Duck With Eye Closed??

Little Byrd

Chirping
Dec 25, 2015
128
6
61
Georgia
Hello, I have two free range ducks (Pumpkin and Cocoa) that i let out for about 8 hours yesterday while I went to work. When I came back from work Pumpkin looked like she had gotten beaten up, with one eye closed, i think i see a cut on her face, and i think a crooked neck.

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She might just be crooking her neck because she is trying to see out of one eye. She is having a really hard time seeing even though she is able to open the eye somewhat today. Just eating food out of my hand is difficult for her. Last night I gave her a big bucket of water mixed with a little white vinegar, hoping she would wash her face, but I didn't see her washing just drinking out of it. What should I do to help? Maybe antibiotics?
 
Hello, I have two free range ducks (Pumpkin and Cocoa) that i let out for about 8 hours yesterday while I went to work. When I came back from work Pumpkin looked like she had gotten beaten up, with one eye closed, i think i see a cut on her face, and i think a crooked neck.




She might just be crooking her neck because she is trying to see out of one eye. She is having a really hard time seeing even though she is able to open the eye somewhat today. Just eating food out of my hand is difficult for her. Last night I gave her a big bucket of water mixed with a little white vinegar, hoping she would wash her face, but I didn't see her washing just drinking out of it. What should I do to help? Maybe antibiotics?
Do you think a predator got hold of her? have you checked her all over for wounds besides the closed eye? for treating the eye rinse in warm saline water, take 1/8 teaspoon salt mix with a cup of warm water stir till salt has dissolved then pout slowly over her eye make sure the eyeball it self isn't injured. Do the saline wash a couple times a day and if you can get either Veterycin spray or Terramycin eye ointment [both at TSC}use either of them on her after saline wash. Poultry vitamins in her drinking water also How is her neck today?When using vinegar in drinking water it should be Apple cider vinegar. @Little Byrd
 
She seems to be able to see out of her eye now. I gave her a big bowl of cilantro, tomatoes, kale, and strawberries, and she gobbled it all down without a problem.

As for predators, the only ones I've seen around are hawks, possums, and once a cat. The hawks leave my ducks alone, possums only come at night, so maybe she had a fight with a cat or maybe she just tripped and fell. I'll never know, but she has no serious injuries. Her neck is ok after all.

Can I use ac vinegar in their bathwater so she can clean her eye herself instead of me cleaning her eye with saline water? She is very skittish and difficult to get a hold of and I'm pretty sure I can't hold her down with one hand and apply the water with the other twice a day :/. Thanks
 
She seems to be able to see out of her eye now. I gave her a big bowl of cilantro, tomatoes, kale, and strawberries, and she gobbled it all down without a problem.

As for predators, the only ones I've seen around are hawks, possums, and once a cat. The hawks leave my ducks alone, possums only come at night, so maybe she had a fight with a cat or maybe she just tripped and fell. I'll never know, but she has no serious injuries. Her neck is ok after all.

Can I use ac vinegar in their bathwater so she can clean her eye herself instead of me cleaning her eye with saline water? She is very skittish and difficult to get a hold of and I'm pretty sure I can't hold her down with one hand and apply the water with the other twice a day
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. Thanks
I'd just put the ACV into their drinking water not sure how much you'd put in the bath water but you could try it. My ducks are constantly stinking their heads in their buckets so I just put ACV in there. 1-2 Tablespoons to 1 gal of water.

Great news your seeing improvement. Do not under estimate hawks. I had one come right by my house and get my bantam hen. Red Tail
 
I'd just put the ACV into their drinking water not sure how much you'd put in the bath water but you could try it. My ducks are constantly stinking their heads in their buckets so I just put ACV in there. 1-2 Tablespoons to 1 gal of water.

Thanks for the advice :)
 
@Little Byrd
   how is she today eye any better?
She has completely recovered :), but shes been very jumpy after whatever happened. Both ducks have been staying in their pen or under my fig tree all the time when I'm not outside with them.
 
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She has completely recovered
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, but shes been very jumpy after whatever happened. Both ducks have been staying in their pen or under my fig tree all the time when I'm not outside with them.
That great news that she has recovered, sounds to me they may have had a visit from a predator and she escaped with her life and some injuries. Try and make their living space as secure as possible so it doesn't happen again is all you can do. And thanks so much for keeping me updated on her. Predators is something we all have to watch for.
 

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