very injured duck in need of help

[Orpington Crazy]

Yikes that is a wicked wound. You are doing a wonderful job with her.

 

[the builder]

So two questions; hows your baby doing and whats her name? Been great reading about her progress and hope she's still doing well and healing.

 

[KaziCritter]

with how shes acting you wouldnt think she was ever hurt. i managed to make a partition for the larger of my pens so she's no longer in that small box (its not actually much more room but its made of mesh panels so it seems bigger since she can see out through the walls and isnt hitting her head on the "roof"). she is spending most of the daylight hours quacking at my other ducks when ever they are visible from the window, which is about 1/3 of the yard that they have access to. shes also moving her neck much more freely then even just a few days ago, even so far as to tuck her head into her wing again. the cornish cross that was sharing the pen with my grey got well enough to be put back outside so i dont have cramped chickens in there and the duck is even quacking at the chicken a bit (they cant get through the panels so no chance of pecking). during the little time she didnt spend trying to talk to everyone she was either preening, napping, or eating.

as for a name, she (like most of my other birds) doesnt have one. only my rouen drake has a name and that was by accident, from the first time he had access to swimming water he's been first in and last out. as a baby he also kept diving and darting around under water, was so funny i called him a fish and it stuck. she does deserve one through for whats happened to her and how lucky she was.

 

[Miss Lydia]

with how shes acting you wouldnt think she was ever hurt. i managed to make a partition for the larger of my pens so she's no longer in that small box (its not actually much more room but its made of mesh panels so it seems bigger since she can see out through the walls and isnt hitting her head on the "roof"). she is spending most of the daylight hours quacking at my other ducks when ever they are visible from the window, which is about 1/3 of the yard that they have access to. shes also moving her neck much more freely then even just a few days ago, even so far as to tuck her head into her wing again. the cornish cross that was sharing the pen with my grey got well enough to be put back outside so i dont have cramped chickens in there and the duck is even quacking at the chicken a bit (they cant get through the panels so no chance of pecking). during the little time she didnt spend trying to talk to everyone she was either preening, napping, or eating.

as for a name, she (like most of my other birds) doesnt have one. only my rouen drake has a name and that was by accident, from the first time he had access to swimming water he's been first in and last out. as a baby he also kept diving and darting around under water, was so funny i called him a fish and it stuck. she does deserve one through for whats happened to her and how lucky she was.

What a great update.. you have taken such good care of her. Glad she likes seeing the other ducks too Sounds like the whole move has perked her up alot. I like the name fish it sure fits them when they swim under water.

 

[KaziCritter]

got a bit of an iffy update today. overall it looks like its healing (i think), but i think the crop is getting worse. the hole is still there and i think it might have developed a larger split along the edge of the lost skin (had a quick flash of 2 of light and what might have been the white feathers when trying to check on the hole but she wouldnt let me check it in any detail). the tissue of the cop is still soft and flexible, dont know if what i saw was a split or just like reflecting just so off the feathers and through the crop's wall.

overall wound now: (left side)


Overall (right side):



hole: (its a nice black line this time almost dead center in the photo)



close up of hole (taken from the last photo) with labels:



the hole itself is about 1/2-1/3 the size it was last time i tried getting a photo of it. there is quite a bit of vaseline on her neck there (all the gloopy whitish and yellowish stuff). oddly this last bandage had no food or color from her water in it, there was some orange but that was no where near the hole and was rubbing against the colored feathers. so im not sure if there is a split or if there is one then maybe thats not the crop after all? with a hole that size (refering to what i think split open) you would expect to at least get water leaking, no matter how well it was held shut. but then the split (if it is a new hole) is only a little bigger then the first hole ended up and that didnt really leak either.

 

[Amiga]

Just tossing this out there - could be a bad idea. What about using crazy glue or something to "stitch" the hole together?
Any chance you could start clipping some feathers away from the edge of the wound? I am thinking that might make it easier to clean and medicate.

 

[JensChickies]

Just tossing this out there - could be a bad idea.  What about using crazy glue or something to "stitch" the hole together?
Any chance you could start clipping some feathers away from the edge of the wound?  I am thinking that might make it easier to clean and medicate.

I was thinking this too, but they have a medical form of it for humans and animals. What about just like a liquid bandage....they sell it at CVS. I am not sure if it's safe for ducks though. Since the crop is stretchy, I am thinking maybe it needs a little help. The wound is looking good.

 

[roseyred]

Or a butterfly bandage. The kind you get when you don't need stitches but it brings the wound opening togethe. It's stretches then contracts over time. Idk if they make them small enough.... You could by all means get some ace and sew it with a needle and thread. You could get the materials somewhere I'm sure...or from a vet. As long as you have a steady hand and a curved needle it would be easy.

 

[KaziCritter]

if i were to try gluing it closed i would probably need the stuff used by an actual vet or such, the liquid bandage ive gotten before at the store was about as effecting as using super strength hairspray for holding a simple cut closed (this was on me, not the duck, and not an area that bends either) and was peeling off within a few hours (that bits not surprising since i cant even get nail polish to last more then a few hours before flaking off). only thing ive had success with for gluing my own cuts closed (only used on cuts in callused parts of my hands) was the glue for acrylic nails, really doubt that would be safe to use on a duck and even less safe for where it would be used). from what i can tell the first hole is closing slowly, but then i didnt want to poke it much on the chance that it might make it bigger or just tear it open if she decided to pull away while i was inspecting it.

as for the feathers, ive tried clipping them but i only have a big pair of scissors (bit more bulky then kitchen ones, but the same length) and she wont hold sitll long enough for me to position them, make sure im not going to cut her, and then do the actual trim. tried a few times and she doesnt want them anywhere near her. tried both with her wrapped up and in front of the mirror.

 

[hennible]

Krazy glue will work... It works on people I've used it. You've done so well! Great job.