OK, I got a weird one for everybody! Did I do the right thing?

[Buxton Ducks]

I was at the feed store today and somebody had dropped off this wild mallard girl. When she arrived, her face was completely mangled from over-mating of the males. All you could see was a bloody mess on her face a few weeks ago. I inquired about her today and they let me take her home. I already have a duck that is blind so I figured they could be buddies. Upon closer inspection I saw that there were tears coming out of little tiny holes on each side of her head. Her eyes were still there, but skin had healed over them! I could see the third eyelid blinking under the skin. This is where I hope I made the right decision..... I sterilized a scalpel and carefully cut through the skin in one fluid motion and there were her bright and clear eyes! I flushed them out thoroughly and put in some antibacterial eye drops. She had a lot of debris stuck under the skin such as dirt and pine shavings. There was no sign of infection (the bubbles in her eye are from the drops). When I put her back down she began running around the pen and biting at the other ducks, then she tried to fly away! I have since clipped a wing to keep her grounded. What does everybody think, was this cruel to do, will they simply heal back over?








Here in the first time she has seen in months (the foaming is from eye drops)

 

[Lamar Estate]

Thank you for trying to help this poor girl! It's great to hear that she's doing better. She deserves a healthy and happy life.

I think it's a good thing that you clipped her wings. She's in no shape to be out on her own. However, she is a wild bird. Therefore, I believe it's illegal to keep her.

I would contact a wildlife rehabilitation center for additional help. There is a wonderful waterfowl rehabilitation/rescue place that is run by a woman named Jennifer Gordon. She's fantastic. Although I live in Minnesota, she's helped me with waterfowl problems through messages on facebook. You can contact her by phone, email, or facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cwrescue/info).

Good luck!
Amanda

http://www.carolinawaterfowlrescue.com


Carolina Waterfowl Rescue
P.O. Box 1484
Indian Trail, NC 28079
*we are not open to the public so our address is not listed on the website
phone: 704.668.9486
fax 413.832.6371

General emails or help with animals [email protected]

 

[desertdarlene]

Is she really a wild duck or just a wild-type domestic mallard? Are any of her hind toes clipped?

 

[Buxton Ducks]

Yes, one toe has been clipped. I thought this happened during the fighting but does this mean something else? Obviously if a toe was purposely clipped, she isn't wild. She is cooped in for the night but I can find out in the morning which toe it is if it matters.

 

[Buxton Ducks]

Okay so she is a captive reared mallard. I just googled mallard toe clipping.... I guess the people had 13 male ducks and this girl appeared one day only to get beat up. Male ducks are worse than roosters....

 

[desertdarlene]

Yeah, she is probably a domestic mallard, then. Most hatcheries clip a hind toe on the mallard duckings they sell when they are a day old.

I think you did the right thing if her eyes are better and there's no infection. I don't know if she might need some kind of pain killer, someone else might know. I think if you are careful, you could keep the skin from growing back. I wonder how she got like that.

 

[Buxton Ducks]

It was overmating by the males, they just wouldn't stop.... the poor girl.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It was overmating by the males, they just wouldn't stop.... the poor girl.

Bless you for taking her and then for being brave enough to help her see again, she'll settle down soon with all the TLC your giving her.