8 week old duckling with weak leg

[chickens really]

What's the protein percentage of the feed?

 

[cymbaline]

What's the protein percentage of the feed?

20%, but I've been adding oats to lower the protein ratio. They also get mixed veggies and/or lettuce most days. I also started letting them empty the bowl periodically, instead of keeping food available 24/7.

 

[chickens really]

20%, but I've been adding oats to lower the protein ratio. They also get mixed veggies and/or lettuce most days. I also started letting them empty the bowl periodically, instead of keeping food available 24/7.

16% is all they need beyond 4 weeks plus forage material.

 

[chickens really]

I was told that earlier, that's why I started adding the oats. I don't know that such a thing is available in my area... I've been feeding all my ducks Purina Flock Raiser for years. Maybe they have it as a layer feed, but it's my understanding I can't use that since I have drakes too.

No a Grower/ finisher feed at 16% for all Birds works. Plus lots of forage material..

 

[chickens really]

Flock raiser indicates it's for raising young. Not a full time feed..Too high in protein..

 

[cymbaline]

Ok, the brace didn't help. I don't know if it hurt anything, but he's definitely worse now.
Now I can't hardly get his bad leg back under him at all, it just sticks out the back. I had taken the brace off yesterday because he got it twisted around again and when I went to put it back on last night I could barely get his ankle bent back into the right position. He had twisted the brace around again this morning so I took it off again. All the leg and foot muscles are so tensed up... his foot is all curled under. The worst part is he actually seems to be in pain now.

(the brown spots on top are from before the brace when he was trying to walk with his foot upside down and scraping it)
I made a sling for him to lay in for by stretching some cloth over a laundry basket and cutting leg holes. His other leg is still very strong - he can actually stand up on it if he can keep his balance - so I'm still inclined to think it's an injury. I'm thinking he's made it worse by flapping and trying to get around; it seemed so mean to keep him immobilized but maybe I should have from the start.
I'll try to reach the vet again tomorrow. I would just pop in but by the time I leave work, drive home to get him, and drive to the vet, it's almost an hour, and I hate to take the chance she won't even be there (there's only one that is knowledgeable about ducks at all).

 

[cymbaline]

Not good, guys the vet was afraid Blanche's foot might be infected bc it's so swollen around that middle toe, so she's keeping her overnight so they can sedate her and open it up and clean it out.
And poor Big Al... she can't do anything for him. Definitely something out place, probably a slipped tendon, maybe something else wrong because she agreed it didn't look like the typical slipped tendon in Pekins. So I'll be calling the avian vet that's an hour and half drive away tomorrow to see what they say. If it's been like this for weeks now, is it likely they can even fix it? And who knows how much it will cost... she guessed anywhere from $1000-1500... yikes