Chipped Bill - Repair?

[Darkjeweler]

I have a runner duck that has a bit of a chip out of the front of her bill. She has had it for a couple of months and it has not seemed to bother her much, however, I notice that she is perhaps the clumsiest of the ducks I have and has a tendency to faceplant into things. Should I try to fix the chip with a little fast setting dough type epoxy to fill in the void, or should I just leave her alone and assume that she won't break the rest of the tip of her bill off?

 

[jdywntr]

I'd just leave it if it doesn't seem to bother her. I've read that people have ducks with like half the bill missing and they are okay. As for her clumsiness, no idea.

 

[Amiga]

I think that epoxy would cause its own problems with the living tissue of the bill. For example, the epoxy I am familiar with gives off quite a bit of heat while it cures, and that could hurt the duck seriously.

There are materials that dentists and surgeons use to replace firm tissue that are nontoxic. I think that bills continue to produce new cells, so that's another thing to consider.

If she can eat and drink and is getting around okay, I would let it be.

 

[greymane]

Quote:
Sounds like the "getting around okay" part could be an issue.

Seriously, though, I hope she heals up real soon. I was clumsy when I was younger, as well. I think I grew out of it at about 40.

 

[Sore Thumb Suburbanite]

I notice gashes and dings on my ducks' bills from time to time, they seem to eventually heal. I have no idea how they get them, its like they play with heavy, sharp objects when I'm not looking. I second, third or fourth what people have said about letting it be. I'm sure she has no idea there is much wrong with her bill anyway.

 

[Darkjeweler]

Quote:
They are probably just running with scissors when you are not looking...

Very soon the ducks will be going into the "Bird Thunder Dome" I am building (you can see pics here https://picasaweb.google.com/111792...&authkey=Gv1sRgCOOPiM_dnbuNLQ&feat=directlink) I can just imagine the trouble they are going to get into with the Guineas.. lol..

 

[ZoeS95423]

I have a duck with a big chip out of her bill, I dont know how she got it. Niether does the person I got her from. I can see her tongue from time to time, so it is a pretty big chip. Her name is chippy
But she gets along perfectly fine.