On Tuesday afternoon, while we were still busy puzzling out how the doors to the fruit cage were to be put together, I could see Dotty creeping under my topiary caterpillar. I didn't think anything of it, just thought she was seeking shade. However, she was missing at bed time, and after a search I found her struggling through the orchard, limping. John picked her up and put her into the old chicken enclosure so she wouldn't be bothered any more by the drakes or try and run too far. On Wednesday morning I did a switch around, took 3 healthy ducks, Billie, Gertie and Winnie, out of the girls' hut to run outside. Honey [who is still not quite right] and Mocca [who has a permanent limp because of bumble foot] I put into the enclosure with Dash - who had already been in there for a couple of days because of a renewed limp - and Dotty.
Back to Dotty now - I put this photo of her from 1.6. into this blog only a few days ago when everything seemed well:
At bed time on Wednesday I got a fright, Dotty couldn't get up, she was lying on the ground with her wings outstretched. My first thought was SHE'S GOT AN EGG STUCK!, picked her up and gently probed, but couldn't feel an egg. I placed her into the hut with the other four and worried, sleepless most of the night, that I would find her dead in the morning - I know how quickly this condition can lead to death.
No, great relief in the morning, she was lying just behind the sliding door and the four ducks behind her sort of swept her into the little pond in their rush to get to their breakfast.
I didn't join the monthly walk with Moira but worked in the garden and kept an eye on Dotty all day.
Because she obviously had trouble trying to get out of the pond I set bowls with food and water at the edge of the pond within easy reach for her, and I did see her going to the bowl of water - I don't know if she had any of the food. I was busy in the garden, and when I checked up on her in the afternoon and saw her sitting at the edge of the pond, right next to the greenhouse and slatted fence - I don't know how she managed to get out of the water. I put down a fresh bowl with food and water as close to her as I dared without frightening her.In the evening, when I tried to pick her up to put into the hut for the night, I got a surprise and a big shock. The surprise was that she'd laid an egg where she'd been sitting, but the shock was to see that her left leg was hanging, trailing down as she went back into the water. I couldn't pick her up then, but John walked across the beam and somehow she got out at the shallowest bit and up the ramp into the hut. This was a very serious matter, her leg must either have been dislocated or broken.
I delayed letting them out this morning until after I'd phoned the vet who was at the surgery for the day doing operations. He agreed to examine Dotty at half past 10.
On first examination he couldn't detect a break, but to make sure he took Dotty for an x-ray. 20 minutes later he came back looking very serious, her thigh bone was broken after all, which was awkward as he couldn't apply a splint, and the only alternatives he could offer were having her put to sleep or performing a costly operation. I asked if she had a chance of a decent life after an operation, and he said that, as the break was a clean one, not splintered, he could pin the broken bone from both sides and after some time and care she might recover if no nerves had been damaged by the break.
I decided on the op, couldn't bear the thought of lovely, trusting Dotty to be put down. When I rang tonight at half past 5 vet Brian told me the operation had gone well, and I was to ring again tomorrow morning at 10 to see how things were and if I could fetch her home.
Please keep all fingers crossed for her!
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