Angel Wing Question

[416bigbore]

Hello All, After reading over many post's on the subject of AW in Ducks, I am still not 100% sure if this is what is going on with two of our 7 week old Rouen Mallard , Pekin mix Ducklings? After reading and looking at other members pics posted, they do not have wing tips that want to turn out, but only hang. The two ducklings are not in any noticeable stress over this and they just keep pulling them up and go on about their duck business. Out of the 10 ducklings these two I would call the runts of the litter, still very healthy just a little smaller in overall size. I am not sure if this will correct itself as they grow and the wing muscles gets stronger or if I should still tape the wings up into place for the 7-10 days recommended ?

Thank you, Mike

 

[416bigbore]

I know you are it’s just hard to figure this stuff out

To finish what I wanted to say before my old PC decided to start acting goofy.As a Newbie I am very thankful just as I am sure other Forum members are, to have you and Isaac 0 with your years of experience. The both of you are willing to jump in and help solve these types of difficult issues and I just wanted to say Thank you and that I am very grateful for your help.

 

[Isaac 0]

Hey, that's great to hear! Pictures will come in handy for future people with the same problem.

 

[416bigbore]

Hello Ratchick and thank you for your reply. When I first noticed this I started to panic thinking here we go, we have a sick baby? I have been keeping a very close eye on things and nothing is getting worse. Another duckling is doing the same thing and they are both eating and drinking well along with keeping themselves groomed. So at this point I am ruling out being sick at this point and maybe they are just growing to fast in their wing feathers for their wing muscles to catch up. I will keep all posted as time goes on.

 

[416bigbore]

Looks like normal blood feathers to me. Very pretty.

Thank you for the conformation, that sure helps takes a little worry off my plate. I am just like everyone else trying to raise healthy and happy Ducks. I will post pics when they are older and have their adult feathers in place, should be interesting because of their mix. Thanks again, Mike

 

[416bigbore]

Since my first post I have been keeping a close eye on our two little runts with the hanging wing tips. As the fight feathers have been growing in and getting heavier, the two ducklings don't seem to be pulling their wing tips up into their body as much as they did at first. Now they just stand there and let them hang, kind of looking more like a Penguin then a Duck.

The fight feathers still hung straight down on the one duck and the other duckling one of his tip feathers were long enough and pointed inward and would get stuck between his two legs as he walked. So I decided to intervene and wrap both the ducklings wing tips, I hope I done the right thing given the circumstances. IMO they were starting to exhibit signs of stress.

To my surprise wrapping the wing tips wasn't as hard to do as I thought it would be, thanks to the aid of the helpful videos posted. Huge Bonus for us Newbies! IMO it's a two person job, so much easier that way. Having the right type of wrap at hand another big plus. Knock on wood it went very smoothly and quickly, two duck wing jobs in about 10 minutes if that? Almost as smooth and fast as a NASCAR pit stop with fuel and four new tires!

After watching the first duckling with his new wing job, he seemed so much happier as he walked around and interacted with the others. His wings being taped up into place didn't bother him one bit, didn't pick at them or anything. He would stand up straight flap his little wings and drop them back down into place with ease and go on about his business.

Duckling number two, not so much the same reaction to his new tape job. He was not happy and was doing everything he could to pick at it. Little does he realize , I used a thin 3/8 wide strip of Duct Tape over the medical wrap to secure it to his wing feathers to help keep the wrap from sliding off.

It was right before dark when we done this yesterday and I wasn't able to snap any pics of my tape job to post, maybe today if it ever quits raining. LOL I kept an eye on duckling number two and he too did calm down after realizing my wrap job wasn't just going to fall off.

Any ideas as to how long I will want to leave the wings wrapped? I made sure not to make things to tight, just snug enough to hold things into place.

Lastly Duct Tape, No. 102 use found, How many people can ever say they got to use Duct Tape on a Duck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have an now I call it duck tape. I'd like to see this tape job if you don't mind.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good that's the important part working those muscles.

 

[416bigbore]

Good that's the important part working those muscles.

Yes I agree, that whole body wrap to hold the whole wing tight in place I didn't think was a very good way to do it, they need to move their wings.

 

[416bigbore]

As long as it's taken off after a few days, and the wings are able to get exercised, If you prolong the use of the bandage it may make it worse. For example, some people brace healthy tree's for no apparent reason, these tree's tend to develop poor root systems because they have nothing to "stress" their roots, the same thing would be applied if you had your neck braced up for three months, if you get my point.

Yes I am picking up on what you are laying down. So in a few days when I do take it off, give it 24 hours off and see what happens and re-wrap if they still want to hang?