Duck with broken bill

[aduckstolemyheart]

Hey guys! Could really use your expert advice right now. One of my Swedish hens has a bad bill injury. I have no idea how or when it happened. She's one of my shy group of rescues so she won't often come up to me, unless I have treats, and even then, she stays back a bit. About a week ago I noticed the end of her bill looked light, figured she had some dry mud on it. Yesterday, when giving them some pitted cherries from our trees, she got close enough that I was able to see that the last inch or so of her top bill is actually missing! I caught her, and got a good look at it. It does not look fresh, she never looked sick or injured, and appears in perfect health otherwise.

I separated her and watched her eat and drink, which she is doing well. She can't pick up small treats off the ground, but can fish peas out of the water.

Will this cause her any major issues in the future? What can I do for her at this stage? If I had seen this right after it happened I would have rushed her to our vet, but now I'm not sure what to do.

Any advice appreciated.

**in case it matters they free range within a fenced acre during the day and are safely housed at night. They did escape the yard through a hole we discovered in the fence about a month ago and took up in the neighbors pond. Not sure if it could be a snapper that did it?

 

[Amiga]

I think that sometimes material can be used as a prosthesis for a broken bill, but sometimes a duck manages okay with such an injury.

Looks like it could have been a snapper.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-06-18/news/1994169078_1_duck-showalter-mrs

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I think that sometimes material can be used as a prosthesis for a broken bill, but sometimes a duck manages okay with such an injury.

Looks like it could have been a snapper.

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1994-06-18/news/1994169078_1_duck-showalter-mrs

Soooo cool! I imagine it would be hard to find someone capable of doing that. I plan on contacting our avian vet tomorrow, but she does not specialize in ducks and treats mainly emergencies. She's awesome, and about the only one close to me, but think that might be beyond what she can do.

Assuming I cannot find an awesome duck vet like that, her prognosis should be ok right? She can eat her feed with the flock, she's obviously been doing it just fine since she got injured as her weight is great still. She could even enjoy other treats if I give her her own bowl from now on. I noticed she couldn't get the cherries picked up and down fast enough today without another duck stealing it.

I just feel so awful for her. She does not seem bothered in the slightest though.

Thank you so much for replying, I've been a mess since I saw it.

 

[Amiga]

I know of many ducks with bill injuries or malformations who do just fine with a supportive environment.

 

[Jemezhens]

When I was a kid I had a chicken whose beek was bitten off by a bob cat. I took her to my local vet (who later opened one of our states largest wildlife rescue and sanctuaries). She put a Prostetic beak on using the same materials that a nail technician at your nail salon uses, so thst she could learn to eat. It worked, when the "beak" fell off my hen had adjusted just fine. I looks like your duck is healing already though and is adjsting to eating ok and is leraning how to live without. She's a lucky one and obviously has the extra care and love to thrive. Darn snappers!

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

When I was a kid I had a chicken whose beek was bitten off by a bob cat. I took her to my local vet (who later opened one of our states largest wildlife rescue and sanctuaries). She put a Prostetic beak on using the same materials that a nail technician at your nail salon uses, so thst she could learn to eat. It worked, when the "beak" fell off my hen had adjusted just fine. I looks like your duck is healing already though and is adjsting to eating ok and is leraning how to live without. She's a lucky one and obviously has the extra care and love to thrive. Darn snappers!

That's amazing! So glad to hear yours did so well! My girl's doing great! No problems at all, except pickling up small things from flat ground.

Thanks for sharing! I love hearing birdy miracle stories!