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Help please! One of my ducks is injured

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ducks injured
2K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  forestdale 
#1 ·
I went out late this morning (10:30) to feed them and get the eggs and found one duck (Cinderella by name) wedged between the fence and their wooden nesting box. I pulled the box away from the fence and she sort of slumped, with her right side lower than her left. Her right wing was askew but it looks okay now. I brought her some water and after a moment she walked a few feet then sat down. I'm worried about her right foot. Part of the time she walked correctly and part of the time, she had it all curled up and walked on...well...curl up your hand and 'walk' on the backside of your wrist (where most people have their wristwatch) - that's what it looked like.

I sequestered her from the other two ducks and provided the better shelter, a bucket of water, and little bowls of food, grit and calcium. I also filled a small pan with water and put her in it. (It's about 30inches by 15 inches, only about 5 inches deep). She has her good foot down, bad foot up and body partially floating. Overall I was out there an hour. She is still trembling, but not as severely. And she did quietly 'quack' at me once. I floated some lettuce in the water and she ate one piece. Oh, and she pooped.

I don't know what else to do for her.

Our predicted high temp today is 55-60F. Low tonight around 40. I know ducks are pretty hardy, but is she more likely to get chilled because she injured? I could put a heat lamp over her, but I don't want her to get too hot either.

I would appreciate any suggestions as I don't have much avian knowledge. Also are there any safe mild pain relievers?

BTW, I'm fearful that she was stuck there for as long as 24hours. Dh moved the pen yesterday (because I was at work) and I'm thinking that's when she got stuck: yesterday morning.

TIA.
 
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#2 ·
I have no clue about ducks, but it sure sounds like she has a little nerve damage. As long as she was only wedged in there and not crushed, I'm sure she will get better. My rabbit's pen was left slifhtly ajar, and he got stuck in there are was basically the way you describe. After several hours he got a little better, and by the nxt day he was fine.

I'm sure Rodmick (Michelle) or Rhonda will have some advice for you.
 
#3 ·
I'm sorry, Valerie, but I don't know anything about ducks. I do know that all birds are not good with stress or shock. It can kill them. I'd confine her to a small dark space where she can't move around and no other duck can come near her. I'd keep her there for a full day and maybe cover the space with a blanket for warmth at night.

Here is my favourite homesteading site - he raises ducks and he has a small piece on duck first aid.
http://www.newagrarian.com/homestead/ducks/year2.html

I wish I could give you more advice but I've never kept ducks.
 
#4 ·
I just went out and checked on her. She looks better; her feathers are fluffed, instead of pulled down tight - but maybe that means she's cold. Also the last two times I was out there, she had her foot opened up properly and was standing on it. Her body was not upright, but floating, so I don't think she's bearing much weight on that leg yet. But it is good to see it open.

Do you think I should take her out of the water and confine her at this point? The area she is in is about 7ft by 3ft. I have a cat carrier that I could put her in, but neither is she trying to walk. But maybe, Rhonda, she needs the confinement because of the stress, more so than the physical injury?

I don't think it was crushed because there's no visible wound.

I just called dh and we're pretty sure that she wedged herself in there. He's sure that she wasn't trapped when he moved the pen.
 
#5 ·
Valerie, I'd be guided by your impression of her. If she appears stressed in her first aid pond, take her out, if not, leave her there. It sounds like she's taking advantage of not putting weight on her leg.

Just be aware of the shock/stress factor. Is she separated from your other ducks? I think she should be alone for a while so she doesn't have the added stress of dealing with the flock.
 
#6 ·
My feeling is that she's doing better. This last time I went out she quacked 'hello' in a nearly-normal voice. She is separated from the other two. I used wire, wood and zipties to contain her to one end. I think I'll leave her in the water for about two more hours. I have to leave then, for about 2.5hrs and it will get dark while I'm gone. So I'll take her out of the water and confine her in their nesting box/weather shelter. It's a wooden box about 2ft by 3ft, and it's designed with two 'rooms' so she can go around the corner and get away from the doorway. I'll leave food and water in there, but I fear she'll knock it over.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for your reassurance Rhonda. And you too Kim. ((HUGS)) Sometimes it helps just to bounce ideas off of someone else.
 
#10 ·
i was jsut wondering how she is doing, i have thought alot about her, and agre with everyones idea's. please let us know
 
#12 ·
Valerie~ hope your ducks ok!!! Sorry I didn't see this earlier. Dark and confined is good or an injured bird. Does sound like nothings broken if she put the foot down a bit.
Last winter we had 1 of our completely puncture her web. She had lost so much blood on the snow I thought we'd lose her. After over an hour we finally stopped the bleeding and confined her a few days in a dog carrier in the house.
I sure hope shes ok! Hope you check in soon!
 
#14 ·
Thank you all for your sweet thoughts! :grouphug2:

Last evening I went out when I got home (about 630) and saw her take a couple of steps. She limped heavily, but her foot was in it's proper position. So I left her there with food, water & grit (no calcium). I checked her about 630 this morning and she looked pretty good. She was lying down, but her head was up and her eyes were bright. I'm going to put her in water again today - around midday, when it's as warm as it is going to get. I'd like her to walk a bit too, if she's up to it. But I'll still keep her separated from the others, and I'm still going to confine her to the wooden box at night.

Oh, she really hasn't eaten much. I'll take her some table food treats in a while.

They tend to spook easily and run in circles together, so I want her isolated until she's much better. I think that may be how she got wedged in the first place. I never would have thought she could get between the box & fence to get stuck! In the future, we will just make sure there's room to run between the box and the fence. The phrase 'bird brain' sure does seem to fit! :bang:

Is this impression right? I am of the impression that if the stress hasn't killed her yet (almost 24 hours since I found her - and she's gotten thru the first night) that she should recover. Do you with avian knowledge think that's reasonable?
 
#16 ·
#17 ·
In my bird experience (limited as it is) yes if 24 hours has passed and they don't show worsening signs, then it bodes well for their recovery. When i worked at a petchop in Maine, we got in our birds and kept them seperate for a day before we even did anything more than feed, water, and keep warm. I asked why this was and the answer was bird stress. I always left it as that. But now that i know more, it was to allow the birds to recover form transport and settle down. Stresed birds are hard to treat. and symptoms can be hidden very well by birds, moreso when they are scared or such. after 24 hours we were able to find which ones needed extra special care, which handled the transfer well and so on. I have begun to ramble, but then i tend to do that alot. i would continue to baby her, keeping a close eye on her.
 
#19 ·
The good news is that she's trying to do more today. Yesterday, she had no interest in moving. The bad news is that the foot is again curled up more than half of the time. She got herself out of, into, and back out of the water. She nibbled some grass and a small bit of 'feed', but turned down people food (fruit, oatmeal, boiled egg). I keep having the urge to go buy her some organic spinach. I might do that when dh gets home. She seems to want leafy food, and spinach is the most nutrient-dense that I can think of.

Missy: 'petchop' :crackup:
 
#20 ·
And thanks, for the links Rhonda. I'll look at them after the dc go to bed tonight. I did a google search yesterday, but didn't find much. I think I googled "avian foot injury" and most of it was related to birds that perch. Ducks have very different feet. :)
 
#21 ·
Oh I'm glad. I've been quietly reading this thread from the start, and praying the duck will be fine.

She sounds like a really nice companion.

Maybe she needs that spinach and that is why you've got the urge to get her some. Who knows how these things work.

I am quite sure that Dozer "told" me stuff at times.

Whether they are telepathic with their owners or it's some kind of unconscious reading of signals if you think she needs spinach, she probably does.

She might be sitting there just thinking, "I could sure go for some spinach right about NOW!"

Bless her little ducky heart (and foot).
 
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