DUCKLING HAS BADLY CRACKED BEAK

[sjm123456]

My duck just had babies and one of them has a badly cracked beak. The top is "ok" but the bottom looks like it's hanging by a thread. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sjm123456]

Please help, I can't afford a vet and I really don't want the baby to die

 

[neetabeamie]

I have no idea, but I hope someone else dose!

 

[rlehl2144]

Poor guy! We had one that a chicken hen got a hold of 1 of our ducklings and broke part of its beak off. I read that it is much like breaking a fingernail, except it doesn't grow back. Ours matured into an adult with no problems. She still has a part of the beak missing, but it doesn't seem to phase her. Of course, her beak didn't look quite as bad as your little guy. Is it able to eat and drink?

 

[Amiga]

I am trying to think of a way you can set the bill to hold it in place - it might heal if you could stabilize it...

Here - this page mentions some materials that can be used to help with bill injuries.



http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2003/november/Cousquer/Avian-Wound-Management-Part-2.html


You might also find a vet willing to help, for the learning experience. Or even an orthopedic surgeon. You never know. We once spoke with a human surgeon who considered working with an injured cat. He wanted the experience.

 

[sjm123456]

Poor guy! We had one that a chicken hen got a hold of 1 of our ducklings and broke part of its beak off. I read that it is much like breaking a fingernail, except it doesn't grow back. Ours matured into an adult with no problems. She still has a part of the beak missing, but it doesn't seem to phase her. Of course, her beak didn't look quite as bad as your little guy. Is it able to eat and drink?

He is able to drink and I tried watering down the food and he drank a little of that

 

[sjm123456]

I am trying to think of a way you can set the bill to hold it in place - it might heal if you could stabilize it...

Here - this page mentions some materials that can be used to help with bill injuries.




http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2003/november/Cousquer/Avian-Wound-Management-Part-2.html


You might also find a vet willing to help, for the learning experience.  Or even an orthopedic surgeon.  You never know.  We once spoke with a human surgeon who considered working with an injured cat. He wanted the experience.

Thank you so much....I will defiantly look in to some of the solutions for stabilizing it, it's just really difficult because the bottom beak is almost split into 2 pieces. The top wound isn't so bad...Its more of just a crack..

 

[Amiga]

When Einz had a serious problem with her lower mandible, I learned this - the lower mandible is not solid. It is like a U or a V shape - with the upper parts of the letters attached to the face, and the lower point is the end of the bill, if you can visualize that.

Anyway, it's not solid like the upper part of the bill. Just want you to know what the goal is for healing. So you may only need to work on one side of the mandible. The soft tissue can heal, I know that from experience!

So, maybe that oral putty on the broken part of the lower mandible is what you'll need. Sounds like the little one will need two human helpers - one to hold, and one to apply treatment. You know to be careful. May your hands and eyes and brain work supremely well.

 

[Amiga]

@sjm123456

just making sure you see the response.

 

[dotknott]

While I don't know how helpful it is, I'll point out that super glue (a.k.a. cyanoacrylate glue) is commonly used in medical and veterinary first aid applications, and I've seen it used by rock climbers to repair broken skin on fingers. It may be useful here to set the beak in a way that will allow the soft tissue to heal.