I'm afraid to cut it. I don't want to cause her any other problems like infection or bleeding to death.
At least I know it's a spur. Never knew hens would grow them and especially that big! It must poke her in the butt when she walks, which is why she walks weird.
The extra toe is on each foot at the rear, but is VERY long like the front toes. The other two hens just have a little nub.
It is almost "twisted" and causes her to walk funny. She eats and scratches fine. Ideas?
I have 3 SS hens, and a couple weeks ago I noticed one of them hobbling around. (They are two years old).
Today I noticed why...she has a fourth toe that has grown out. Any explanations? Anybody else have this happen?
I would be VERY cautious of using anything "antibiotic" at her age. The side effects may be worse than her condition. The first few days to a week will be critical, so be prepared.
I would try electrolytes before anything else. IMHO
BTW,
Well...there are TONS of pix on this forum, but not all in one place. Just start the browsing and look for the word "pictures" or "pix"in the post.
If you are looking for specific duck pictures, please post that request. Good Luck!
I had mallards, and the ONLY way I could tell sex was when they were about 3 months old.
Up till then they all look like females. Keep a watch on the top of the heads. The males will start to show a greenish tint (in the sunlight) when they are young. After that look for the white ring around...
New quarters in the works! If you have read my other posts, I recommended a dog containment pen (flexible and portable). Since spring is here, you should really start looking into their "optimal containment" when the mature fully.
As stated before...these little fuzzies get big, and quick ...
A wading pool will be ok for a while, but the ducks will be getting big (as FAST). They will be able to hop out.
Since it is spring now, you may want to try a portable foldable dog pen. You can use it indoors or out. Here's the kind I use...
Make SURE you feed them game bird starter crumbles. It contains the niacin that ducks need.
Wry neck is a sign of lack of niacin. (and so is lameness)
Also provide lots of water for drinking.
Usually, you see the crop getting bigger. (not normal looking). You have to act fast as soon as you notice it.
I lost a chicken due to an impacted crop because I didn't act fast enough.
Add ACV (apple cider vinegar with the mother) in her drinking water. This will help the fermentation calm...
There's a small pond inside a park near me that has wild mallards.
I've seen them get out of the pond and walk up to a guy who comes to the park and feeds them. I tried to approach them once and they went straight to the water. I don't know what he is feeding them, but it has to be caviar or...
I feed my ducks game bird stater crumbles when young then switch to game bird grower pellets later. I get mine from Agway. They both contain the proper amount of niacin. As for treats, they LOVE peas!
I buy the frozen peas, thaw them and toss them to the ducks for a treat. I say to them...