Spraddle legged and malformed ducklings

000

Songster
6 Years
Jan 5, 2015
264
21
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Hello
This has been a difficult hatch. I've started several other threads seaking help/advice but new problems keep arising.
I had one of my four moscovy ducks hatch last night (day 36) . Two of the other 3 had pipped on day 34. Today, I discovered that one of them was shrink wrapped and was able to dissolve the membrane off of it before it suffocated. Unfortunately the other two had already died.
So now I have 2 ducklings and several problems.
The healthier one (hatched last night) still can not walk. Not sure if this is normal but it can't support it's weight and is pushing itself around on the ground. Besides this, it's eating drinking, and seemingly healthy.

The other one has what I think are birth defects in addition to injuries. For one, it has a cut on it's bill from the shell (I assume). Also, it's back is hard and crusty where the membrane was cemented on. I've soaked and rinsed it in warm water several times but it still is hard and weird looking. Another thing is it's eyes.... I believe that they are deformed. It's hard to describe so I've attached a picture. Additionally, it is about half the size of the other duck. The last thing is that I think it has spraddle legs. It's legs are out to the side of it and although it is completely dry, it can not even come close to standing up.
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If anyone has any insight on what's going on and what I should do, I would really appreciate it. Thanks
 
I am more familiar with ducks, but with chicks with splay leg, I would try taping them 1 1/2 apart with a strip of vet wrap or a bandaid for 3-5 days. Check to see if it is better and reapply the wrap. They will have a little problem staying upright at first. Chick chairs might help for a day or so.

Poultry vitamins including thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin are helpful to chicks with leg and foot problems. I like Poultry Cell 1-3 ml daily given orally.

Here is a good link for splay leg treatment:
https://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2012/04/spraddle-leg.html
 
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I have a special needs Duckling that I should of Culled but never did..It's 4 weeks old and still the same size as when hatched...This will be your choice as was mine. I'm now just waiting for it to pass away..
Best wishes..They are time consuming and always sad when they finally do pass..:frow...:idunno
 
With the head deformities sadly I’d cull it. It’s a horrible thing to have to do, but unfortunately that’s part of having livestock.

Like stated above, for splayed legs tape them together for a few days, I have about a 50% success rate doing that. If the splay isn’t too severe placing them in a teacup, for a day or two, where the legs can’t spread sometimes works too. They need to be watered with an eye dropper several times a day if they can’t access on their own. My daughters look after those birds, the 3 of them dote on them.
 
Thanks. Do you think the first one has spraddle legs? It's legs do not go out to the side but it still can't really walk... It can take a few steps then it falls and pushes itseld around. I put them on a different kind of bedding but that didn't help
 

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