I was driving home from camping in southern Minnesota one time, and saw a bird flopping in the road. Stopped, of course, and picked up a Wood Duck who had been shot. Took him home, took him to work that night and x-rayed his wing. It was shot so badly it had multiple fractures- splintered would be a good description. There was an ER doc there who had been a vet in his former life. He told me that farm animals have amazing healing powers, and I should bandage the wing and immobilize it to the bird's body. So I cleaned the wounds and bandaged the wing with vet wrap and for four weeks I smelled the wing every day to make sure it hadn't become infected or developed gangrene. Finally, four weeks later, I removed the bandages. Lucky paused for a minute, stretched out both wings, and flapped. The gunshot wing detached from his body and flew across the kitchen! Amazing healing powers indeed!! The stump had healed perfectly, and the amputated wing had mummified, not rotted, since there really wasn't much for meat in the area of the wound. We found a new home for Lucky at a farm with other tame and wild ducks where he could swim and climb trees in safety.

Nanci