One of my ducks was quite badly injured recently by the old gander they live with. The injuries are around her head and beak. The vet put her on Terramycin powder in her water and gave her some Metacam. She also had some Arnica to reduce the bruising. She doesn’t seem too bothered by it all at the moment, but I’m worried about infection and keeping her in the house at present.
The vet suggested some Baytril injectable as well if she didn’t seem to be responding. Both the female ducks have been getting rather amorous around Ben the gander and run around him, then sit as if they want him to mount them, and this injury seems to have been the result of him trying to do just that. Is this normal behaviour for ducks and geese?James Adel, via email
It is definitely spring! If ducks and geese don’t have opposite sex partners, they will indeed solicit for breeding. You may need to get a female goose to keep the gander occupied, or keep the ducks and gander separate, but he will need some kind of company as geese are very flock orientated and stress quite badly if suddenly on their own. VR
Victoria Roberts BVSC MRCVSEmail the Vet’s forum at: vetsforum.csh@archant.co.uk
Disclaimer: The information and advice in this column is given in good faith. However, as the animals in question have not been examined by the author, no liability in respect of diagnosis or application of any treatments is accepted either by the author or by Country Smallholding
