Open wound on ducklings head...?

[Art_plus_chickens]

I have 6 Muscovy ducklings and one of them has an open (dried) spot on its head. I think maybe the stupid flies got to it. Is there a good product that TSC carries that’d help it? I feel like such a horrible ducky mum that I didn’t see it sooner, though it doesn’t seem to hurt

Also are there any good ways to downsize flies? They are bad this summer!


Any help would be great!
I can get a picture if needed.

 

[Amiga]

A picture might help. If flies have laid eggs, there will be maggots. Best to get that off the little one’s head.

Might it be a scab?

This thread about a chicken
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fly-eggs-in-open-wound-only-an-hour-old-please-help.213856/

has some good instructions for dealing with fly strike, as well as wound care in general. Clean once thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide. Then try covering the wound with honey. If you can move the family into an area away from flies for a few days that would be ideal, but may be difficult. Since it is a duckling, and a head wound, I would hesitate to use insecticide....

You may consider bringing the duckling and one other duckling inside for a few days till the wound heals over.

Then carefully reintroduce.

 

[Art_plus_chickens]

A picture might help. If flies have laid eggs, there will be maggots. Best to get that off the little one’s head.

Might it be a scab?

This thread about a chicken
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/fly-eggs-in-open-wound-only-an-hour-old-please-help.213856/

has some good instructions for dealing with fly strike, as well as wound care in general. Clean once thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide. Then try covering the wound with honey. If you can move the family into an area away from flies for a few days that would be ideal, but may be difficult. Since it is a duckling, and a head wound, I would hesitate to use insecticide....

You may consider bringing the duckling and one other duckling inside for a few days till the wound heals over.

Then carefully reintroduce.

Hi Amiga

I don’t think there’s a scab, just an open spot. Not brainy/bloody and not buggy just there. I was leaning towards fly strike, but now I’m unsure. Could another duckling inflict such an injury? I mean they get along so well and are only 2weeks old....
It’s just confusing as it’s only the one.

 

[Art_plus_chickens]

I will try to get pictures after lunch. And thanks for the link!

I’m new to ducklings, but my chickens haven’t had any issues with this kind of thing so it just has me baffled!

 

[Amiga]

Ducklings can do all kinds of hare-brained things to injure themselves. Little one may have stuck his or her little head somewhere, got it stuck, pulled too hard to get out.

Keep a close eye on the wound. Prevention.

I use fly traps - the kind you fill with liquid, that have a bait for flies, at edges of the yard. Also use fly predators, and cover manure with fresh chopped straw between pen cleanings.

 

[Art_plus_chickens]

Kinda like horses! They are always finding a way to injure themselves! >sigh<

They’ve been in a huge tub. So they haven’t had any access to sharp things or to get stuck. And just yesterday they got let out into a grassy run full time, so I guess now I’ll have to keep a watch on them! Haha

I didn’t think about the liquid fly trap things! Do they smell bad?
Wonder if some horse fly spray around the runs would help as well?

 

[Amiga]

When the fly traps are working, yes, they smell bad. That is why I put them in places away from the ducks and me.

They attract flies in a big way. The more flies get in and die, the worse it smells, and the better it works to trap and kill flies. yuck. But makes the fly situation much much better here. And not leaving damp manury spots helps, too.

I do not use yellow sticky traps because they kill zillions of beneficial flying things, and that just seems wrong to me. They kill more good guys than flies around here.

Pardon the rant....

 

[Miss Lydia]

I use fly traps too they work great.

 

[Art_plus_chickens]

Lol no prob! I rant a lot lately, maybe it’s a pregnant lady thing?! Bet my hubbz hates me!

Sorry for the delay!
Here is a picture of Smoots head. She’s the only one with this. And like I said, it’s not bloody, oozy, smelly and there’s no bugs. It’s just there.

Sorry it’s not the best, she is a love bug, but is wiggly!

 

[Amiga]

I have read about clumps of feathers forming little bumps like this. Might that be what is going on? They are called feather cysts.