Five days ago our beautiful white duck injured her leg, I have been closely monitoring her condition and thankfully she is now beginning to recover. This is a very dangerous time for ducks along the riverbank, the drakes testosterone levels are rising and they are pursuing the ducks. In addition, dogs are also scaring the birds suddenly, where they rush down the banks to the river. Exposed tree roots laying horizontally along the bank edges, allow the ducks feet and legs to go under roots and the downward momentum injures their leg muscles and joints.
I was fearful of the white duck having a broken leg, for she was sitting for 4 days with the leg behind her in the same position. I emailed photos and video to Sue our Avian expert, and she thought that it was probably not broken . Only yesterday did I see the duck partially using the leg, confirming Sue's assessment. It will most likely take 3 or 4 weeks for full use of the leg to return.
Meanwhile I am feeding her Mealworms, lettuce and grain seeds, to aid recovery. Fortunately she has a good mate who is keeping strangers away, and keeping very close to her.
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