Injured Duck -- I don't think it will survive

[karmlacres]

The other day I accidentally startled my 4 month old duck- this poor duck has been through a lot. He needed assistance during the hatch, then I had to help it through spraddling and then a second bout of spraddling about a month later, then most recently angel wing. Well, it jumped off the deck and eventually found it's way under the deck. I told everyone the duck was loose and it was under the deck so to be extra sure the dogs didn't get after it until I could recapture the duck. Well, guess what? My warning went unheeded and the 5 pups got my duck. A big chunk of feathers was ripped from it's wing and it's leg must be broken. I can't see visible damage to the leg to say it's just hurt. It remains curled up and the duck won't put any weight on it. The duck may also have a injury to its chest but I can't see since he's solid black and no feathers were removed in that area. As a result, the duck does nothing more than rest. The last 2 days it has basically slept, only waking when we go out to pet/talk to it. The duck is drinking but no longer eating. It no longer lifts its head. The first few days the duck stayed upright and alert. Not now

This all happened a week ago tomorrow.

I have an appt with the vet to put him down. My husband offered to "do it" but I've seen him take out a snake .... it is never quick. My duck deserves to go peacefully. I'm royally bummed about this. But if someone will tell me that a duck can recover from a broken leg, I'll wait a little longer. But I seriously believe it will die of starvation sooner than later. What breaks my heart is that the duck has what looks like a tear next to his eye. I think he's in pain and miserable.

 

[LemonDoodles]

Oh god.... that breaks my heart.

 

[karmlacres]

It's killing me but I would be sicker knowing he starved to death. I had a chick recently survive a (not my) dog attack (two siblings weren't so lucky). He's much smaller than his siblings and it took a couple of weeks for him to get on his feet but he was eating/drinking and when I propped him up, he'd put weight on his foot. The duck won't even put weight on his foot/leg. I know a bird that can't walk/swim/fly won't have a fighting chance in the world. I'm just not feeling like he's going to gain strength or the desire to eat.

To add to this whole story, he's an offspring of my original ducks I got last year. They have since ran away from their enclosure. I have only one other offspring from my original pair. The one survivor is from one of 3 eggs that my duck abandoned when she went for the free world. She had just decided to start sitting on her eggs. I just don't seem to be meant for ducks.

 

[AdamD77]

Have you talked the situation over with a vet? Bones do heal! But it does take time of course. See if the vet knows any ways of getting him to eat or has anything to give him to improve his health and therefore make him feel well enough to eat again.

 

[froggie71]

Since he is drinking I'd try putting sugar in his water to get him perked up. When I had an injured duck I was able to get a duck to eat when I put chopped up tomatoes in his water. Running water encouraged his eating. He gained his strength enough to eat feed that I also put tomatoes on top of as well as chopped up hard boiled egg. As far as the leg, it may just be a bad sprain. These take time to heal, but they do heal on their own. Main concern here is not eating. Is he warm enough? maybe a heat lamp? Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[froggie71]

Wondering how your duck is doing....

 

[karmlacres]

I didn't go through with putting him down yesterday. He was given a little more freedom and I found he had tried moving about last night. He was pretty flat out on the ground and when I said his name, he looked up. I have him back near his food and water. My daughter said she shredded a leaf and he at some of it. These are leaves she's been fetching for him for several weeks now and he gobbles them up. She also said he ate some of his crumble. I'll be checking on him here shortly. I'm wondering if creating something to prop him to hopefully encourage him to move about will help. Get him up on his one good leg. The bad leg crosses underneath him.

 

[foxchasr]

Please being your duck to the vet! An infection may set in and he is probably in a lot of pain. One of my cats brought home a wild bunny with 2 back broken legs and he was eating a little too. The duck can be saved, trust me on this one, but it must be seen. I rescued a hen from a local farm who got attacked by the farm's dog and her leg was broken in 2 places WITH an infection. I brought her to the vet and she went right on meds and a soft cast for her leg and the bone fused. Please keep us posted. Saying prayers as I type. Good luck.

 

[willkatdawson]

I'm wondering if he would benefit from a bath run with really warm water. He could float and maybe move the leg a bit without bearing weight on it. Maybe he might be more willing to eat if the leg doesn't have any weight on it. Dumb idea maybe, as I'm not a duck owner, but maybe he would eat some cherieos if they were floating around him.

 

[GrannyCarol]

If you want to try to save him, get him a cool bath (he doesn't need warm, he's well insulated) so he can get the weight off the leg and see if he will eat worms. Worms are a very high protein and high fat natural food for ducks. I would also get him to a vet, if you are fortunate enough to have a vet that would deal with him. I'm pretty short of such a thing here, either I can doctor them along or I have to put them down. Also, if you have it or can get it, feed him Comfrey, known as "bone heal" for a reason. It's rough, I always feel so helpless when something like that happens.