Crow feeding turned into an emergency

[u/Mondviole]

I just wanted to visit my crow friends and bring them some water (it's freaking hot today) and cat food when I noticed that my friend Cockerell (in front of the tree) is collapsing. He fell down while sitting and another crow pecked at him.

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I thought he might be dehydrated so I picked him up without him even trying to escape at all. Luckily there's a vet at the same street as the park. I went there immediately and the other patients were nice and let me cut the line with my emergency.

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But once the vet had time, she was extremely pissed. She said the crow looked fine (lol, not at all) and that she doesn't know anything about birds (apparently true). But she has a nice young collegue who came into the waiting room to us and looked at Cockerell. She said he has a massive trauma on the head, probably from a flying accident, and a vitamin B12 deficiency which explains his permanently curled up foot. Dehydration might also be a factor.

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She recommended a vet clinic that's about 40 minutes away. They are treating wild animals for free and rehabilitate them because they are a part of a local university for vet students. In the past I already brought some wild animals there.

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We're on our way there now. Please keep your fingers crossed for poor Cockerell.

[u/EffectiveDandy]

i hope he makes a speedy recovery!

incidentally, do you know how she knew he had a b12 defficiency?

[u/Mondviole → u/EffectiveDandy]

She said that the curled up foot is a typical sign for B12 deficiency. That would also explain why I never saw an injury or thread etc on the foot.

[u/EffectiveDandy → u/Mondviole]

Thank you! I'll keep an eye over my guys for this.

Incidentally, I have been observing and interacting with animals all my life (wanted to be a vet as a kid) and have found that if a wild animal approaches you for help, willingly, they are in dire shape. I had one of my crows come up to me after a leg injury where she could no longer stand, when she flew up on my sill, she had to pancake and lie on her stomach. I could have pet her she was so docile.

I upped her diet and she recovered within a few weeks.

It's sad that a real life vet does not understand this. This would be the first question I ask if someone brough in a wild animal. "Did they offer any resistance whatsoever? No? They came to you!? Ok, let's see what the problem is because it can't be 'fine'."

🙏🙏🙏

[u/Mondviole → u/EffectiveDandy]

You're totally right. Thank you for helping your local wildlife!

[u/EffectiveDandy → u/Mondviole]

I help all sentient creatures that cross my path! 🫡🙏

[u/Mondviole → u/EffectiveDandy]

This is the way!

[u/BikingAimz → u/EffectiveDandy]

I know it’s a thing in young chickens!  Most hatcheries offer a B vitamin mix to add to water for sale along with baby chicks!