Advice for feeding a blind merganser duck.

[laurie123]

I have a merganser duck for 3 days that was found in the road injured with head trauma. He is alert and moves around well, but both eyes were crusted closed and there was some blood coming from his mouth. The bleeding stopped quickly, and I washed his eyes and got them open. I have been applying triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment that I had left from when it was prescribed for my cat a few months ago. He is blind in both eyes. I have seen him drink and even sit in the tub of water that is with him, but I can't get him to eat. I have tried putting the food in the water and holding it in front of him...he just gets angry and hisses at me. Any help would be greatly appreciated, I have experience with chickens, but not with a duck like this. Thanks in advance!

 

[sourland]

Well you could get some bait fish and force feed the bird, but the best thing for the bird would be to take it to a wildlife rehabber.

 

[laurie123]

Thanks, we have called a wildlife rescue, but have not gotten any call back yet. I tried to put some chicken food slurry in his beak and he ate some. Is there anything healthier to try to give him if I do not have bait available?

 

[sourland]

Mergansers are fish eaters not grain eaters. Trout, salmon, any sort of fish is more in line with what it needs to survive.

 

[laurie123]

Thank you very much, he ate salmon today and enjoyed it!