Is this duck okay?

[SolarDuck]

I came to visit my local park and found one of the ducks that I hadn't seen for months and thought got picked off by a predator up by the bushes. Something just looks odd to me. It looks like something is wrong with her tail feathers but I'm not sure what it is. She also just seems to be moving pretty slowly and I don't want to chase her to find out, but it seems like she can't fly. Anyone know what might be wrong with her, if anything?

 

[Isaac 0]

Unfortunately, there are too many possible conditions that could cause her to act off, and to make an accurate diagnosis/suggestion by just viewing a video of her walking around will likely prove ineffective. To further worsen the problem, birds often hide their symptoms to circumvent potential detection of predators; this is known as the "masking phenomenon".

Trauma from predators, reproductive problems, toxicosis, among other things would be a good guess. Maybe just monitor her for a few day/s, and see if she continues to act poorly.

 

[SolarDuck]

Hopefully Isaac will know a lil more. I'm worried about her now. She is one that I've been watching at that park since she was a baby. She's usually much more friendly and not scared of me so something definitely spooked her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If there is any way to bring her home an isolate her that way you can get a feeling for what maybe wrong. There are so many things that could be happening. From the video she looks to be in good weight but that's where hands on is needed. Only problem with putting food close to her is attracting other animals. They may prefer to eat her than the feed.

 

[SolarDuck]

She finally started eating some food, it took her while but once she did she really started chowing down on it. I've just been sitting in the bathroom with her so she doesn't feel too lonely and it seems to be helping her somewhat.

 

[SolarDuck]

Just emptied out the tub and filled it with water so she could take a bath. She seems to be enjoying herself in there I hear her splashin around. I wish I could watch her but she's too scared of me so if I peek in she stops. She's getting a good bath though!

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

I went ahead and set up my bathtub for her so she's got something soft to sit on, hopefully she can be stress free in there.

Your so kind. Giving your bathroom away to a hurt duck.

 

[SolarDuck]

Karen seems to be doing great! It's been about 5 days since I stopped putting neosporin on because it seemed to be completely healed and I couldn't really see any sign of the scratches she had back there. Ill check again soon just to make sure I get a really good look and there is nothing I missed. Without me grabbing her in the morning to apply the neosporin the past few days she has been much less scared of me throughout the day and doing very well with the other ducks. Tonight I put them all together in the main coop for the first time! Just peeked at them out there and she was laying in the new nesting box that I put out there just for her. Pigeon and Penguin occasionally still pick on her a bit, but when Penguin picks on her Puffin steps in to help her friend and puts herself in between Penguin and Karen. I think their pecking order right now is Pigeon at the top, then Puffin then Penguin then Karen. I'm very glad to see they are all getting along and I haven't weighed Karen recently, but she seems to at least be a little bit thicker than when I brought her in so hopefully she will plump up like the other 3 soon. She's gotten comfortable enough with me that when I bring out treats she runs up right with the other 3, she still won't eat out if my hand like they do yet. She also doesn't just walk in the opposite direction unless I get very close so I'm glad she is warming up to me and to her other girls well.

 

[SolarDuck]

Just giving a little update because it's been a few weeks. I haven't had to treat her or anything since the last posts, she seems to be completely healed up great! Her tail feathers are almost completely grown back. She has also gotten noticeably bigger which is awesome! Just from the pictures I'm attaching you can see how much better she looks. She has been getting along with the other ducks much better too! None of them are really harassing her at all anymore, and she has started to come up with the other girls to eat treats out of my hand, and she also follows me around the yard with the other girls instead of just avoiding me

Overall she is doing great!

 

[sourland]

The duck appears to be slightly lame. A predator may have grabbed her causing loss of tail feathers and a minor injury.