Adopted Injured Duck

[tamiep]

HI All!

I need some advice on what to do for this duck. Someone asked if I wanted his ducks (Pekins?) because he hatched a Canadian goose egg and the goose was picking on the ducks. He said that he thought that the goose had pulled a bunch of feathers out of the female duck's wing. I do not see that a lot of feathers are missing, but I do notice that she has a hard time holding that wing in place and it trembles, maybe from the fatigue of trying to hold it up all of the time. She can flap the wing, but it wants to droop.

I also think there is something wrong with her walk. She also seems lower to the ground than the drake, bot due to size. unless that is normal.

Also, these two are a pair, but I have a single female Cayuga duck. Do you think they will accept her? Right now they are just ignoring each other.

Here is a pic of Bonnie, you can see that her wing will not lay flat. She would not let me get to her other side. I have a video that I am trying to get uploaded, as well. Will add when I figure that out.

 

[tamiep]

OK, had to put the video up on YouTube:

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

@chickens really @Ravynscroft @Miss Lydia @casportpony can you guys help?

 

[tamiep]

I just caught her and she has a very thick area about mid wing. It is not the same as the other wing. She also seems to lose her balance when she is trying to go down a step and what not. Being a duck, she seems to be terrified of everything and she jumped off of the patio (about 1.5') and landed on that injured wing.

I am wondering if it had been broken and healed wrong.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Sounds like it was broken and healed wrong. Maybe isolate her in a dog crate so that she can heal a bit?

 

[casportpony]

Maybe it's angel wing? I can't really tell from the picture and video.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_wing

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

You’ll want to introduce them to each other using the “see but don’t touch method”. Basically put the new ducks in a large dog crate and put them in your duck’s run if you have one. Let them interact like this for a week or 2 and then try introducing them without the crate.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Kathy, I don't think that is angel wing... looks like she either broke or dislocated the joint in her wing and it healed without being set properly...

Check her feet and legs for sores or injuries, hot spots... balance issues might be related to the wing or might not be... simple warm water epsom salt soak might help her feet/legs if that's leg/foot injury...

 

[casportpony]

Kathy, I don't think that is angel wing... looks like she either broke or dislocated the joint in her wing and it healed without being set properly...

Check her feet and legs for sores or injuries, hot spots... balance issues might be related to the wing or might not be... simple warm water epsom salt soak might help her feet/legs if that's leg/foot injury...

Hard for me to see. Good news is she flaps her wings so I doubt it's bothering her too much.

 

[tamiep]

Kathy, I don't think that is angel wing... looks like she either broke or dislocated the joint in her wing and it healed without being set properly...

Check her feet and legs for sores or injuries, hot spots... balance issues might be related to the wing or might not be... simple warm water epsom salt soak might help her feet/legs if that's leg/foot injury...

I will take a look at her feet tomorrow to see if there is anything going on.

Even the duck I've had since hatch seems to not like humans outside of being a source of treats, and will even forgo the treats if you get too close. My chickens are not like that. They'll walk right in the house.

So, catching Bonnie is a challenge and she gets all upset and does dumb things (e.g. jump off of the patio or run over things) to get away. I don't want her to get hurt any more than she is.

As I mentioned, I can feel a hard mass in her wing, about mid-way down. I think that is making the wing heavy. As you can see by the video, she can still open and flap them. I wonder if I should bind that wing to her body for awhile.