Remedies for a limping duck

[aychbe]

Hello all!

Yesterday I had noticed that one of my females, a crested/Rouen mix, had began favoring one of her legs. Admittedly, she isn't the best at walking and I suspect that she may have sprained her leg.

I have 6 ducks total, 2 males, 4 females. They all get along well. I've never seen them fight. After reading about possible remedies, I opted to bring her inside in the event that the cold weather (it's snowing here) is making her leg worse.

As far as I can tell, her leg isn't broken. She does walk on it. I'm uncertain as to if there's any abmormal swelling. Her feet look similar to the other ducks and I don't see anything that seems majorly out of place but I'm not an expert on duck feet/legs. I can only speculate that she may have sprained a leg while sliding on the snow/ice or possibly as the result of being mounted by one of my males.

Have any of you experienced a similiar situation with a duck? Is there anything I can check further to help pinpoint her issue further? What steps can I perform to help her recover?

As of now, she's laying in a bedded crate that's big eough for her, food, and water. I haven't had her since she was a duckling and I suspect this whole ordeal of being taken from her flock and brought into the house may be a little traumatic because she hisses at me but doesn't actually bite me when I touch her. Should I bring in a healthy female to pair with her or is it better to allow her to rest solo?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello all!

Yesterday I had noticed that one of my females, a crested/Rouen mix, had began favoring one of her legs. Admittedly, she isn't the best at walking and I suspect that she may have sprained her leg.

I have 6 ducks total, 2 males, 4 females. They all get along well. I've never seen them fight. After reading about possible remedies, I opted to bring her inside in the event that the cold weather (it's snowing here) is making her leg worse.

As far as I can tell, her leg isn't broken. She does walk on it. I'm uncertain as to if there's any abmormal swelling. Her feet look similar to the other ducks and I don't see anything that seems majorly out of place but I'm not an expert on duck feet/legs. I can only speculate that she may have sprained a leg while sliding on the snow/ice or possibly as the result of being mounted by one of my males.

Have any of you experienced a similiar situation with a duck? Is there anything I can check further to help pinpoint her issue further? What steps can I perform to help her recover?

As of now, she's laying in a bedded crate that's big eough for her, food, and water. I haven't had her since she was a duckling and I suspect this whole ordeal of being taken from her flock and brought into the house may be a little traumatic because she hisses at me but doesn't actually bite me when I touch her. Should I bring in a healthy female to pair with her or is it better to allow her to rest solo?

Thank you for your help!

I have a Muscovy duck that is limping right now so I can sympathize with you and your duck, I have not brought her in the house mainly because she stays in a small area with 3 other of my old ducks and has most of the day to rest and chill out, with mine she slipped out of this area one day last week and some of my younger ducks mauled her, when I found her they were all gathered round her with one of my drakes kind of standing on her so she was pretty traumatized by the whole thing, I did bring her inside to look her over and didn't find any wounds but I think when she was trying to get away she injured her leg where the foot attached to the leg it's a bit swollen but because of the cold I have not done what I am suggesting you do since your girl is in the house, you could take a small bucket or plastic dish pan and add some Epsom salt and warm water to it 1cup ES to 1/2 gal of warm water. and hold your duck and let her legs either dangle into the bucket or place her in the dish pan and hold her and let her soak in that warm water. and letting her rest is about the best to help her heal. When they are left to try to keep up with the flock then they aren't giving their injury time to heal. But stress is real and giving her a buddy to cuddle with while recouping would be nice. I am using a Veterinary Liniment gel on my ducks leg. today her limp was much less and keeping the young upstarts away from her is helping too. Also since you have her inside you could let her have some water therapy but placing her in a warm tub of water and letting her paddle around taking the weight off her leg. Then do the ES soak. Mainly rest and water therapy and hopefully your duck will be fine. And you may be onto something with the drake possibly hurting her especially if your drakes are large and heavy. You can also offer her some kind of poultry vitamin in her water to help. If i didn't have a small area to keep my old ducks in i would have to bring her inside, since there is no way she could manage being with all my younger ones. What ever you do don't let her drink any water with Epsom salt in it, it not only helps with swelling and healing but also works as a laxative.

 

[Going Quackers]

ML has good advice! i personally examine the duck for injury, swelling, heat, etc and if not then leave things be, but i have a lot of drakes and it's usually them who do have a limp because of a tussle. I generally am not a fan of removing ducks from a flock nor bringing then inside unless absolutely necessary, reasons being temp changes and the stress of being in the unfamiliar and away from their flock.

Hope it improves!