Are her wings supposed to be doing this?? Image included

[GordieH]

How long do we leave the wrap on them? One site said within a week you should be able to take the tape off. I can put this one back in the pen with the chickens to keep her from swimming the tape off.

Any other pointers?

 

[70%cocoa]

The version with the pink tape looks great

Dave Holderread's booklet "Wing Disorders in Waterfowl" (available from his website) says that the length of time the tape needs to stay on depends on how early you have caught it. It says that if you catch it within two days of it appearing then "leaving the wing bound for 10-14 days is sufficient". It also says: "In stubborn cases, the wing may need to remain taped for 20 to 28 days or longer. To help keep the wing from becoming stiff from non-use it is advisable to untape the wing for several hours every 10 to 14 days if prolonged taping is used".

So, I'd leave it a week and then take the tape off and see how it is looking. Tape it up again if it does not look 100% normal by that time. That's just what I'd do

 

[GordieH]

TY Cocoa, very much. Will get some tape when I go to get feed today.

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

yep, personally,
I advise a min of 2 weeks to everyone, check it, if it looks good , fine, if not wrap it back up again for an additional week, so on and so on til it's straight again.

Yes as the above poster said, the earlier you catch it, the quicker it is to correct as well.

Also as I said earlier, remember down the road...if you plan to breed this bird, it's chicks will be more prone to angel wing too. It's not really a genetic factor 100%, but it's kinda like heart problems and stuff with us, if your parent had it, you are more prone to have it too than someone from a non heart problem family ,if that makes sense

 

[GordieH]

I will likely choose not to breed mine. Especially if it is a male. So far, it doesn't have the drake feather. But it is a bit early for that, probably. A little less than 2 months.

 

[chickensarefamily2me2]

Hey Guys and Gals.... Alrighty then... I won't be able to get any feed for Gertrude for several days, and my feed store isn't open Sundays. What can I feed her that is relativley safe for her? I was worried last night, so I caved an gave her a small handful of crushed dry cat food... Please suggest. I really need help with the food issue... So I can feed her non medicated chick/chicken food?

 

[GordieH]

I believe someone suggested to me that I could mix some rolled oats or cracked corn into the chick feed. That will drop the protein down. And you can get those at almost any grocery store or Wal-Mart. Even wild bird seed should mix well as long as the protein levels are low. She will definitely need grit with seeds or corn to digest properly.

 

[chickensarefamily2me2]

Alrighty. I'll go get some rolled oats. It's funny. I have absolutely nothing that can sustain a duck. No regular chick feed. Nothing. Can I just give her some rolled oats until I get some real food?

 

[Wifezilla]

those 18%-20% or higher feeds will do it every time.

I disagree. It has more to do with carbohydrate content and mineral/vitamin deficiency.

"When a young bird eats calorie-dense, nutritionally poor foods — like bread — the growth of its feathers outpaces the development of its wing bones. Gravity pulls the heavy feathers down, and the growing bones twist outward, resulting in a syndrome known as “Angel Wing.” Bandages and physical therapy can correct the condition in young birds, but it is incurable in adults, and affected birds lose the ability to fly."
http://www.spokanecity.org/services/articles/?ArticleID=1850

I feed high protein game bird feed to all my birds. Cases of angel wing? ZERO. I am on a 3rd generation of ducks raised on high protein feed. I also supplement with greens (dandelions, clover, lettuce, peas, cabbage, etc...) and high protein natural foods like duckweed, worms, fish, etc...

Study the diet of a duckling in the wild. What does it eat? Water plants (like duckweed, which is high protein), worms (high protein), insect larvae (high protein), and some plants. What a wild duckling does NOT eat is corn and soy. So how protein, something they evolved to eat in large quantities as ducklings over millions of years, got blamed for angel wing is beyond me.

P.S. Flock Raiser has caused issues for people here including angel wing, leg weakness and pin holes in foot webbing. I adopted ducks from someone who fed flock raiser and the ducks had all kinds of tiny holes in their feet. 1 week on game bird feed (24% protein) and they healed right up.​

 

[GordieH]

I used to live in SW Indiana which is farm land. Mostly corn and soybeans are grown. In the winter, birdwatchers would flock to the harvested fields to see if we could spot a new bird to check off of our list. These fields would be covered at times with so many waterfowl of all sorts that you could not see much of the ground. They were feasting on the spilled corn and soybeans. Even here in TX, I have seen harvested corn, bean and milo fields covered with Sandhill Cranes. They are eating the leftover grains. It is actually vital to their survival as these grains, being high in carbs, produce the heat their bodies need to survive the cold temps. Probably not as good for them in the heat of summer.

Yes, they focus on green plants, insects, fish, small amphibians and such. But they also feast on grains left in the fields. The key, I believe is balance.

Never heard of Flock Builder. But I am not likely to use it. And I would never feed my birds anything but wholegrain breads. I don't even eat commercial white breads myself. They are tasteless and nutritionally unfit for anyone or anything. They turn to glue like substances in our bodies.