2 year old Pekin duck with bad leg..

[bpotze]

One of my ducks...a 2 year old Pekin has been limping for quite some time....when she was younger the same thing happened and I brought her into the house and within a week she was fine....but this time it keeps getting worse....I have been down for almost a month after hurting my back ... but now I'm able to do my chores again...I am not sure what is wrong with her....she is eating and drinking and pooping just fine... I normally will lift her out of the chicken house and put her down by the water and feed...she will try to move around and then I will put her in a tub of water for awhile and at night I carry her into the chicken house....I haven't seen any signs of bumblefoot....and watching her walk...on the bad leg her foot will drag and bend backwards....I can't find any vets that care for ducks...so I am trying to see what I can do to help her....I feel so bad for her...any ideas???

 

[Miss Lydia]

One of my ducks...a 2 year old Pekin has been limping for quite some time....when she was younger the same thing happened and I brought her into the house and within a week she was fine....but this time it keeps getting worse....I have been down for almost a month after hurting my back ... but now I'm able to do my chores again...I am not sure what is wrong with her....she is eating and drinking and pooping just fine... I normally will lift her out of the chicken house and put her down by the water and feed...she will try to move around and then I will put her in a tub of water for awhile and at night I carry her into the chicken house....I haven't seen any signs of bumblefoot....and watching her walk...on the bad leg her foot will drag and bend backwards....I can't find any vets that care for ducks...so I am trying to see what I can do to help her....I feel so bad for her...any ideas???

That sounds like a break maybe at the ankle if you can keep her still and let it heal naturally she maybe get okay. If she continues to walk on it it could do alot more damage to it. Can you feel for a break is it swollen and hot to the touch? Pics would be a good idea too.
I remember @casportpony posting pics of how to wrap a horses leg maybe she can advise if there is a way to wrap this to give her some support while it heals.

You could also try some warm soaks in Epsom salt water to help with swelling but she cannot drink the water it is also a laxative so a small bucket or dish pan would work best. You can hold her in the bucket both feet or let her lay down in the dish pan. half cup of Epsom salt to 1 gallon of warm water.

 

[bpotze]

I will try the epsom salts....I'm afraid this happened while I was not able to do my chores....it was during a terrible cold spell....this is the first I have been able to get out to the barn....I filled the duck pond today and put her in to swim around.....she uses her right leg just fine....but the other one...just barely....I think I will try wrapping it also to see if that will help....problem is it is so muddy....well obviously anywhere the ducks are will be muddy....I think their purpose in life is to make as much mud as they possibly can...and to dig holes everywhere...gotta love them...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I will try the epsom salts....I'm afraid this happened while I was not able to do my chores....it was during a terrible cold spell....this is the first I have been able to get out to the barn....I filled the duck pond today and put her in to swim around.....she uses her right leg just fine....but the other one...just barely....I think I will try wrapping it also to see if that will help....problem is it is so muddy....well obviously anywhere the ducks are will be muddy....I think their purpose in life is to make as much mud as they possibly can...and to dig holes everywhere...gotta love them...

It's half cup of ES to 1 gallon of warm water I just about flipped out when I saw I wrote it backwards. gosh It would be like white mud.

 

[bpotze]

This poor duck, Petunia, is still unable to walk....I had the farm vet look at her...I wanted to make sure she wasn't in pain....he thought she had gotten hurt....but these guys are in 1/4 acre that is fenced in and no way for her to have injured herself....so I have no idea what is wrong....she holds herself funny...almost looks like she had a stroke....she can still swim ... but I'm afraid she feels kind of scared in the water...so I just put her in a tub...has anyone else cared for a handicapped duck...??? she will sometimes struggle to stand and take a step...but mostly just stays wherever I put her....I move her around several times a day...I have to make sure she isn't in the hot sun...

 

[Miss Lydia]

This poor duck, Petunia, is still unable to walk....I had the farm vet look at her...I wanted to make sure she wasn't in pain....he thought she had gotten hurt....but these guys are in 1/4 acre that is fenced in and no way for her to have injured herself....so I have no idea what is wrong....she holds herself funny...almost looks like she had a stroke....she can still swim ... but I'm afraid she feels kind of scared in the water...so I just put her in a tub...has anyone else cared for a handicapped duck...??? she will sometimes struggle to stand and take a step...but mostly just stays wherever I put her....I move her around several times a day...I have to make sure she isn't in the hot sun...

@bpotze I am sorry to hear this gosh it's been a long time. Ducks can have strokes does she seem to also have any neurological issues? I'd be sure to stay with her when she is in water.

What are you feeding her and is she getting any vitamins along with her feed? Also you might want to add some nutritional yeast to her feed even at 2 yrs old it couldn't hurt for her to have some extra B3 or get a B complex and crush up into her water daily. make sure it has at least 125 mgs of niacin in it.

 

[bpotze]

I only put her in a small tub of water ...and only for a long enough time for her to get a little bath...and then she loves to be sprayed also......I will certainly try the yeast I guess I didn't even think of that....She eats my organic chicken layer...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I only put her in a small tub of water ...and only for a long enough time for her to get a little bath...and then she loves to be sprayed also......I will certainly try the yeast I guess I didn't even think of that....She eats my organic chicken layer...

Sounds like good feed she may need some extra vitamins for an additional boost.. How does her legs work in the small tub sometimes when their bodies are supported by the water it can help them stand or move their legs.

 

[bpotze]

when I put her in water...she can swim although she does sink down a bit more than my other ducks...which is why I only put her in a small tub now...but she can swim just fine....I was putting her in the little landscape pond twice a day for awhile...but we are moving and my other ducks went to a new home...so now it's just Petunia with my chickens...and I just have the small tub for her...I am going to try some supplements for her....although the vet said he didn't think it was lack of any vitamin or mineral....it sure won't hurt to try...when I put move her around...she always leans to one side....it's her left leg and wing that seem to be affected as she holds that wing in a different position....but ... her wings work just fine....when I pick her up to move her those wings go like crazy...and you have to be careful...

 

[Miss Lydia]

when I put her in water...she can swim although she does sink down a bit more than my other ducks...which is why I only put her in a small tub now...but she can swim just fine....I was putting her in the little landscape pond twice a day for awhile...but we are moving and my other ducks went to a new home...so now it's just Petunia with my chickens...and I just have the small tub for her...I am going to try some supplements for her....although the vet said he didn't think it was lack of any vitamin or mineral....it sure won't hurt to try...when I put move her around...she always leans to one side....it's her left leg and wing that seem to be affected as she holds that wing in a different position....but ... her wings work just fine....when I pick her up to move her those wings go like crazy...and you have to be careful...

Boy that's for sure if you wear glasses like me they can go flying when those wings start flapping. lol Well it is sure worth a try to get some extra nutrients in her. I hope it helps. She may not be as water repellent as your other ducks if she isn't preening much and spreading her oils on her feathers that maybe another reason she sinks some. It could have been a stroke did the vet mention that as a possibility ?She is blessed to have you as her care taker.