Mallard with fracture femur.

[Onimau619]

My mallard fractured her femur. Vet told us no walking for 4 weeks until it's healed.
Does anyone know the best way to do this?

Anyone have this happen before? I'm so heartbroken. I don't know what to do.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Take a tote, and stretch a sheet across it, securing it. Cut two holes for the duck's feet to go through. Set up a feeding station at the front, and something to deal with her waste at her end.

 

[Onimau619]

Thank you for the suggestion. I ask the vet and she told us that the break would be right where her legs stick out. And that we can't alond her legs to move.

We currently have her in a small tote wrapped in a towel. We then cut a hole out of the lid for her head to get food and water. It worked for a few hours. But she's now fighting to get out. I don't know what I can do to help her keep calm for the next 3-4 weeks.

Posting a picture of her without the lid to show what we did.

 

[Onimau619]

Oops, fracture* not break

 

[Isaac 0]

Very sorry to hear about your duck.
Any serious concerns should be directed towards your veterinarian as he/she has a better understanding of the nature of the injury than us on the internet. If she were mine, I would be more inclined to set her in a dog kennel not large enough to allow excessive movement and add plenty of padding underneath to prevent further damage to the injury.

Without completely immobilizing her there is only so much one can do to keep the bird from moving the fracture besides confining her. To my understanding, wrapping, or splinting a fracture of the femur is often ineffective. The link below discusses care of fractures in birds if you wish to check it out:
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

 

[Onimau619]

Thank you for the link.

 

[indianaducks]

I've really only dealt with issues like that with dogs after surgeries, not my ducks. There's really no way to keep them (dogs) completely immobile without sedation drugs (FOR DOGS). Not sure if that even exists for waterfowl but would only be something I'd ask a vet. Otherwise, at least for dogs, you just keep them calm and minimize their activity by keeping them in a crate or small pen. I don't know the extent of your duck's injuries, so again really only a vet could advise, but a dog crate or something as mentioned above might be helpful.

 

[Onimau619]

Thank you. I'll call my vet and ask if there's something.

 

[Onimau619]

Called her vet and was told it's okay to give a duck benadryl. 1mg (I think thats the correct letters) per 1lb.

But now I have a new dilemma. My duck didn't lay her egg yesterday or today. My guess due to stress and the pain she's in. (Her xrays showed she has one in her yesterday.) Normally when she becomes egg bound I would give her a warm bath with epsom salt. But I can't let her play like that until she's healed. Would anyone have another suggestion for what I could do?
Thank you.

 

[indianaducks]

Is she allowed to soak in the bath? Does she have sutures or a wound that's accompanying the fracture, preventing soaking? Or just not allowed to frolick in the water? Honestly, I'd probably ask the vet again... sorry lol