Hawk attack and aftercare

[Summers-Finlayson Duck Ma]

A Hawk got one of our ducks. She has a skin flap on her skull and an injury near her ear. I put her in the bath cleaned her up, and used a diluted betadine solution, and spray. I have her in a large metal dog crate with a towel on the floor. I know it will be awful after but that's ok. I have a couple of questions.
1. How often should I clean the wounds?
2. What is best to feed her? She usually eats floating duck food should I just stay with that? is there anything more enticing?
3. SHould I worry she might try to eat the towel and become ill?
4. A Vet is just not possible right now.
5. Has anyone ever done sutures on their ducks? I've heard silk thread can be used in catatrophies without proper medical supplies.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

I'm sorry about your Duck, can you post photos of her injuries?

You've given the injury an initial cleaning, apply triple antibiotic to the wounds. I would not stitch anything, often that seals in bacterial. IF there is a skin flap that can be cleaned and folded back in place, you can try that, but use the triple antibiotic ointment to help hold it in place.

As for feeding, I'd try to keep it as routine as possible. I you have her on a normal large bath towel, I don't believe she will eat it.

 

[Lelilamom]

Aw poor thing. I had a chicken that had her back skin partially ripped off. I treated the massive wound with antibiotics, made sure the skin was back in place and I duct taped it down, wrapping it all the eay around her. No joke. She lived a few years after that.

 

[Summers-Finlayson Duck Ma]

Trixie Mattel is doing well! She is a bit fed up with being inside I think but healing well, eating drinking pooping, and one egg a day right in time for breakfast somewhere between 7 and 7:30 This post clean-up and 2nd day in.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad to hear she's doing better!

What a sweet photo