flutterbubble
In the Brooder
- Aug 7, 2024
- 3
- 16
- 24
Hello,
This is my first time posting because of the one of the winter ducklings was found with a really bad wound and skin condition today (they have most feathers now but still a lot of duckling fluff around the bum etc).
The duckling has a wound approximately stretching 5cm on its back between the shoulders and under the wing feathers, with another below it. There was presence of blood but not visible constant bleeding. There is additional red irritation and puckering of the skin approximately 10cm stretching from the shoulders and down to the tail (but stops 2cm before preen gland). There is additional yellow crusty scale spots on the skin in this space. Outside of the presence of the red irritation and yellow spots zone the rest of the skin looks fine, some white scale spots but mostly around new feathers still coming in. Around the red irritated area both the down and feathers are being lost. She is lethargic, easy to pick up. She appears to have an injured wing and injured feet; so cannot stand fully, cannot jump anymore today compared to days previously and she cannot extend open a wing on one side. It was noted that some of the other ducks had been picking on the new ducklings heavily. Often even standing on them and pecking at their heads and backs. So I have tried to keep them more separate but unfortunately could not 24/7 it. I would feel bad keeping her inside in a much smaller space to stay away from the other ducks as she does need to be able to move and walk about more. Please can you advise what you would do e.g. recovery room enclosure size & reintroduction to flock time.
I have been more worried about the wound on her back and the red patches with yellow scale spots (which form around feathers). I want to make sure in case it is not injury that any skin condition is treated and if there is anything to help the process of healing.
She has been outside for most recent weeks (ever since she got more feathers to tolerate the below zero temperatures), and in a covered space at night during frosts (2 options: 1m sq covered hut to share at night with another duckling outside & 3mx3m to share with another duckling at night inside house). The covered spaces have pine shavings, water and at least 2 types of food (peas and duck feed). The main feed is what called a game bird crumble feed which in NZ is aimed towards ducks/pheasants/other waterfowl etc, and peas (with plenty of grass in the interim and some oats with the adults ducks). During the last couple of frosty nights she had not been by her covered spaces and stayed outside in the open. They had been encouraged to roam with other adult ducks around their environment, especially during the day as part of returning to their environment fully. However today the partner other duckling came back with lots of frost on the wings and tail and this injured duckling did not show up until hours later.
Over the day she has looked unwell and lethargic. During observations in weeks prior no wound or major irritation was visible. But today it is very apparent. Both the legs and wing show signs of injury as well as the severe skin condition on back. Prior she has water baths both outside and inside and she could previously fly short distances and glide (at which time I could observe her condition during preening & wing practice). So today it was very noticeable the difference after 2 days fully outside to roam at night her condition & back wound is very noticeable. She does not seem to preen as vigorously or fully as the other duckling does and frequently needs to sit. She also stopped swimming and just floats. She cannot open one wing and stands much lower then normal. I would say she is off most of the feed (grass, peas etc) and only has a little of the dry crumble feed.
Please any advice I would find helpful. My first approach was the cleanse and bath the wounded area. Then looking to ID any breaks etc.
I am hoping to approach the wildlife hospital/vet in coming days but the usual response for ducks around here is that any minor injury or ailment it is more expedient to put them down immediately without attempting treatment. Avian suitable antibiotics are not available for purchase openly at most vets and many don't stock products that are avian pet safe e.g. creams, bandages, feed, vitamins & supplements so any types or recommendations would be good too.
Currently I have brewers yeast to supplement the diet as well. It can give them a little diarrhea so I try not to overdo it. Liquid vitamin B is very hard to come by (even for humans here), mostly it is just tablets so I have not approached that as often it includes a lot of salt & other ingredients and the dosage would be difficult to measure esp without guidance on dosage mg.
At the moment the duckling is already in a condition to have diarrhea, and not be able to clean or avoid getting poo stuck underneath (will likely need more regular water baths for her to help clean off and keep the wound clean). Also there is not exact measurement guidance on supplemental vitamin D but we get so few amounts of sun generally lots of the humans etc have to have vitamin D supplements as it is really only about 3hours direct sunlight on a very good day in this area, but most winter days it is heavily overcast.
Advice for the dosage of supplemental vitamins, particularly B and D would be amazing as well as other creams or supporting recovery items (e.g. since vets don't sell vet wrap tape and most chemists don't sell cohesive bandages it can be hard to find the right ones). Likewise it is very difficult to find adequate vitamin supports for ducks that have the boosts of B3 and D with adequate measurements of how much is needed directly.
Edits: spelling, sentence structure to make it more comprehensible (sorry lack of sleep).
This is my first time posting because of the one of the winter ducklings was found with a really bad wound and skin condition today (they have most feathers now but still a lot of duckling fluff around the bum etc).
The duckling has a wound approximately stretching 5cm on its back between the shoulders and under the wing feathers, with another below it. There was presence of blood but not visible constant bleeding. There is additional red irritation and puckering of the skin approximately 10cm stretching from the shoulders and down to the tail (but stops 2cm before preen gland). There is additional yellow crusty scale spots on the skin in this space. Outside of the presence of the red irritation and yellow spots zone the rest of the skin looks fine, some white scale spots but mostly around new feathers still coming in. Around the red irritated area both the down and feathers are being lost. She is lethargic, easy to pick up. She appears to have an injured wing and injured feet; so cannot stand fully, cannot jump anymore today compared to days previously and she cannot extend open a wing on one side. It was noted that some of the other ducks had been picking on the new ducklings heavily. Often even standing on them and pecking at their heads and backs. So I have tried to keep them more separate but unfortunately could not 24/7 it. I would feel bad keeping her inside in a much smaller space to stay away from the other ducks as she does need to be able to move and walk about more. Please can you advise what you would do e.g. recovery room enclosure size & reintroduction to flock time.
I have been more worried about the wound on her back and the red patches with yellow scale spots (which form around feathers). I want to make sure in case it is not injury that any skin condition is treated and if there is anything to help the process of healing.
She has been outside for most recent weeks (ever since she got more feathers to tolerate the below zero temperatures), and in a covered space at night during frosts (2 options: 1m sq covered hut to share at night with another duckling outside & 3mx3m to share with another duckling at night inside house). The covered spaces have pine shavings, water and at least 2 types of food (peas and duck feed). The main feed is what called a game bird crumble feed which in NZ is aimed towards ducks/pheasants/other waterfowl etc, and peas (with plenty of grass in the interim and some oats with the adults ducks). During the last couple of frosty nights she had not been by her covered spaces and stayed outside in the open. They had been encouraged to roam with other adult ducks around their environment, especially during the day as part of returning to their environment fully. However today the partner other duckling came back with lots of frost on the wings and tail and this injured duckling did not show up until hours later.
Over the day she has looked unwell and lethargic. During observations in weeks prior no wound or major irritation was visible. But today it is very apparent. Both the legs and wing show signs of injury as well as the severe skin condition on back. Prior she has water baths both outside and inside and she could previously fly short distances and glide (at which time I could observe her condition during preening & wing practice). So today it was very noticeable the difference after 2 days fully outside to roam at night her condition & back wound is very noticeable. She does not seem to preen as vigorously or fully as the other duckling does and frequently needs to sit. She also stopped swimming and just floats. She cannot open one wing and stands much lower then normal. I would say she is off most of the feed (grass, peas etc) and only has a little of the dry crumble feed.
Please any advice I would find helpful. My first approach was the cleanse and bath the wounded area. Then looking to ID any breaks etc.
I am hoping to approach the wildlife hospital/vet in coming days but the usual response for ducks around here is that any minor injury or ailment it is more expedient to put them down immediately without attempting treatment. Avian suitable antibiotics are not available for purchase openly at most vets and many don't stock products that are avian pet safe e.g. creams, bandages, feed, vitamins & supplements so any types or recommendations would be good too.
Currently I have brewers yeast to supplement the diet as well. It can give them a little diarrhea so I try not to overdo it. Liquid vitamin B is very hard to come by (even for humans here), mostly it is just tablets so I have not approached that as often it includes a lot of salt & other ingredients and the dosage would be difficult to measure esp without guidance on dosage mg.
At the moment the duckling is already in a condition to have diarrhea, and not be able to clean or avoid getting poo stuck underneath (will likely need more regular water baths for her to help clean off and keep the wound clean). Also there is not exact measurement guidance on supplemental vitamin D but we get so few amounts of sun generally lots of the humans etc have to have vitamin D supplements as it is really only about 3hours direct sunlight on a very good day in this area, but most winter days it is heavily overcast.
Advice for the dosage of supplemental vitamins, particularly B and D would be amazing as well as other creams or supporting recovery items (e.g. since vets don't sell vet wrap tape and most chemists don't sell cohesive bandages it can be hard to find the right ones). Likewise it is very difficult to find adequate vitamin supports for ducks that have the boosts of B3 and D with adequate measurements of how much is needed directly.
Edits: spelling, sentence structure to make it more comprehensible (sorry lack of sleep).
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How old is this duckling? is the other duckling being picked on by the adults? If your temps are below zero temps sound like way too much for these ducklings. Can you get any kind of human antibiotic ointment that could be used on the wounds feed stores don't carry any type of meds for livestock? . I would not let them swim in temps below freezing with compromised immune systems right now. I would also separate them from the adults until they have a better chance of defending themselves It is never a good idea to put young ducklings in with adults without first letting them live side by side with fencing in between. Did these ducklings come from your adults? If you can get Nutritional yeast it is much better forgiving them the extra niacin they need for strong legs. Or a b complex.
