Cracked Duckling Bill - To Glue or Not to Glue

[walter123]

I posted a couple days ago about my duckling’s cracked bill. My dog got a hold of her bill through the crate on Friday.

So far so good. We’ve been keeping it as clean as possible. She’s eating, drinking, being her normal duckling self.

So here’s the question… Do we attempt to glue the bill together? Do we leave it alone? Do we need to contact a vet to see if they want to snip the whole piece off?

We’re not really sure where to go from here. We don’t know what happens to the cut chunk as her bill gets bigger, etc., but since she’s being herself, we don’t want to make anything worse.

Attaching a bunch of few pictures and videos from today.

 

[sourland]

At this point, I doubt that there is any possibility of the bill healing together so I would no longer recommend gluing it. As long as the duckling is able to eat and drink, I would not intercede. At some point it may be necessary to remove the jagged piece.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I agree with @sourland. When you decide to have the jagged edge removed I'd def get a vet to take care of it.
Such good news that the duckling is doing so well. I can tell it's very much loved.

 

[ruthhope]

This is Ping. He was attacked by a raccoon that killed his clutchmate. His bill isn't the most beautiful, but he does ok.

He needs a deep bowl for food as he pushes the pellets up the side of the bowl. When I give him peas, I offer them to him in a plastic cup that tapers towards to bottom. He gets his head in the wide mouth of the cup but most of the peas don't get pushed out.

I currently have a muscovy with its bean hanging off one side. He injured himself being aggressive and trying to attack another muscovy through the bars of a dog pen. There was blood everywhere but it healed and then he did the same thing trying to attack the other drake. I haven't had the bean trimmed. I have left it and he eats fine.

You may not need to do anything to your ducks bill if it doesn't give him any problems

 

[Miss Lydia]

The only problem I see is if the duckling caught that piece and broke it worse?

 

[walter123]

View attachment 3564142

This is Ping. He was attacked by a raccoon that killed his clutchmate. His bill isn't the most beautiful, but he does ok.

He needs a deep bowl for food as he pushes the pellets up the side of the bowl. When I give him peas, I offer them to him in a plastic cup that tapers towards to bottom. He gets his head in the wide mouth of the cup but most of the peas don't get pushed out.

I currently have a muscovy with its bean hanging off one side. He injured himself being aggressive and trying to attack another muscovy through the bars of a dog pen. There was blood everywhere but it healed and then he did the same thing trying to attack the other drake. I haven't had the bean trimmed. I have left it and he eats fine.

You may not need to do anything to your ducks bill if it doesn't give him any problems

Awhhh Ping is so cute! thanks for sending that!

 

[walter123]

The only problem I see is if the duckling caught that piece and broke it worse?

That’s our concern as well. We’re going to try to get the duckling in to a vet to take a look at it and see if they think that broken piece should be cut (). I’ll keep everyone posted!

 

[walter123]

Took the duckling to the vet today and they cut off that portion of the bill. They said the break looks okay and that he or she should be alright!

 

[Miss Lydia]

great news, and he looks alot better, and now he can't catch his bill on anything and make the crack worse.

 

[walter123]

Exactly! Thanks for all of your help