Angel wing?!

[CrystalBDonuts]

Uggh guys... I have a bad feeling that this is early stages of angel wings. Please tell me this is just how wings grow in...

 

[FluffTheDuck]

@Miss Lydia
@casportpony
@WVduckchick
@WannaBeHillBilly
@PirateGirl
And others please help. Sorry I can't help with this situation and I was hoping somebody would respond sooner.

 

[FluffTheDuck]

@DuckyDonna

 

[Orca5094]

Possibly just starting in the black one (Cayuga?), but a bit early to tell for sure since their blood feathers are just coming in. I'd wait a little bit longer and see if they start to turn out more. If so, it's quite easy to fix at this age by wrapping, so don't stress too much! Wait to see if it really is angel wing first since wrapping now can damage the blood feathers.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Agree give it a week and decide post pic then. The others look good very normal.

 

[PirateGirl]

It’s borderline. I have seen ducklings start out like this and wings grow in totally normal with no assistance. Just keep an eye on It for now.

 

[WVduckchick]

I agree with the others, but don’t wait too long.

Here’s my favorite post about angel wing. I also have a couple pics of how I fixed 2 last spring.

Angel wing shows up when the first set of flight feathers starts to grow out, no matter the age... it is all depeendent on when each particular duck is growing out their primaries... that being said, primaries are very heavy pinfeathers that ducklings aren't used to and need to build up the set of muscles used to keep them in place and tucked in properly, so many times they stick out a bit before they learn how to keep them folded... and the tips need to reach a certain length before they will even catch properly when they fold them up...

If it self corrects, then it's just 'growing pains' and akwardness from new, heavy feathers... true angel wing *does not* self correct, it always needs to be corrected... but wrapping when unsure if it is angel wing or not does not hurt them and many wrap *just in case*...

I do suggest waiting just a bit longer before deciding to wrap or not, just because the pin feathers are still short and messing with them can be a bit sore for them... and if they get broke, they *can* bleed rather badly... I prefer a good bit of the feathers to extend out first, plus it gives more to tuck in properly for correct growth...

After much research and personal, hands on experience, it does seem more likely that angel wing is more likely a hereditary issue more than a too much protein issue... and can be more common in Calls than other breeds just due to the extremes Calls tend to be bred for...

They do still need a proper, balanced diet though... and too high of protein is not recommended... a good average is 20%, but slightly higher or lower (+/-2%) is fine... they do have higher Niacin requirements than chicks though, so chick starter should be supplemented with brewers yeast mixed in or Vitamin B complex added to their water...

Or switch to a good feed with her Niacin content like Purina Flock Raiser... that can be fed from hatch to lay and is formulated at higher amounts of Niacin... I still keep brewers yeast on hand though as occasional mess ups in formula and feed production have happened...

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I don't see any sign of Angel-Wing. Ducklings sometimes look funny when their first real feather start to grow, had one White Layer this spring whose flight feathers started to grow on the left side only and began to worry. Then just a few days later the feathers on the right wing caught up.
Just keep an eye on it and maybe give them some less protein. Even though it is doubted that too much protein has an influence on angel-wing. Less protein in the food will significantly reduce the bad smell of their poop.

 

[CrystalBDonuts]

I really hope you guys are right. They already hate being picked up and I think wrapping would piss them off even more. They're like grumpy teenager ducks right now.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I really hope you guys are right. They already hate being picked up and I think wrapping would piss them off even more. They're like grumpy teenager ducks right now.

Wait when around 4-5 months of age they will reach their talkative-phase. My wife was urging me to sell our Spring Ducklings at that age because they were permanently quacking, screeching and squiecking. - Just one month later they are so much more mature and quiet.