Help with wrapping for Angel Wing

[nmorris]

Hi, I am new to ducks, we have 9 - 5 week old mallards, they are all doing pretty well so far, however one has angel wing on one side, I've decreased the amount of protein, get them outside whenever possible, take them for walks when weather permits (we got 3 inches of snow yesterday so they have been a bit home bound).

I've read all the posts about wrapping it, and I have wrapped it 5 times now, but within about an hour he's free again! If I wrap it tight enough to last more than an hour the poor guy can't even walk, if I wrap it so he's mobile is off in 15 minutes :-( UGH!!!!

I've tried wrapping his whole body, just the wing, the wing and the body, I tried putting a sock on him!!! I have the vet wrap that sticks to itself, but he seems to get out of it, rather than it coming unwrapped... Or the other duck are pulling it off of him.

I feel horrible letting him out when he can't walk, but he's miserable when he's alone.

When I originally noticed it one of the ducks had been picking at it and it was all bloody :-( I put the aggressor(s) in confinement for a day and they don't seem to be making it bleed anymore which is good but for the life of me I can't get the wrap to stay on!

Here are some pictures, I guess my other question is does he need wrapped or might he outgrow it? His other wing which looked weird before, seems ok now. They are flying mallards and they will be living in a pond so I do want him able to fly if possible.

Thanks,
Natalie

 

[Duck Drover]

I have used paper tape successfully. If it is layered enough it can become stiff like a cast but with angel wing it just needs a few layers of tape to hold. End the wrap below the wing and smooth it down so the duck is not able to peel the edge. Ducks are very skilled with their bills so don't give them anything loose to grab. After awhile the tape will wear out and they can unwrap it but the wing is usually fixed by then.

We make sure any ducks that develop angel wing are not used as breeders because I am concerned it could be genetic when all our ducks are on the same feed. I will discount them and recommend they not be bred just in case.

 

[nmorris]

Thanks Duck Drover,

When you say paper tape do you mean like masking tape or painters tape? and its OK right on the wing? These are just pet/pond scum eaters, and maybe breakfast makers (i.e. eggs). If I end up with babies it will be an accident LOL!

Thanks again,
Natalie

 

[Duck Drover]

Thanks Duck Drover,

When you say paper tape do you mean like masking tape or painters tape? and its OK right on the wing? These are just pet/pond scum eaters, and maybe breakfast makers (i.e. eggs). If I end up with babies it will be an accident LOL! 

Thanks again,
Natalie

I buy it at the Dollar Tree and the package says paper tape. You might call it first aid tape since it is used to stick on gauze. Don"t get the waterproof tape because it does not stick well and cloth tape sticks too well. The paper tape is thinner than masking tape but the stickiness is about the same.

 

[Ibchduckin]

I have just gotten 2 ducks for my birthday, ( surprise) now one has developed what I believe to be angel wing, I have tried several times to wrap this guy, or girl? but no luck, he or she is now about 7 weeks old, I think! At what time or age is it too late to wrap or fix? He picks at everything and flops everywhere freaking out about it being on. I do not want it to hurt it's self. I believe this one to be a rouen and the other to be a cayuga, just based on what I have read, but I have never kept ducks before so I am not sure about anything at this point, HELP ME PLEASE SOMEBODY!

 

[Duck Drover]

It is a good time to wrap the wing. The paper tape is hard for them to get off until it has been on for awhile and by then it is fine if they get it loose enough to unwrap it. It is even biodegradable if they do manage to unwrap a few layers of the tape.

 

[nmorris]

Thanks, I ended up just keeping him... actually her isolated for a few days, most of her wing tip feathers were so badly damaged that she had to regrow them all, she ended up being a really late flier but now she's just as good as the rest of them!