Ducks bill bleeding!

[aduckstolemyheart]

I have been posting here for a while about my ducks, and something is wrong with my Pekin drake, Bella's bill. I came outside and watched the ducks for a while, and read a book. The ducks went around the other ide of the house and were out of my sight for about 5 mins. When Bella came back his bill was bleeding and it looks scraped, or peeled back.

What could have happened in 5 mins to cause this and what the heck is wrong with it? Is it a scrape, and how should I treat it?

Any help appreciated, I am so worried! His bill had been a bit flaky lately so I had started them on Brewer's Yeast again the other day, in case that matters at all. And it's all dirty because they have been foraging in the mud puddles all afternoon.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Ouch. My Pekin managed to do the exact same thing last year. I don't know what she scraped it on - none of the other ducks have ever done it.

Anyways, I rinsed it with water and then a bit of hydrogen peroxide, put a little dab of anitbiotic ointment on it (I dunno if that mattered at all, but it seemed like a good thing to do), and then I made sure to give her some extra treats for the next few days. It didn't bother her at all, and it healed up really quick.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

So glad to know that! Thank you so much! I already washed it and put some anti-biotic ointment on it, so it sounds like I did the right thing. I am pretty relieved to hear it can happen and should heal well. I figured I would get an answer here.

Thanks again!

 

[katharinad]

Ouch that is a nasty scrape. You will need to wash it with hydrogen peroxide or betadine solution. Then you need to get some cuticle scissors and cut the peeled back skin off. It will dry out and fall off anyway. Neosporine or antibiotic ointment is a very good idea, perhaps something that also contains vitamin e. It should be healed in no time. Your duck was probably dabbling in some soil and hit a sharp rock. Also check your fencing area for sharp edges and signs of digging. I tent to cover those areas with duck poo and pine shavings when I clean out their duck house daily, and they will stay away from it for a while. I don't think it is a smell thing, but rater the thing of the area being covered and they don't see what they usually dig for. Plus the poo will make the vegetation grow over it faster.

 

[aduckstolemyheart]

I let them free range during the day and only pen them at night, so thankfully I don't think it was the fencing. I think he may have scraped it on our wheelchair ramp (was here when we moved in.) He likes to dart underneath it instead of going around it lol. That's all I can figure....

 

[lovesduckies]

my not so smart drake got his bill stuck in the bathtub faucett once. his bill was cracked and bleeding, a lot. i was terrified and crying. my pure white female had blood on her feathers too, from him. i whiped up blood as it fell, when it stopped bleeding, i just cleaned up his bill and let him be. he healed just fine. he did have a scar but it's gone now