Advice please...my duckling is limping--I think she is injured!

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

Good morning, all! Just wanted to update this thread. My Mae seemed to be doing better yesterday but is limping more severely this morning, and she is laying down a lot. I gave them some dried black soldier fly larvae, which they scarfed down, and then some salad greens in water. Mae ate the soldier fly larvae with great enjoyment! She ate a little bit of the salad greens and then didn't touch her fermented feed. Instead, she went to lay under the EcoGlow. I don't know if she filled up on the fly larvae or if she just doesn't have much of an appetite due to pain?

Also, my husband and I better examined her yesterday evening (after letting them have their first supervised swim--SO FREAKING CUTE!!!), and there is still no visible swelling on Mae's leg...we're starting to think it's her hip that is hurt and not her leg or ankle. Could it be a broken hip? Could it be dislocated? I wish I could help her! It's tough to watch her limp.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Good morning, all! Just wanted to update this thread. My Mae seemed to be doing better yesterday but is limping more severely this morning, and she is laying down a lot. I gave them some dried black soldier fly larvae, which they scarfed down, and then some salad greens in water. Mae ate the soldier fly larvae with great enjoyment! She ate a little bit of the salad greens and then didn't touch her fermented feed. Instead, she went to lay under the EcoGlow. I don't know if she filled up on the fly larvae or if she just doesn't have much of an appetite due to pain?

Also, my husband and I better examined her yesterday evening (after letting them have their first supervised swim--SO FREAKING CUTE!!!), and there is still no visible swelling on Mae's leg...we're starting to think it's her hip that is hurt and not her leg or ankle. Could it be a broken hip? Could it be dislocated? I wish I could help her! It's tough to watch her limp.

Is there a vet that would see her ?
My vet gives me medicam for pain
My 4.5-5 pound ducks take 1.5 ml
Not sure about a little one
It’s to hard to explain how to move the legs to figure out where the issue is but I watched my vet do it so I would know at home
Then I’m able to figure out if it’s leg / hip
Sprain / strain or something worse
My vet here is so good if I call in and say what’s wrong they will just get a bottle of antibiotics or medicam for me to pick up
There maybe a duck person on here that could explain better how to check the leg by rotation

 

[Miss Lydia]

If her hip was broken I don't think she'd be able to walk if dislocated probably not either. But I am not a vet. Are you sure with her having this limp the other ducklings aren't knocking her around? not intentionally but by accident?
The only way to know if it's her hip would be to get an x-ray most likely.
Have you looked at both legs and hips and compared them to see if you can feel any difference between the 2?
Since she likes soldier fly larva maybe give her a full dose of liquid B Complex on them separate from the other ducklings. Since she just ate her full wait till she might be hungry again.
Since she isn't interested in her FF this might be from pain. That is usually how we first notice something isn't right they don't want to eat. But she did enjoy the larva so she still isn't completely off her feed. They can get picky though if given too many treats.

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

Hello all! Just wanted to update this post. My Mae is almost completely better! Since her injury, I've been finely chopping fresh comfrey leaves and putting it in the ducklings' water, letting them all eat as much as they want. And I've been letting them swim, every other day or so, in strong comfrey tea (made with dried comfrey leaves from the herb shop). I think the combination of comfrey and exercise has healed my Mae! She still wobbles a little when walking, but she runs all over the place now and is finally getting bigger (although still not as big as her Buff and Blue Swedish sisters)! She's just the sweetest little baby...likes to eat out of our hands and lay in our laps. These ducklings are so much work, but gaaahhhhh, we just love them!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is such good news!!
Also are you giving your ducklings Nutritional yeast for niacin? That is very important. Or liquid B Complex? I can’t remember if you said.

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

That is such good news!!
Also are you giving your ducklings Nutritional yeast for niacin? That is very important. Or liquid B Complex? I can’t remember if you said.

Yes, they get nutritional yeast (Braggs brand, 35mg niacin in two tablespoons) sprinkled heavily over every feeding of fermented Nature's Best Organic Duck Crumbles (which also contains a niacin suplement); I feed them about 3-4x per day. I did buy the Durvet liquid B complex, too, but because Mae started showing improvement so rapidly, I haven't yet used it. They also get salad greens 3x per day and peas at least once per day.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes, they get nutritional yeast (Braggs brand, 35mg niacin in two tablespoons) sprinkled heavily over every feeding of fermented Nature's Best Organic Duck Crumbles (which also contains a niacin suplement); I feed them about 3-4x per day. I did buy the Durvet liquid B complex, too, but because Mae started showing improvement so rapidly, I haven't yet used it. They also get salad greens 3x per day and peas at least once per day.

And offered chick grit on the side?
Sounds great ,so happy to hear Mae is doing so good.

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

And offered chick grit on the side?
Sounds great ,so happy to hear Mae is doing so good.

Yes, though they seem to think the chick grit dish is a toilet because they poop in it constantly!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Little stinkers [literally] lol