Injured Duck - need guidance please!!

[navasima]

I do not keep ducks. My neighbor does and he appeared at my gate today with a female - he's not sure what - under his arm. He believes that she was attacked by a dog last night. She has a pretty big wound under her wing. I rinsed her with clean, warm water and applied antibiotic ointment ( no -aine ). I have her in a small hutch - wire & enclosed section as he has no place to isolate her. He has no duck food on hand. I have both chicken layer crumbles and GBS 28%. Would either of these suffice?
The wound is no longer bleeding and IMO has not for some time. The duck is pretty calm and not showing any obvious signs of shock. My intention is to put some hay in the enclosed part and let her decide if she wants to be there or on wire.
Good food, clean drinking water, peace and quiet and monitoring her wound are what occur to me at the moment.

Will try for pics now.

Please advise.

 

[RedRoosterFarm]

sounds like you are doning ok. If she is feeling better you night want to let her have a big bowl of water because she could bathe in it and I would think that she can soak the wound. Depends how bad it is. If its real bad I just puy bagbalm on them and leave in a dog run but them self but keep out of mud. good luck!
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[navasima]

Thanks. So - what should I feed her? layer crumble or GBS?

Okay - here she is: sorry about the bad quality of the wound pic - trying to help as quickly as possible to minimize stress.....

not actually choking her - just looks like it

any idea what she is?

BTW: She's sitting in the straw now....inside the hutch part.

 

[CMV]

I'd go with the GBS initially for the higher protein. Once she heals she could go on the layer.

I think she's a Campbell X Runner. Her coloring is Khaki Campbell until you get to that white bib. The stance is more Runner than Campbell, though. Campbells have Runner in their family trees anyways, but she looks more Runner than usual. I'd guess she's a mix.

I hope she makes it. Ducks are really tough. She'll probably do just fine.

Good luck.

 

[navasima]

Thanks CMV - she's hanging out on her straw ( sorry, it's not hay, it's straw) and hisses at me when I peek in - so I'm actually pretty hopeful for her. I'd rather see attitude than total placidity - y'know? I know she's had a drink or two...I'll feel much better when there is evidence she's eaten.....
Am I correct in thinking that we want to keep this as dry as possible until it heals? or would denying her swimming be more detrimental?

 

[CMV]

If you had a tub that you could change the water/clean the tub after each use then getting wet would be OK. They enjoy swimming so much that I rarely deny them that joy even when wounded. Injured ducks bathe in a tub and not the pond to keep the wounds as clean as possible, though.

 

[navasima]

Some water to get into or enough for actual swimming around? I could give her some tub-time daily if that's what she requires.

 

[CMV]

She doesn't require it, but it will make her feel better. The thing is if you don't provide enough water for swimming you will find her swimming in her water dish. It's hilarious, but makes a huge mess and makes it difficult to know if she is actually drinking. I use a large feeding dish for a tub in the hospital cage, or I just toss the injured bird into my bathtub. Either one works.

Since your girl seems a bit feisty I would try a dishpan or something like it.

 

[navasima]

Thanks again! The upside here? I was just starting to look into keeping ducks...... it will still be a while 'til I'm prepared to have my own, but I'm sure getting a crash course!

Next question: This neighbor mentioned that he was out of feed so the ducks have been getting dog food for a few weeks. Really? That's okay?