Duck head injury *NEED Advice*

[gtaus]

Money doesn’t grow on trees for us, but it isn’t necessarily the driving force behind every decision, either. That’s why I posted what our total vet bills came out to, so the words “not cheap” would have more practical meaning.

Thank you very much for your wonderful response. I remember you posting a little about this incident in a different thread and some of the rationale you had for spending limited resources on a vet visit. Again, as in the other post, I fully support your decisions as right for you in your circumstances. I just knew there was more behind your story and I am glad you shared it.

Money doesn’t grow on trees for me either, but, like you, it isn’t necessarily the driving force behind every decision. I just got done building a mobile chicken coop, using mostly recycled dimensional lumber, tar paper, shingles, and hardware. The wood, windows, and hardware I did have to buy cost me over $700. It took me almost 2 weeks, about 8 hours per day average to build the coop by myself. If I included just the materials I repurposed for this chicken coop, I figure I had at least $2000+ in the project. Eggs here cost $1 per dozen, we use 1 dozen eggs per week, so my wife and I could have bought store eggs for the next 40 years. Raising chickens was never a project to save money for us, either.

I was glad to hear that your ducks were saved and are doing so much better. I'm following this thread to see what happens to the OP's injured duck. Hope that has a happy ending as well. I think it will.

 

[gtaus]

Because my own experience tells me that chickens - even when it's a very small wound and even it's not a chicken who has the wound - will continuously peck at it once they've noticed it, making the wound bigger and bigger until the wounded animal succumbs from it.

Very good points on why you need to isolate a wounded bird from the rest of your flock. Having read so many stories about wounded birds being pecked to death by others, I have a wire isolation cage that I can hang in the coop to treat an injured chicken, keeping her part of the flock, but safely separated from them while she heals. I hope I don't have to use it. But it's there if needed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Tnhobbyfarm how’s your duck doing today?

 

[Tnhobbyfarm]

Update
So duck is still acting fine, preening and everything. Currently he/she is enjoying a bit of fresh air with its best duck friend. It's overcast and there aren't any flies out atm. Plus I needed to clean the crate lol.
Wound is looking a bit better, the edges look healthier. No signs of infection thus far. I'm cautiously optimistic that a full recovery can be made.
My ducks are with chickens and it is certainly possible that the chickens pecked it. Though one the blood dried its so black that you can hardly see the wound.

 

[Tnhobbyfarm]

Very good points on why you need to isolate a wounded bird from the rest of your flock. Having read so many stories about wounded birds being pecked to death by others, I have a wire isolation cage that I can hang in the coop to treat an injured chicken, keeping her part of the flock, but safely separated from them while she heals. I hope I don't have to use it. But it's there if needed.

Yep, in fact the pen my duck is currently in is one I picked up off the side of the road. I saw it and immediately thought it would be perfect for just such an occasion! This is the second time I've used it in just a few months. Picked one of those extra large collapsible dog crates from the curb for same reason. Also have a larger, permanent pen in the yard. That one the other birds can come up to the fence and get acquainted with new members without risking injury. Between recently hatched chicks, newly acquired poultry and injuries I definitely put my separation pens to use.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you think the chickens did this? Are you considering separation now? Sounds like you made some good finds sure wish I could find things like that around here. Glad to hear your duck is doing so well. Thanks for up dating.

 

[gtaus]

Yep, in fact the pen my duck is currently in is one I picked up off the side of the road. I saw it and immediately thought it would be perfect for just such an occasion! This is the second time I've used it in just a few months. Picked one of those extra large collapsible dog crates from the curb for same reason. Also have a larger, permanent pen in the yard. That one the other birds can come up to the fence and get acquainted with new members without risking injury. Between recently hatched chicks, newly acquired poultry and injuries I definitely put my separation pens to use.

Great scores! And free! My wire isolation cage is a repurposed rabbit cage from 30 years ago, all I had to do was put in a new wire floor, but I also had that wire in the shed. So, everything put in place for the chickens at no extra cost to me. Hope I don't need it for injuries. Would be much better to use for newly hatched chicks if that day comes.

 

[Suri]

Sounds like you know what to do to handle this then! I’ve struggled finding avian vets in our area as well. Fortunately, I found one on staff at NC State’s veterinary hospital. Please keep us updated on your duck!

There is avian vet in Raleigh, NC. That is where my bunnies go for check ups.

 

[SoecialK74]

I've been a long time lurker by this is my first post. Really need advice and hope y'all can help. Yesterday went to feed my flock and noticed one of my ducks didn't look right. Caught it and realized that part of its (still fairly young and not yet sure of sex) head was missing. Basically the top part, looks like part of the skull even. Left eye is matted with dry blood, as well as top of head. Crazy thing is, it's acting fine, eat drink etc. So of course I go to clean wound and realize I've never dealt with a brain injury before! I opted to only use saline solution to rinse the wound, but I don't want to possibly cause brain damage by using to much pressure. I did extensive googling yesterday and wasn't able to find much. Looks like most (human) head injuries are treated by debridement and oral antibiotics. I put a dab of antibiotic ointment on there last night, seems like it didn't cause any further damage. I put gauze over the wound and today the duck still acts normal. I'm hesitant to take it to a vet as I'm afraid they will just put it down, and they is only one vet in the area that deals with "exotics" and most of the birds they see are parrots. Mostly at this point I'm worried about infection, and whether or not skin will ever grow over the wound. Has anyone ever deal with this?? Will it recover or should I just go ahead and take it to be humanely destroyed?

I’m not a professional by no means, but I sorta had the same thing happen with one of my ducks. She was basically scalped. Needless to say she was the only duck that managed to still to this day be alive. I immediately brought her in and put her in a children’s swimming pool with straw and made it as comfortable as I could for her. Daily id get her a clean bath and used a few over the counter remedies. Ducks, are pretty strong animals in my opinion.

The vets in my area (northeast TN) are well, not very inclined to save livestock as they are not "worth it."
I've been keeping it in the house in a crate, definitely do not want flies to get in it.
No idea what really happened, best guess is maybe an owl pecked at its head before my flock guardian could get over there.
I've had animals, horses, poultry, dogs etc my whole life. I've treated a ton of injuries, even ones that the vet was leaning towards euthanasia. But this is a first for me.

Really appreciate everyone's advice so far and thank you so much!!

 

[SoecialK74]

I've been a long time lurker by this is my first post. Really need advice and hope y'all can help. Yesterday went to feed my flock and noticed one of my ducks didn't look right. Caught it and realized that part of its (still fairly young and not yet sure of sex) head was missing. Basically the top part, looks like part of the skull even. Left eye is matted with dry blood, as well as top of head. Crazy thing is, it's acting fine, eat drink etc. So of course I go to clean wound and realize I've never dealt with a brain injury before! I opted to only use saline solution to rinse the wound, but I don't want to possibly cause brain damage by using to much pressure. I did extensive googling yesterday and wasn't able to find much. Looks like most (human) head injuries are treated by debridement and oral antibiotics. I put a dab of antibiotic ointment on there last night, seems like it didn't cause any further damage. I put gauze over the wound and today the duck still acts normal. I'm hesitant to take it to a vet as I'm afraid they will just put it down, and they is only one vet in the area that deals with "exotics" and most of the birds they see are parrots. Mostly at this point I'm worried about infection, and whether or not skin will ever grow over the wound. Has anyone ever deal with this?? Will it recover or should I just go ahead and take it to be humanely destroyed?