We Have A Duck In Pain ;-(

[kysilkies]

We had a duck, that for no reason we can see, developed a bad leg or shoulder or knee(he doesn't respond to touching any one area over the other and we are clueless)...We hoped he would heal but I believe he's still in pain and we're not sure if we're doing what's right...

He gets around, and not so slowly at times, he actually sprints for very short distances but them stops and leans to one side using his tail to help prop him up...He eats and drinks fine and the other birds don't pick on him, if anything the other ducks defend him(but not really needed, more when we first integrated them)...

We love him and feel bad and don't know whether we're doing the right thing letting him live in what looks like pain, although he doesn't indicate it other than the way he leans and stands at times...You can probably detect my confusion over this...Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[rainplace]

Leg injuries can take quite a while to heal. I still don't know why my Crackers was lame for so long. She had no wounds, nothing wrong with her feet, and no inflammation that I could see. I think it was a strained muscle. At her worse she could barely get around and I brought her food to her in the kiddie pool. Swimming and floating are the best therapies for leg injuries.

 

[kysilkies]

Quote:
That's good to know(the time) and I'm sure the cold isn't helping speed that up...


And at 10f for a high, there isn't much liquid water available! LOL

 

[Barred Rockstar]

If he's still getting around, eating well, and not being picked on I would just let him be, he might get better in a few weeks. I've had birds develop a limp and recover more than once. You could also try keeping him in a smaller pen for a few days to give his leg a rest. I've also heard many stories of birds that don't recover but go on to live full lives anyway, even with a limp.

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
That's good to know(the time) and I'm sure the cold isn't helping speed that up...


And at 10f for a high, there isn't much liquid water available! LOL

Can you bring him in for bath time? Let him float in the bath for a few hours a day?

 

[rainplace]

Or put a little pool in the garage?

 

[horsejody]

Is this the same duck that you mentioned in this post?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=276098

If it's a different one, you may want to consider the diet your ducks are on. Ducks are very prone to leg problems from nutritional problems.

 

[kysilkies]

We switched their diet a while back hoping that was it...

We're going to give the bath idea a shot, is going from 10F to 60-70F and back good for him?...

 

[rainplace]

Quote:
I'm not sure about the going back and forth. If he's getting around really good and not getting worse then he may be able to just heal on his own. If you want to bring him in and let him float in the tub, don't bother adding any warm to the water

He may not be too relaxed the first few times you bring him in there btw.

 

[Duck_feeder]

Quote:
Most birds are very sensitive to sudden temperature changes (a bad draft can kill a parrot). I do recall reading that they are susceptible to pneumonia from sudden temp changes.