrachan]

So sorry. You will need to fortify that right away or the predator will be back to take out the rest. If the attack happened at night, a raccoon or fox seems likely. Raccoons are incredibly strong and persistent. Is the coop securely locked at night? A 2-step locking mechanism is required to keep out the clever and skilled raccoon. And they easily get through chicken wire, unfortunately.

 

[micstrachan]

Forgot to ask if the run is covered with wire netting of some sort?

 

[Chickycammy]

Forgot to ask if the run is covered with wire netting of some sort?

We have a number lock on it but I can get another lock.

The top is netting and tarps we zip tied onto it.

 

[micstrachan]

Oh! No, a number lock is plenty. So we’re they not in the coop when the attack happened? Was it a daytime attack and whatever it was got into the run?

 

[micstrachan]

Please let us know how the ducklings and mama are doing.

 

[Pyxis]

You'll definitely want to clean the wounds and apply something antibacterial like neosporin to prevent infection.

Then, see if you can get ahold of something called Derma-clens. Ever since a vet gave me some to treat a serious head wound on a drake years ago I've been using it. It stimulates new skin growth. I have a ko shamo chick that scalped itself that I'm using some on now and the wound is slowly but surely healing up.

 

[Chickycammy]

Sorry it took awhile to answer. We ran some metal fencing around the run to hopefully keep anything out.

The babies and the mom are doing okay but we moved the babies into our house just to make sure.

It was early morning because when my husband checked them around 5am they were all fine but when I went out at 9am I found the bodies and saw the wounds.

I'm thinking they went into the run following their mother when my husband checked on them and it must have happened after he left.