My male duck Spencer got his head and neck coiled around fencing.

[RoosterTheHorse]

My duck Spencer somehow got trapped in wire fencing with about 1.5 inch half spacing between wires. My husband thought he was dead. Spencer was probably stuck like that all night. I saw his bill moving like a fish gasping. I uncoiled his head and neck carefully. He was in bad bad shape. He couldn't hold his head up. There's a concaved side on his head the shape of the heavy gauge of fencing wire, indented vertically, over his eye too. Blood around his bill and nostrils. This was Christmas Eve, so I had been busy and didn't notice him until about 11am. He was so bad off, and I felt suffering. I asked my nephew to come over and put him out of his misery.

But once he and his wife arrived, Spencer was a little more responsiveness. My neice-inlaw suggested giving him some time because he was fighting and maybe once the swelling went down, he'd improve. He did improve slightly over the hours. He could lift his head, but not hold it up. I drippled some water with electrolytes and probiotics down his throat, very carefully, And tried to rinse his bill. Some puss and crud came out. He still couldn't keep his head up, and it fell back down, laying to the side. And he was still shaking a little. I brought him into the house. Luckily his bill doesn't seem damaged.

So Christmas morning, he was keeping his head up. Not shaking anymore. And he drank on his own. His eyes were crusted shut, so I tried to clean around his eyes, and put some of that antibiotic eye gel in them. Then I mushed up some leftover sweet potatoes and mixed in water. He drank/ate that too quit eagerly. I am worried about swelling in his throat that when eating it might cause him to choke. So taking it slow.

Okay, all that to say, his neck has swelling and feels very warm. Perhaps it's warmer inside than he's used to. We're having snow right now.

I am worried about infection. I have penicillan I just bought, but have never used it on a duck. Should I? How much if so? Maybe a cool bath inside, watching him.

I feel like he's fighting and I'd hate for an infection to do him in.

Thanks.

Picture is from this morning. He is a home-grown mixed bred runner duck, had his grandpa, and still have grandma, and his parents.

 

[RoosterTheHorse]

He's eating and drinking less tonight, but he still does eat when I put his bill in the bowl. I did put duck pellets in water and he took some of that. He nibbled at crunched up mealworms too. We have very cold temperatures in our area right now, which is unusual. Western Washington. The chickens and ducks decided to stay inside. 16 inches of snow, only the geese venture out. They look like they are gliding over the snow negate you can't see their legs and feet. Lol. Spencer is in the laundry room bathroom, but it's at the end of house, and with the door closed, feels cold in there. I check on him often.

He was in the bath today and he tried to stand and preen himself afterwards. He might just be tired or I let him overdo it.

I know to crunch up pills, and I have a syringe. I was going to give a desolved aspirin, then my neice-inlaw said not to in cash he had any internal bleeding. The swelling or bump on the side of his neck hasn't gone down. But he one eye looks much better, and isn't draining crud anyway.

He's still doing much better than a few days ago, for sure.

Thanks for asking.

 

[RoosterTheHorse]

He is slowly doing better. Thankfully, he had gained the use of one eye, and can see it if it. The other eye is just messed up. Still getting goopu, but also im the eye itself looks mishapen.

He is standing and eating and drinking on his own. Mealworms, which he can break up easily, flock raiser, so crumbles, and water with the electrolytes and probiotics. He still has trouble walking, and I don't see any injury, so my thoughts still are that maybe slow recovering from some swelling or damage to his head. He takes a bath in tub, and cleans and dunks as a duck should. Lol, not so elegantly yet. He even tried to do some zoomies under water - that wasn't very cordinated.

If it's a head injury like the chicken I talked about - that took her several months to heal from, before she walked upright without going a bit sideways, and she could shallow normally. So I am hoping it's just time.

The state he was in when I found him, seriously, his head and neck all twisted around the heavy fencing wire - it is a miracle he is where he is. The guy fought, and I am glad we have him a chance, even with just seeing a little head lift.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe try some warm compresses on his eyes. I'm sure that will feel good to him and might open his eyes enough to get the gel inside. Some Epsom salt compresses around his neck would probably feel good too and may help with swelling. Does his neck hve open wounds?
Poor boy.

 

[thumper650]

Poor Spencer.
As for food you might try dissolving pellets in his water.
If you give him any pills, make sure you do it correctly. It’s tricky.
Please let us know how he’s doing.

 

[thumper650]

Hopefully he’s on the mend!

I just mentioned pills because I had to give my kahki pills for a few weeks. We did half pills, inserted into her bill, way down, avoiding her trachea. She hated being handled anyway so it was a challenge.
Sounds like Spencer is I good hands. Hope he makes a full recovery.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@RoosterTheHorse
How is Spencer doing today?