The Duck Thread

[jessgarth]

Hi guys! I need help! I live on a lake so I often feed the ducks and I even rescued a duckling 3 years ago when the mother abandoned her nest during a hurricane. Today I was feeding the ducks in my yard and noticed one waddling towards me and the other ducks but very obviously struggling to walk. She has some type of growth on the tip of her wing, to me it looks like a tumor. It's really big compared to the size of her body and its weighing down her wing so that she has to use her foot to lift it up so that she doesn't step on her wing. Its obvious that she can't fly and it breaks my heart knowing she can't get away from my neighbors' big dogs or a car because the ducks often cross the road in my neighborhood. After seeing her for a few minutes it started to bleed. I took the best pictures that I could without scaring her into the lake. If you recognize what this is or how I can treat it please let me know! My next step is getting in contact with a vet- but even then I don't think I would be able to catch her, especially if she got into the lake. Not to mention pay a couple of hundred dollars for a surgery. If you have any advice or knowledge to share let me know, I am all ears! Thank you!

 

[AxolotlLove]

Oh my gosh! Poor boy! Never seen that before, looks a bit like a really bad bumble foot, but of courser thats in the foot.... Not wing.

PS that's a drake. (Or boy)

 

[Miss Lydia]

built in shorts..

That is so cute... LOL

 

[Amiga]

It does look like a tumor of some sort, it could have started as an infection or a foreign object stuck in her flesh.

If you can get a few people to help, and have access to a kayak or similar small floating vessel, I think you could get her.

Here is how it has worked for a number of people -

First, if the duck is on the water:

Set up a temporary fence on shore, in a C or U shape.

The side near the pond is open, but can be easily and quickly closed.

The ends of the fence need to extend a little ways into the water. You need one person at each end of the fence, ready to close it when the duck gets into the fence.

Put treats in the temporary fence area.

Another person or people are in kayaks or if the water is very shallow, in waders - those go into the water far enough away not to scare the duck farther out into the water. Their job is to get behind and stay behind the duck. When everyone is ready, the water people start to very very slowly move toward the duck, directing it to shore.

Once the duck is inside the fence, the people holding the ends of the fence close in behind the duck.

Then you get a pet carrier and someone goes into the fence with the carrier and catches the duck and places it in the carrier.

If the duck is not in the water, you need to decide where to set up the fence, but the principle is the same - you walk the duck into the fenced area so that you can restrict its movement enough to be able to catch it and put it in the carrier.

Four foot tall plastic poultry fence with one inch diameter, 5 foot long dowels for the ends, with those fiberglass rods - or maybe just several 5 foot long dowels should do it.

.....

On the other hand, you might be able to entice the duck with food into a temporary fenced area pretty easily. Ya just don't know ahead of time.

GoFundMe and some other sites might help you raise some funds for vet care.


@jessgarth

 

[Hamza Saeed]

Thanks .my duck looks better now

 

[NathanZee]

Aww

How old are they now?

2 weeks old today! Although I think one would be 15 days, it hatched earlier.

Oh I love those NathanZee! So cute duckies!!!

Thank you! I'll be taking more pictures soon!

Hi guys! I need help! I live on a lake so I often feed the ducks and I even rescued a duckling 3 years ago when the mother abandoned her nest during a hurricane. Today I was feeding the ducks in my yard and noticed one waddling towards me and the other ducks but very obviously struggling to walk. She has some type of growth on the tip of her wing, to me it looks like a tumor. It's really big compared to the size of her body and its weighing down her wing so that she has to use her foot to lift it up so that she doesn't step on her wing. Its obvious that she can't fly and it breaks my heart knowing she can't get away from my neighbors' big dogs or a car because the ducks often cross the road in my neighborhood. After seeing her for a few minutes it started to bleed. I took the best pictures that I could without scaring her into the lake. If you recognize what this is or how I can treat it please let me know! My next step is getting in contact with a vet- but even then I don't think I would be able to catch her, especially if she got into the lake. Not to mention pay a couple of hundred dollars for a surgery. If you have any advice or knowledge to share let me know, I am all ears! Thank you!

Poor guy! It looks like @Amiga has some great advice on how to catch it, I hope you can find a good vet for him! I wonder how long he has been like that.

 

[DuckGirl77]

keeping cool.

built in shorts..

They are so pretty! Yeah, it does look like that one has shorts!

Thank you! I'll be taking more pictures soon!

 

[mischievouslady]

Yummy. Fresh cold watermelon.

 

[Monstro]

Anyone know the two runners colors?

 

[jessgarth]

It does look like a tumor of some sort, it could have started as an infection or a foreign object stuck in her flesh.

If you can get a few people to help, and have access to a kayak or similar small floating vessel, I think you could get her.

Here is how it has worked for a number of people -

First, if the duck is on the water: 

Set up a temporary fence on shore, in a C or U shape.  

The side near the pond is open, but can be easily and quickly closed.

The ends of the fence need to extend a little ways into the water.  You need one person at each end of the fence, ready to close it when the duck gets into the fence.

Put treats in the temporary fence area.

Another person or people are in kayaks or if the water is very shallow, in waders - those go into the water far enough away not to scare the duck farther out into the water.  Their job is to get behind and stay behind the duck.  When everyone is ready, the water people start to very very slowly move toward the duck, directing it to shore. 

Once the duck is inside the fence, the people holding the ends of the fence close in behind the duck.

Then you get a pet carrier and someone goes into the fence with the carrier and catches the duck and places it in the carrier.

If the duck is not in the water, you need to decide where to set up the fence, but the principle is the same - you walk the duck into the fenced area so that you can restrict its movement enough to be able to catch it and put it in the carrier.

Four foot tall plastic poultry fence with one inch diameter, 5 foot long dowels for the ends, with those fiberglass rods - or maybe just several 5 foot long dowels should do it.

.....

On the other hand, you might be able to entice the duck with food into a temporary fenced area pretty easily.  Ya just don't know ahead of time.

GoFundMe and some other sites might help you raise some funds for vet care.


@jessgarth

Thank you for your response! I have never seen this on a duck either. I am going to contact a vet first and show them pictures to see if they know what it is and what to do before I go about catching him. I also just thought that I have a screened in pool so I don't think herding the little guy into the screen door would be too difficult.. It just might lure all of the ducks in haha. Thanks again!