Duck with bloody nose/beak?

[Weeg]

I just went out to check on my birds after bringing Doodle in to treat for hypothermia. I tossed out some mealworms to make sure everyone was moving good. When I went to see the ducks, everyone seemed find, moving great, no issues, but Rocky seemed to have a bloody nose? Or bloody beak I guess? Can this happen in ducks? It doesn't seem like its still flowing, but the blood looked fresh. They're afraid of me so I couldn't get a very close look. Maybe its not her nose/beak and she go blood on it from another source? I got some semi good photos, but you can kind of see what I mean. The temps have dropped around here pretty quickly, its currently 18 degrees fahrenheit, going to 11 at night.

What should I do? Has anyone every seen this before?
@Miss Lydia @Isaac 0

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe she stuck her bill through the fencing and scratched her bill.? If you can I'd get her and check her out real close and maybe spray or put some type of antibiotic ointment on it. Do they have a coop they can go into and hunker down into deep bedding to be out of the frigid temps your having?
My Runners and Buffs aren't fans of being picked up but I just corner them inside their coop and get them if necessary.

 

[Weeg]

Maybe she stuck her bill through the fencing and scratched her bill.? If you can I'd get her and check her out real close and maybe spray or put some type of antibiotic ointment on it. Do they have a coop they can go into and hunker down into deep bedding to be out of the frigid temps your having?
My Runners and Buffs aren't fans of being picked up but I just corner them inside their coop and get them if necessary.

Sadly, the photo shows the only "coop" I have available to them. We built that coop long before I joined BYC or new much about proper duck housing, so until I can build a new one this winter/spring, thats all they've got. I put tarps up yesterday around 3 walls, and it seemed to be at least a few degree's warmer than outside. Theres a good thick layer of hay on the ground, so I hope thats good enough.
I can go out and grab her. I was hoping to avoid it, but I have no problem with doing that if I have to. I have pain free Neosporin and Veterycin, so I'll see if I can get a better look.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's right I remember now you asking about your run. Putting up tarps will help. If you can get a better picture of her bill. Hopefully it's just a scratch and just some Veterycin and Neosporin will be all that is needed. They will hunker down and should stay pretty warm being they are wearing a nice layer of down under their feathers. Just don't leave any water out they can get into.

 

[Myrshine]

Clean the blood off if possible and see if there is any puncture damage or a scratch of sorts that caused it.

 

[Weeg]

That's right I remember now you asking about your run. Putting up tarps will help. If you can get a better picture of her bill. Hopefully it's just a scratch and just some Veterycin and Neosporin will be all that is needed. They will hunker down and should stay pretty warm being they are wearing a nice layer of down under their feathers. Just don't leave any water out they can get into.

Gotcha. So far I haven't done a good job at keeping them away from water. They still have access to their pond. I'll see if I can block that off today.
They seem pretty warm otherwise, I'm glad the tarps worked out so well. I'll try to get a better photo when I go out to grab her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If there is possibilty that pond would freeze and they were in there that could be bad.

 

[Weeg]

If there is possibilty that pond would freeze and they were in there that could be bad.

This is a very good point. I would hate to have to deal with cleaning and dumping a pond though. To prevent that, we have a natural spring that runs from our hill and into the pond constantly. Its not that big, probably a foot or two larger than a kiddie pool. It has a small stream that runs from the pond into the bushes, so the water is always moving. It hasn't froze once in this entire cold spike. Pretty handy.

 

[Weeg]

After going out the catch them, they were all in their pond and the blood was gone. I grabbed her anyway, and didn't see any signs of a scratch or puncture. Checked my other White Crested as well to be sure it wasn't her, but still nothing. I didn't see anywhere to put Neosporin or Veterycin.
This is the only clear photo I could get of her beak, but the other side and top looked the same.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well it's a mystery then, but glad to hear no one is injured. Sounds to me like they are very hardy and having fun in your temps. Good work getting those tarps up.