Hello, Benjamin from Brother’s Campfire here! Gather ’round and I will a spin you a tale from my backyard.
Over several posts, I have described the personality of one of my Khaki Campbell ducks. You can read about her in A Smidgen Of Crazy, and One Bad Mother Ducky.
She has a permanent scowl and does not mess around with foolishness, especially from dogs.
She had taken to laying eggs right next to the fence, antagonizing the dogs. I asked what I should name her and got a lot of cool suggestions. I toyed around the idea of getting her a band.
Well, we were all settled down eating an epic dinner
when we heard the fence rattle and the ducks quacking and Trumpet our goose honking up a storm. We all ran outside to see that the neighbor’s husky had reached through the fence and was trying to pull my duck though a 3 inch hole.
How the dog managed to grab ahold is beyond me. It was a pull through chain and lattice.
I ran outside and the husky played tug of war with me over my duck. Grabbing the dog by the teeth, I lost a little skin in the game, but it was worth it. I had my duck.
My duck lost a bit more. She nearly had her thigh ripped from the socket. I put her in the shower to rinse her off and assess the damage.
Having lost a lot of blood, I sprayed disinfectant all over her wounds and then when that dried, sprayed her down with liquid skin. I let that dry and sprayed on a few more layers.
She was game and wanted to be outside so I laid her near the pond.
He left leg was completely useless. I will leave what is under her feathers to your imagination. I made sure the thigh was connected to the pelvis the best I could and felt for broken bones and could not find any.
She wasn’t going anywhere fast and still had a lot of spunk so I did not cull her, figuring she would die in the middle of the night near her friends.
My ducks are not like chickens and it seemed like they surrounded her protectively.
In the morning, she was standing on one foot with the other dangling in a distorted way.
I resolved to help and purchased a thumb and finger splint from Walmart.
Using a tiny hammer I flattened the bottom for a foot pad.
I used the finger splint for the second bend in the leg and affixed it to the duck’s leg.
To further secure it, we used an athletic tape that is water resistant.
After a few adjustments, she was able to use the leg as a kickstand but the leg did not move on its own.
We decided to call her ölümün ağzından. We can hardly pronounce it but it roughly means out of the jaws of death. It doesn’t look like we will need a band to pick her out.
I hope she pulls through.
Author: Benjamin
Benjamin Thiel is a community leader, urban farmer, and author of The Ongoing Tale at Brothers Campfire. He might know a guy...
Oh no! Sending good juju!!!!
Thank you Bubbles!
Aww poor baby. She seems determined to fight. Hope she wins the battle. ❤️🩹
I hope she wins as well! Right now she is standing on both feet, applying pressure to the splinted area.
I hope she pulls through. I admire her so much. She is blessed to have you all.
Thank you.
You’re welcome. I have been praying. Is she okay this morning? Is she moving that leg? Are you okay? How is your hand? 🙏
She is not well. Thank you for your prayers! My hand is fine.
I am so sorry she is not well. My heart is so sad for this brave duck. You’re welcome on the prayers! Glad you’re hand is doing okay.
How is she doing today? I am still praying for her. Was the professor able to give you some helpful information to help the healing process in her hip and leg? Thanks.
Hello Beverly! After speaking to the professor, I learned this: If the tendon from the ankle to the thigh is torn, she will not do well.
We have not yet determined this to be the case so this is promising.
Last night, she made a show of walking in her splint and was the first to bed without any assistance so that is a good sign. Thank you for asking!
Thanks for the update! Hoping the tendon is not torn. That is wonderful that she is walking in her splint. She is a fighter, an truly amazing duck. You’re welcome!
How is she doing today? I am still praying for her. Was the professor able to give you some helpful information to help the healing process in her hip and leg? Thanks.
you were fantastic! 😀
I just hope she makes it.
I know. 🙂
Its a rough life in your backyard. Best of luck to your plucky ducky!
It’s a hard knock life for little livestock out here.
Hope your girl makes it…she sounds like a tough cookie, and that helps. 💙
Thanks KT Workman. She is tough, but I need for her to get that upper leg moving back and forth.
Glad she made it! Really cool how you helped her. I pray she heals fast. Blessings!
I appreciate your prayers!
The shrimp is cooked perfectly!
It was top notch!
Bless you Benjamin for helping her. If she makes it (and I hope she will) it will be because of you. Maybe she will lay a golden egg!
Ha ha! Thanks bullroaring. I am concerned about the hip. As far as I know it is connected.
I pray the duck angel is watching over her and she will heal with the aid you custom made her. 🙏
Thank you for your prayers, Cassa Bassa.
What happened to the offender, what was the punishment?
Well, he did what dogs do. He didn’t hop the fence, so there isn’t a lot to be done. The owners offered to assist financially for the bird and my hand.
I think it’s the world upside down, it’s the owner’s responsibility to make sure his dog doesn’t enter another property. Would you let your ducks feed on his flower beds?
I would not allow the duck to browse anothers flower bed. Despite a double fence of chain link and trellis, he was able to get his mouth through and grab the duck. I agree, personal responsibility is important.
I will have to make it safer.
❤️ awww I’m glad your animals alert so well!! I’m glad you could save her.
🙏🙏
I hope her hip starts working. I don’t want to think about it if it does not
Well maybe will… give it time… just happened is probably bruised and hurty
Does she stay away from fence now?
She can hardly walk, so no fenclines for her. I am fearing the worst.
Well I will hope for your little duck 🦆 hopefully she pulls through with a miracle 🙌✌️❤️ sometimes things surprise you 🙏 hopefully will go ok!
Miracles are great! She can use one!
I hope your animals realize how lucky they are to live with a handler like you.
Thanks Geoff. I hope my little friend makes it.
Praying for her
Thank you!
This is so sad!
She’s a fighter. I hope she pulls through. But the pain must be so tough. ☹️
She is not doing good this morning, but she is eating and floating in my backyard pond. The mobility issue is the biggest concern. Thank you Terveen.
I hope she doesn’t have to suffer.
If she wasn’t fighting I would have culled her already to end the suffering. She has not given up on herself yet.
That’s terrible 😕 that dog is so aggressive.
Instinct steps in for some breeds.
Man, I am a sucker for ducks. Poor girl. Stupid 🐶
I sure hope all goes well. I have been in contact with a professor from a college who knows about such things.
What a good duck dad! I hope she’s okay. (Your dinner did look epic).
Thank you Crystal! It is looking bleak but there is still hope!!!
🙏🏻
Yes, I hope she recovers well. My boys had a little rabbit, “Bugs”, they rescued, fed from an eyedropper, and had it almost to the point of releasing it. But we wanted it to get use to be outdoors and put it in a cage on the grass. We didn’t realize until it was too late our terrier mix could get at Bugs. It was a sad day for our boys.
Aww. That is sad. I am sorry you had that experience.
Lessons of life are all around us. It was a hard time. Thank you.
Whoops, huskeys can be quite active in chasing birds. Poor duck
I could use an engineer to fabricate a leg. Perhaps steam powered. Perhaps I can write a new chapter of the Ongoing Tale
Haha maybe 😁
Gawd….Seems rough territory you live in….I’d be using the hammer on the husky….maybe duck is their delicacy of choice?.,….
Despite all this ölümün ağzından really appreciates you…..I’ll remember your instructions if I ever need splint my wing……
Thanks for the support. The husky has instincts. Duck is tasty, just not my duck.
I can well believe huskys have instincts which they fall back on……
Wow what an amazing story. You live a wild and exciting life. I love it. How cleaver you were on helping her little leg out. Animals are so resilient. What a sweet story. That must of hurt like the dickens. Really enjoyed this story. You are a riot actually. 🤗Joni
Thank you Joni!
You are so welcome. ❤️
Awww poor little ölümün ağzından
May she pulls through 🥺
Thank you Rabbia! We are still monitoring it all. I appreciate the care and concern.
Dear Benjamin, Beautiful and interesting narrative.
Thank you Anand Bose!