2019 Spring Ducklings are here!

[WannaBeHillBilly]

hey I saw your little one actually put her foot down for a minute please make her a shoe and give a little support to her leg maybe she still has a chance.

I saw that too - do you think she should be put into a separate area - looks like she keeps getting run over....???

I'd put her in a separate space with one more duckling to keep her company she may have an injury that with a bit of time and space she can over come.

All ducklings are asleep now! They have a feeding frenzy for 30 Minutes, mess up everything and then go back into the cave, sleep for an hour and repeat. I don't want to disturb them now…

The injured duckling: She gained 9 gram in weight since yesterday which is the good news, but there is a lot of bad news:

• I examined her leg very thoroughly and it can be turned moved and wiggled freely as if it is not connected to anything.
• I held her by her feet only and she pulled herself up only with the left leg.
• I pinched her a little bit in both feet, she pulls the left foot away and peeps, but shown no reaction at all in the right foot.
• The right foot can be spread out without problems, it is just folded up in some kind of "park" position. Not being stimulated by any nerve-signal?

During their next feeding frenzy i will put her in a flimsy white DollarStore bin with enough water that she cannot stand and see if she uses the right leg to swim - i doubt she will, but this is a recommended procedure to examine a leg injury.
Anyway i will try to make her a sandal, leg splint and hobble to pull the leg into a better position. I'm scared! She is so tiny and i am so clumsy…

Edit: Putting her into a separate space is not an option. She is screaming »Bloody Murder« when i pick her up already!

 

[CrystaBub]

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Video is uploading - Indernet is soo slow today!
Little Forest had a bath in lukewarm water and it does not look good: She is not using her leg at all. The good news is, when my wife held her the right leg was twitching a little bit.
I have built a sandal for her:

Tried a spline and she felt very uncomfortable, it made things worse as she was dragging her leg behind.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I did see her use the foot just for a sec so maybe there is still hope. Is she okay with just the sandal.

 

[CrystaBub]

What are the thoughts on giving her extra swim time? Would it help to get the leg moving without putting pressure on the joint? Or is that bad???

 

[bluemerle]

I know the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary has (had?) a duck that didn't have use of either of her legs - a more extreme case than little Forest, and as such required more intense care, but there could still be hope! She does seem to have decent mobility - just slower?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Swim time is always good helps build strength.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I did see her use the foot just for a sec so maybe there is still hope. Is she okay with just the sandal.

She hates it! I first had it glued to her foot with Scott-Tape and it didn't last for 30 seconds, now that it is fixed with duck-tape it may stays on until tomorrow…

What are the thoughts on giving her extra swim time? Would it help to get the leg moving without putting pressure on the joint? Or is that bad???

I went with my fingers up her sane leg and could feel a huge muscle, when moving up the other leg there's nothing. I even cannot find the point where the leg should be attached to some other bone.

I know the Woodstock Farm Sanctuary has (had?) a duck that didn't have use of either of her legs - a more extreme case than little Forest, and as such required more intense care, but there could still be hope! She does seem to have decent mobility - just slower?

That is the point where i must make a harsh decision: I cannot have a duck that would be entirely unable to fend for herself. At least she must be mobile enough to eat and drink. My job requires that i am traveling for 4-5 days out of town and my wife doen't have the time to care for a duck full-time. If anybody wants to give a nursing-home to this duckling, i'll be happy…

Swim time is always good helps build strength.

She will be swimming again tomorrow…

Video is still uploading…

 

[Miss Lydia]

So possibly a birth defect? I am sorry. This can only be your decision and we’ll be hear to support what ever you decide. Even though our hearts will be broken. As I am sure yours will be too.

 

[happy duck]

So happy your ducklings are here! What an exciting week! Full of smiles....