#the mangled duck

[ambshear]

Mrs. Sue getting along quite well without her beak.

[ambshear]

The Mangled Pekin Duck

I've decided (after 5 years, ha) to name her Sue. They were previously "The Whiteys".

On July 6th, she was attacked and part of her bill chewed off.

7/7 - got Sue & her man inside.

Started PoultryCell nutrient supplement & children's ibuprofen.

1st night indoors. Utterly exhausted, but managed to drink a bit.

7/9 - a mildly unpleasant bath. Took a lot of rubbing with a towel to get the blood out. Thankfully no other wounds.

Main issue is that she can't preen, which could cause health issues within her feather glands. And of course, if she can eat.

7/13 - Booba joined the party! (mostly to steal some peas)

7/15 - made an outdoor enclosure off the back porch. Really helped to make her feel more normal.

Still tired but learning to bob for peas & sunflower seeds in the water, thanks to Boobetha's excitement for the activity.

This is the closest they've ever been to each other. Heh c:

On 7/18, they decided they wanted back in the barn.

Honestly, we were all a bit sad. Boob cried all night.

1st time eating hard food! Not quite down-pat, but progress. (We've found a better bowl since then.)

And here she be today.

Roaming freely once again. She likes to come visit us on the porch or hang out in the back yard. "Baby" (the hen) is particularly fond of them.

--

Her bill will most likely not grow back. The top layer (epidermis) is similar to our fingernails and continue to grow, but the bones beneath will not.

Thankfully she has figured out how to eat, preen, and even forage! It is no longer causing her pain and there is no reason why she can't live out her life happily and in comfort.