What in Ducky Heck is this!?

[DuckyDoodles]

Also, as a few of you have mentioned salt/saline rinses, is there a ratio that’s preferable for this?

For example, I have poop loads of Neil Med saline packets that you add to water to make the saline rinse. But it’s for sinuses and ergo not so “gritty”.

While the saline rinse is for rinsing it out, softening it up, it’s also to sort of keep it sanitary and breaking up the crud, no? Excessive salt would likely be painful but if I’m supposed to be breaking this stuff up, I would want it to have some ooomph behind it, right?

I have Hibiclens, will have the antibiotic meds for injection (hopefully they have some and I don’t need some stupid vet prescription) and all sorts of the sanitary/medical/please-god-help-me-it’s-going-to-fall-off supplies... but what should I use to soften (if possible) the crud up before hand to make it more willing to dislodge or otherwise stop being attached? I know there’s a sort of ebb and flow towards use of peroxide so I’d only use it if we thought it’d help get the crap out. If it also means she gets to play in the bathtub in a suuuuuuuupper-de-duper diluted salt bath, then I’ll do that too!


And, all of this is just for information purposes. Sortve preemptively planning how I’m going to do this. Because as it is, I will be waiting until after I’ve plucked the feathers from the zone Casportpony said and I will be doing some updated pics. I’m sincerely hoping that when I look at her tomorrow, that the neosporin rocked the Kasbah and it’s coming out. But I am a hope for the best but expect the worst type of person.

Hopefully once updated pics are provided there’s a soothing “oh! Yeah, you got this!” Instead of a collective “abort mission, I repeat, abort mission. Do not engage!”

I swear I need an AntMan sized camera system so we could virtually spelunk the hole and confirm its magnitude and it’s proximity to bones/etc.

((Worrying is my thing, sorry))

 

[onaharley]

I'm only on page three and the OP has me hooked, not only by what her poor duck has going on but the storyline!!! I have to go to bed. 5 am comes quickly, hopefully I can get caught up in the AM.

Sorry...ya'll can return to your regular scheduled thread that is currently trying to help the OP!!!

 

[DuckyDoodles]

Also, wanted to thank everyone who promptly piped up (and was waiting with oh-so-bated-breath for the pics) that it looks like an abscess. While we will likely never know the source of this treachery, it did cause me to immediately have an aha epiphanic moment. Carbuncles are disgustingly fun for me to mess with and I completely ignored the commonality between it and this hole: surface hole is smaller than the cavernous infection cluster below.

While I am unable to adequately describe how worried/high strung I am about the possibility that I’ll be picking hardened gunk of what I *perceive* to be her breast bone and surrounded by tissue that will ((eventually)) reveal itself to be healthy subcutaneous tissues :: long breath from run on sentence ::

I am happy that she is alive. I am happy that this only came to attention by happenstance and not because she was ailing or spontaneously deceased. I’ve seen other threads here where a particular poster was raising and then “releasing” their domestic flightless birds into their community pond. I can’t recall all of the players in the discussion but someone posted some downright emotional pics of these ducks after injuries. And injuries that sometimes did or otherwise would have killed these guys. Lots of posts on here after a predator attack, owner’s moody dog had an attitude that day, etc. The one thing I keep reading is that these guys are incredibly resilient and can survive things that other animals might not have.

I am looking at her with an awe infused sort of love and empathy. She’d never been (I suspect) cared for in any fashion appropriate for domestic breed ducks but she’s managed to stay alive with no coop, no run, no feed and no elemental protection for the unknown amount of years before we bought this place in October. So aside from being protective of her because I love all breathing things and can’t stand death, I’m super protective of her because she’s been an underdog who’s honestly sort of a bad arse (is cursing allowed on this forum?)

Whatever abscess this was, and whatever created it, it didn’t apparently go septic despite being in what I feel is a pretty dang delicate and potentially threatening spot. It didn’t go septic and it only decided to just sit and propagate for however long she’s had it.

That’s my girl! (We call her OG (pronounced Ohhhhj) because we sortve looked at her as a ‘gangster’ duck for surviving the ‘streets’ of predator heavy rural country. And O because she’ll forever be the first.. the original... she came with the property (no kidding, they legit advertised her presence in the real estate ad). So she’ll forever be our original gangster... would’ve been easier had she been a goose because then I could make it less ghetto and just call her the original gander or whatever. But you work with what you’ve got LOL


So I just hope I don’t go making it go from a mole-hill-been-there-forever-with-no-complications sort of thing into a mountainous problem by messing with it.

Good lord I’m a fretter... sorry.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Take a deep breath... you got this and we've got your back...

Catching up, so will add my thoughts in a bit...

 

[DuckyDoodles]

Take a deep breath... you got this and we've got your back...

Catching up, so will add my thoughts in a bit...

Take your time: I’m going to go take a smoke break and breathe myself. Just got done adding a few wordy posts to your catching up to-do list. Eeeeeek.

Sorry

 

[Ravynscroft]

Take your time: I’m going to go take a smoke break and breathe myself. Just got done adding a few wordy posts to your catching up to-do list. Eeeeeek.

Sorry

No need for sorry, we understand...

 

[DuckyDoodles]

I'm only on page three and the OP has me hooked, not only by what her poor duck has going on but the storyline!!! I have to go to bed. 5 am comes quickly, hopefully I can get caught up in the AM.

Sorry...ya'll can return to your regular scheduled thread that is currently trying to help the OP!!!

I appreciate the views! Even if you don’t necessarily have any experience with something like this, I like to at least say maybe my battles (long winded, sometimes funny, often neurotic, and ever developing as they may be) can help someone in the future who could have a similar problem.

BYC has been a huge source of information for me since I began this whole being-owned-by-ducks lifestyle back in October. I was always just a lurker and never signed up until now but it was saved in the favorites of my Safari bookmarks. I too found that the posts would be super helpful but also just sometimes reel you in and have you hooked (emotionally invested) in the outcome.

After all of this ducks-evil-hole-gate-2018 is resolved (and by the love of god, I hope peacefully and anticlimactic) I intend to return to the story of Steve and his orphaned egg/hatchling Lucky. Like I could’ve stopped reading once the hatchling made it out but I was sucked in to the whole family at that point. I need to know if Lucky is a drake or duck. How is Lucky and Steve’s relationship now? Any emergencies on Lucky? How does his coworker approve of the bring-your-duck-to-work-day program he has in place? And why does this duckling get to travel to more places than I do!? Albeit, in egg form, Lucky WAS traveling in someone’s pant crotch :: LOL ::

So, by all means (and not that you need permission anyways ) watch on! This thread will continue to go on until this thing is settled

ETA: It just dawned on me why @chickens really sounded so familiar! She was involved in the Steve Lucky hatching of way back when (was it May 2017?) she had a group of (I think) 5 of her own that were hatching at literally he exact same time but then (part of the drama and draw!) hers hatched and his still hadn’t yet. -ba bum bum buuuuuuuum-

<that’s supposed to be suspenseful music but it also looks like drum strokes after a joke... oyvey>

 

[Ravynscroft]

I would tag you each individually but it’s just easier to respond in general (heck, maybe I’m supposed to do that anyways?)

1. I will try and see if I can figure out how to edit post title to warn of gross pics.

2. It did leave a big hole but I don’t :feel: like I got it all? It’s still got hardened black stuff in the hole.

3. If it is about 1/2 inch deep in the hole (estimation) wouldn’t that mean that it’s under the skin?

4. It could absolutely be a previously clogged/infected feather follicle. Could have also been a tiny predator poke or, and I hate to admit this, potentially a B.B. bullet lodged in there. I know nothing of her history here on the property prior to October but I know the property had been subjected to some renters for at least 3 years. There’d been shot up mailboxes, spray paint cans, PAM cans, glass bottles, oil canisters, etc., all around the area she would sneak off to for protection. Me, kiddo and hubs went out and cleaned up the debris, garbage, glass, etc. but I’m certain there’s more lurking around. We’ve got probably 6 dilapidated/rusted/filled with all sorts of biohazardous materials burn bins on the property and we have confirmed that instead of paying the 14$ for trash pickup, they just burnt LITERALLY everything. Once we found a few bullet holes facing the direction of the house, north side of the property, my mother and I immediately uttered concern that these redneck POS’ may have taunted the poor duck. She was the only duck here and from what I’ve gathered, there’d not been any others. But, they add, “that they know of.”

5. I want to get all of it out, so I know I’ve done my best and given her the best I could. I know I only stumbled upon this thing by accident once I was pat-drying/double checking that she was good and ready to be put back outside after her PT bath. It wasn’t red around the edges or around the skin. No swelling nor hot to the touch. I’m not going to do anything else today, and I may even leave it alone tomorrow because I don’t want to hurt her, but would it be best to do this in little sessions each/every other day until it’s gone or should I slowly, with breaks through the process, do it in one day?

6. My biggest concern is hurting her or making it worse. Sometimes discomfort will just have to be a suck part of it but getting it done regardless is necessary. It’s like punishing a child; it literally physically hurts my heart to see my kiddo cry but sometimes the bigger picture outweighs that.
<BUT> it’s just seemingly hard and also seemingly right on her breast bone. Like how would I know when to stop in such an area like that? I’m wigged that I could paralyze her or kill her if I hit a bone or something. What if it goes to any surrounding areas in there and it’s like 3miles in circumference (exaggeration but point still the same); how would I know if I’m doing more harm than good?

I will say, there was only the teensiest drop of blood in the entire process and it seemed where one little piece of the evil plug had adhered to the skin sortve like a scab. The rest of the plug wasn’t attached, just plugging/filling. The wetness on the gauze where I put the evil plug seemed to have softened and smeared what was long ago, but now dried, blood.

I will do whatever I can in my power to help her; if this takes a month or an all day process for 24 hours, whatever. I am just so worried that I’ll inadvertently hurt her or cause harm to her that could lead to her death. Finding this stupid evil plug within days of one of our other Pekins dying... it’s just got my kid rattled and, truthfully, me too. Lucy (the other Pekin) died because of completely unrelated issues and I know the two aren’t connected but lord o’ moly... we need a patron saint of duck protecting around here!

1. Don't worry about editing the title, it's not a big deal...

2. If there is still black gunk in it, then there's still more to remove...

3. What I meant by not under the skin is it wasn't a "contained" infection under scab/healing skin over, etc... it is in a 'pocket' more on top of the skin itself, just pushed deep... make sense? Very similar to bumblefoot/blackhead type of gunk...

4. Could have been caused by any or a combo of those things... either way, it needs removed...

5. Do it however you can... all at once *if possible* is usually less stressful than multiple times... *but* depending on how much and how deep it goes, getting parts at a time may be easier on you both... take it one step at a time, be prepared for long session or short depending on how it goes...

6. If it's hard gunk, black/whitish/yellowish/toffeeish, that is what needs to be removed... stop at healthy tissue, that's pink tissue or clear tinged with pink tissue...

Keep in mind, it looks fairly contained but the root of the core may be attached very, very firmly... that can take a bit of strength to get it out...

I have zero idea of any prior history or care (likely lack of, in my jaded opinion of these people). I know I have not given her any shots and only found out how/where to do such after I’d read (you guessed it) BYC yesterday

I know the 2017 antibiotic purge has made it super difficult to find anything to give in the feed. Also know (from reading you guys) it’d be less effective and difficult to gauge how much she actually got since it gets splashed around, cleaned with, etc.

Since the “procedure” (LOL) I’ve already started wondering if I need to somehow procure a vial of penicillin or something from rural king/tractor supply?

Even if it’s just to help ward off any infection caused because I’m in there stirring stuff up?

Antibiotic would be what I would do... if you get Pen-G, it needs to be injected to work properly... stuff like Tylan will need to be drawn out of the bottle with a needle, but can be given orally... see what you can get and go from there...

Yes, just plucked, *not* cut.

Tomorrow is fine.

Pluck slowly and gently in the direction the feather grows. Plucking them one at a time doesn't seem to bother them.

X2 plucking is better than cutting...

Okay, will do. I don’t know how pics/vids post on the site (basically, computer stuff about size/pixels/whatever) but I can also do a real quick, maybe 10 seconds, video once I get done with the pluck? Maybe give a better look into the hole or something?

Would that help you guys, you think? Or maybe it’d just be unnecessary. Because truth be told, what I’m most worried about isn’t the hole itself but what the hole is in/near/on/around or how far it could have spread at this point. I’m okay with doing the nitty gritty of it. And I’m completely prepared to dedicate time and attention to it. Just spooked by its location... well that and coupled with the fact that this is an injury that has not occurred since I’ve lived here so I can’t help but worry what’s at the end of (or cause of) this evil smelly rabbit hole.

That, and that dang ducky tear got right through the heart. I’m still walking by their window profusely apologizing because, in my mind, she’s still throwing some serious shady side eye :: cry ::

Videos need to be uploaded to Youtube or Vimeo first, then just copy/paste link here... if you can do one, great, if not, just pics and let us know what's going on....

If your pics popped up in my actual reply here, I suck and I’m sorry. Trying to NOT include them since you managed to keep them on the down low.

So I remember one of you fine veterans saying their pus isn’t really liquid-like as most everything/everyone else’s would be, right? Something along the lines of ‘you can’t really squeeze poultry pus out; it’s gotta be grabbed and scooped out’ or something to that effect. So is that why your bird’s yuck stuffs looked like crushed toffee bits? How did you manage to get all of them out (I.e, tweezers, did they come out after power washing with saline spray, etc.) and how did you know when to stop? I mean with cats, dogs and humans; I’ve always been able to tell because even cyst filling is worlds softer than this crud. And the act of getting this crud off is going to cause irritation (tiny amounts of blood) but I also don’t want to go opening her tissues up to be susceptible to spreading whatever unholiness this stuff is, right?

I should probably remove what I can, rinse with saline mixture then remove a piece, rinse, and so on and so forth, right?

How often did you change her dressings? Or did you leave them be/not change them because maybe it’d present more opportunities for reintroduction of bacteria?

Yes, infection will be harder than healthy tissue... since yours is more plug-like, you might be able to massage around it and work some out that way, but most times you need to grab and pull out with tweezers/forceps... again, pink tissue means stop, that's healthy tissue... also, just be prepared just in case for it to bleed once the core root is removed, might need to pack in some gauze depending...

Also, as a few of you have mentioned salt/saline rinses, is there a ratio that’s preferable for this?

For example, I have poop loads of Neil Med saline packets that you add to water to make the saline rinse. But it’s for sinuses and ergo not so “gritty”.

While the saline rinse is for rinsing it out, softening it up, it’s also to sort of keep it sanitary and breaking up the crud, no? Excessive salt would likely be painful but if I’m supposed to be breaking this stuff up, I would want it to have some ooomph behind it, right?

I have Hibiclens, will have the antibiotic meds for injection (hopefully they have some and I don’t need some stupid vet prescription) and all sorts of the sanitary/medical/please-god-help-me-it’s-going-to-fall-off supplies... but what should I use to soften (if possible) the crud up before hand to make it more willing to dislodge or otherwise stop being attached? I know there’s a sort of ebb and flow towards use of peroxide so I’d only use it if we thought it’d help get the crap out. If it also means she gets to play in the bathtub in a suuuuuuuupper-de-duper diluted salt bath, then I’ll do that too!


And, all of this is just for information purposes. Sortve preemptively planning how I’m going to do this. Because as it is, I will be waiting until after I’ve plucked the feathers from the zone Casportpony said and I will be doing some updated pics. I’m sincerely hoping that when I look at her tomorrow, that the neosporin rocked the Kasbah and it’s coming out. But I am a hope for the best but expect the worst type of person.

Hopefully once updated pics are provided there’s a soothing “oh! Yeah, you got this!” Instead of a collective “abort mission, I repeat, abort mission. Do not engage!”

I swear I need an AntMan sized camera system so we could virtually spelunk the hole and confirm its magnitude and it’s proximity to bones/etc.

((Worrying is my thing, sorry))

Epsom salt soaks should help, and it doesn't sting like regular salt, so don't worry about diluting it a lot... clear iodine is what I use to apply to infected cores and it helps draw it out/separate the crud from skin...

Your Hibiclens is great stuff! I would use that for the rinse, myself...

Another reason I wouldn't use peroxide is that you don't know how deep or where the hole goes... putting something that bubbles into unknown holes could cause additional issues, j/s...

Pretty much, I second everything Kathy posted, lol...

 

[Ravynscroft]

I need to know if Lucky is a drake or duck. How is Lucky and Steve’s relationship now? Any emergencies on Lucky? How does his coworker approve of the bring-your-duck-to-work-day program he has in place? And why does this duckling get to travel to more places than I do!? Albeit, in egg form, Lucky WAS traveling in someone’s pant crotch :: LOL ::

Do you really want us to spoil the ending of the story???

*though there isn't an actual ending, per se*

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Do you really want us to spoil the ending of the story???

*though there isn't an actual ending, per se*