What the heck's going on?

[jxp]

Saw this when I let the menagerie out this morning. Yesterday Daffodil looked just fine and now this. Also, he is limping a little bit but I don't know if it's related. Neither Quackers nor McDiver nor any of the chickens are showing any signs of injury or ailment. Weather has been in the mid 50's to upper 60's all week with overnight lows around 40. There's been a few days of rain and a few of sunshine.

Basically I'm looking to I.D. the problem and get some ideas on home remedies - if any are warranted. Please do not advise me to take him to the vet as that is not in the budget. Daffy is less than a year old.

 

[Jenbirdee]

are you talking about the spot on his bill that looks raised ? like a welt? I have not seen that before so Idk what it could be . Perhaps
@ruthhope @Canadian Wind or @Miss Lydia may know what it is when they come on

 

[Canadian Wind]

I had one last year with a similar issue. Don't know what caused it, thought it might be the cold, but I get waaaaaaaaaay colder out here. The outer 'skin' sloughed off and he was fine afterwards.

 

[ruthhope]

Saw this when I let the menagerie out this morning. Yesterday Daffodil looked just fine and now this. Also, he is limping a little bit but I don't know if it's related. Neither Quackers nor McDiver nor any of the chickens are showing any signs of injury or ailment. Weather has been in the mid 50's to upper 60's all week with overnight lows around 40. There's been a few days of rain and a few of sunshine.

Basically I'm looking to I.D. the problem and get some ideas on home remedies - if any are warranted. Please do not advise me to take him to the vet as that is not in the budget. Daffy is less than a year old.

I haven't seen raised areas on a duck's bill. However, I have had pekins that injure their bills by attempting to fight through dog crate bars [pugnacious little boys that some drakes are]. I see cuts and abrasions. It seems that ducks bills are fibrous and new layers come up from below to heal cuts and abbrasions. But the top layer is a bit like a thin renewable membrane. You Daffy seems to have fluid that has exudated under that top layer. That might be as a result of a bang on the bill. There are other causes of such blisters in humans but I am not a vet and don't know about causes in ducks.

I think you should ensure your Daffy is eating drinking and keeping himself hygienic as normal -- separate him from the others and keep him calm and quiet if he stops behaving normally or becomes quiet and subdued as that might indicate some other [rare] more complex cause. I expect the bill will just take care of itself over the next week or two. So don't worry, wait and see.

 

[GirlsHuntToo]

Interesting… maybe an infection caused by a bite or some other wound?.

 

[jxp]

Thanks jenbirdee for rallying the troops.

Thanks Canadian Wind for the reassurance.

Thanks ruthhope for the advice and encouragement. I'll definitely watch him and keep him as clean as you can a duck BUT if I separate him from the others, I don't think "calm" will be the result. They came home from TS together last spring and have been a little family ever since. All 3 go into panic mode if one is separated even momentarily.

Thanks GirlsHuntToo for the additional considerations.

 

[ruthhope]

Thanks jenbirdee for rallying the troops.

Thanks Canadian Wind for the reassurance.

Thanks ruthhope for the advice and encouragement. I'll definitely watch him and keep him as clean as you can a duck BUT if I separate him from the others, I don't think "calm" will be the result. They came home from TS together last spring and have been a little family ever since. All 3 go into panic mode if one is separated even momentarily.

Thanks GirlsHuntToo for the additional considerations.

I am only suggesting separating him if he shows symptoms of illness