The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: piggy on August 19, 2010, 10:52:22 am
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The ducks were all fine last night after there long day and seemed to have settled in well,on going to feed them this morning a lot of them have blood on there backs near/under wings,they def werent like it yesterday,what should i treat with and what could have caused it.
Thanks
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/northcove/duck029.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/northcove/duck026.jpg)
(http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz152/northcove/duck025.jpg)
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Since no one else is around, it looks like predator attack - fox, weasel ? I would spray with the purple Septiclense until someone else has a better idea.
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Couldnt be a fox as they were shut in a stable last night.
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do they have any over head protection - ie bushes and theng they can shelter under? Do they look very nervous? Have you a bad rat problem? Not sure whether ducks peck each other like chickens? Have you say with them for say 30 minutes and watched their behaviour?
If this happened last night whilst they were shut away I would suspect rats. Do you have cats?
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I only got them yesterday,so they are in the stable on an isolation period before they go with the others,dont think it could be rats as i have goslings in the stable next door and chicks and small hens the other side and they are all fine,counted up of the 11 there are 5 with this problem.
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Poor thing, you and the Ducklings, I would have thought any preditor would have eaten at least one, even if it were a rat!! Maybe a cat has got in and been playing with them, so strange and a funny place for them to be injured, I wonder if they have been pulling out thier own or each others feathers????? I am very new to DUck keeping, someone should be able to advice you fingers crossed...maybe, in the mean time, you shold move them!!!
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is the blood running or kind of scabbed up any feathers pulled out i know muscovies can be nasty could they be fighting? confined space?
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How are they today? I think they must be fighting as they are so delicate any other preditor would have bitten thier heads off or similar as thier necks are tiny!! Hope they are thrieving!!
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Are the injuries all in the same place on the ducks could they have tried to get out through a hole or something otherwise I would think rats, purple spray is definately a good option in this case. Curious!
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They are much better today and i think ive sloved the mystery,my neighbour has just been round and he said he used to keep muscovys years ago so he grabbed one and he says that its the wing tips that are bleeding from them preening themselves and maybe fighting and them getting there adult feathers,he thinks they are around 2 months old and told me not to worry.I have now let them out to get some grass hopefully they will be ok,geese arent to sure what to make of them!