Just rescued a duck... HELP!!! (never had a duck before)

[dumb_cluck]

Aflac

Seriously, you did good to rescue the duck. Good luck!

 

[rebecky1305]

You might have a problem putting him in with your chickens. He is a drake and may try to mate the hens. If you do try, do not give him anything bigger for water than what he already has. If he does try to mate them, he might drag them into the water. Can you fence off a small area of the chicken coop and run for him?

 

[Birdcrazy]

If its any comfort - my ducks and chooks get along perfectly (drake with the chooks included)

 

[Ravynia_30]

Ok.. the mites are drastically reduced. Spur feeds didn't have anything to help with the mites.. They wanted me to use a sulphur ointment.. on feathers. SO, I used the sevin dust and the mites all ran to his head.. then he tucked his head under his wing to sleep and got sevin on his head. He still has mites but he is quickly improving on that front. I also used the DE mixed into his pine bedding and the sevin dust under his bedding.

He LOVES the chicken layer pellets, drinks constantly, and poops a LOT of soupy greenish poop. I am having to clean the bedding in his box twice a day. His eyes are bright and shiny, and he flicks his tail in what I think is happiness... he also talks to me when I enter the room. His quiet noises are sooo sweet.

Now the (broken?) leg. He isn't walking on it at all. The first morning after I rescued him, he hobbled out of his box and chased my chihuahua away from his dog food and started stealing it. But since then he hasn't left the box, of course I have tried to give him as little need to leave the box as possible and have it set up so his water is outside the box but up against it and his food is in a dish in his box. it's his left leg, and it's swollen right at the joint. He can't flex it, and he keeps it slightly extended behind him, which forces him to lean to the right. It's the location of the swelling that has me doubting it's a broken leg.

When I had my starling, I learned that a diluted topical application of DMSO could be used on some birds to relieve pain and swelling. Are ducks part of that group? I know he must hurt because he's in the warmest room of my house, sitting on soft pine bedding with both food and water within necks reach - and he suddenly starts shivering.

I've asked around a bit at work about local vets who treat ducks... or chickens... and no luck. The couple of vets I've called are all strictly mammal vets - so I am all he has.

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

Is there a zoo in the area that has ducks? When I had a problem with some of my geese, the only vet in the area that had any knowledge of geese was the zoo vet. With his help, we solved the issue with the geese. A zoo that has ducks will surly have someone taking care of their health needs and hopefully will be willing to help you out with Aflax.

Also, ducks need extra niacin in their diets than a lot of feed provides. A lack of it can cause swelling in their legs/joints and cause lameness. Brewers yeast is one way to get extra niacin and B vitamins, or even a supplement. Brewers yeast is NOT the yeast you bake with. Some feed stores will have it.

I hope you find the help you need to help Aflax.

 

[xke4]

There are a few wildlife rehabbers listed on this site. Are any of them close to you? Perhaps they might be able to answer your questions or suggest a place where you can take him for treatment.
http://www.doggeek.com/Adoptions/Arizona.shtml

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I would definitely let him float in a deep tub of water for a long period of time every day. Sounds like he needs to get the pressure off of that leg. I had a call hen that had swelling at the joint and she never walked right again. She was able to fly though so when the other ducks would get too far ahead of her she would just fly to them.

 

[Ravynia_30]

Quote:
Sadly, No. I live wayyyy up in the mountains. All those rehabbers are hundreds of miles away.

I REALLY appreciate you posting it. There is one in Humboldt.. IDK where Humboldt is, maybe that one is closer?

Nope it's in the valley too. Dag nabit.

I will let him float for a while this evening.

 

[Birdcrazy]

Poor boy, maybe you could still ring someone thats far away just for advice, not an in-person visit if it helps? Maybe post some pics, too, of the wound? Some people on here are pretty experienced with that sorta stuff

 

[pirtykitty]

How is Aflac doing????
I bet he would love some peas floated in water, or some cut up romaine lettuce..