Ducks got attacked last night

[Tilly6]

So my son went out to a bloodbath this morning. One duck dead, another critically injured, 7 more injured. I need to know if you all think I need to euthanize some more.

First and third are the same duck. There are 4 runner ducks holding their necks like this. I assume a raccoon was trying to pull them through. The ducks are mobile I have put all the injured in a pen in the garage, except the male who was limping because I don’t want him trying to mate the girls in this condition.

I brought pictures to my vets but they wouldn’t say yes or no to needing to put them down. I don’t want to prolong any suffering if they are beyond saving.

 

[Chloe+chickens=LOVE]

@casportpony

 

[Chloe+chickens=LOVE]

How bad are the wounds and how deep do they go?

 

[casportpony]

Very sorry for your loss. I think as bright and alert as they look in the pictures that euthanizing might be a little premature. Can you bring them inside into a warm room?

 

[danceswithronin]

We need pics of the ducks' injuries beneath the feathers to determine how bad they are, you can't tell anything from these photos except that they've been hurt.

Poultry can recover from a lot of physical damage, I'd bring them in and get them washed up and see how bad the wounds actually are.

 

[Helloworld]

While your deciding, wash them so blood doesn’t attract. They are all in shock so I would put them in a confined area and give them time. Give them electrolytes and probiotics for a gallon or two and then go buy a cheap game camera to see what it is. I raised coons all my life. They do eat what they want and leave a mess. But a coon wouldn’t probably attack so many at once. No holes dug around coop or anything? So sad but if necks are straight and they have flesh wounds, you can go down to feed store and buy penicillin. You will need a 17 gage needle because it is very thick. 1/2 cc for 3 days should do. Keep wounds clean and bring them in until healed. I raise both ducks and geese. I bought geese as guardians for them during the day. We ended up buying a metal building because owls eat then like caviar. Want that crop food for babies which are here now for breeding season.

 

[casportpony]

1/2 cc for 3 days should do.

Really? Do you have a reference that says how much to give ducks?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Put them in a nice warm bath let them clean themselves up if no longer in shock then you can look them over and see how bad the wounds are. Like @casportpony said it probably too early to think about euthanizing. I doubt the drake would try and mate if he is wounded maybe try and at least keep him where he can see the girls they need each other after going through such trauma. Very sorry for your loss.

 

[Tilly6]

I brought all the injured ducks into the garage. They have an antibiotic from the vet in their water. I also have an anti inflammatory to dose one by one, but I was afraid of doing further damage trying to catch them again. I was reluctant to get close up pictures for the same reason. They are all active and alert. I will keep them indoors. I have 6 ducks injured, so I don’t know if they are all eating and drinking, but some are.

The live traps are going out tonight to try and catch the predator. I’m reinforcing the loose hardware cloth on the run. And looking into adding some electric fencing around the run.

 

[Tilly6]

The drake is not alone, he is with the uninjured part of the flock. 10 ducks and 2 geese were unharmed.

Put them in a nice warm bath let them clean themselves up if no longer in shock then you can look them over and see how bad the wounds are. Like @casportpony said it probably too early to think about euthanizing. I doubt the drake would try and mate if he is wounded maybe try and at least keep him where he can see the girls they need each other after going through such trauma. Very sorry for your loss.