Broken wing?

[TwoDogFarm]

One of my ducks has not been acting well lately and we have brought her in and have been treating her with antibiotic. She's just been acting very depressed and lethargic and has been isolating herself from the flock. This duck has an issue with weak legs ever since she was a duckling and as you all suggested, we have started her on Niacin. Tonight, we decided maybe a warm bath would help her feel better. We noticed for the first time that she is holding one of her wings down lower than the other one. When I felt the top of it, there is a knot there. Does it look broken to you all? If so, what do I do for it?

 

[Amykins]

She needs to be seen by a vet.

 

[TwoDogFarm]

She needs to be seen by a vet.

We don't have a vet around here that specializes in birds...

 

[JadedPhoenix]

Quote: Actually, few vets do. I remember back when my dad raised birds of various kinds, he had to learn everything himself since no vets knew anything about birds. It even got to the point where the vets called him. He got the license to take care of birds of prey and cared for many of them. He even preformed brain surgery on his favorite parakeet. The only thing most bird owners can do is read and study on their own and hope for the best as they try to treat their own animals.

As for the wing, it is too difficult to tell through a picture. If you believe it is broken, treat it as if it were and I hope she feels better.

 

[Miss Lydia]

One of my ducks has not been acting well lately and we have brought her in and have been treating her with antibiotic. She's just been acting very depressed and lethargic and has been isolating herself from the flock. This duck has an issue with weak legs ever since she was a duckling and as you all suggested, we have started her on Niacin. Tonight, we decided maybe a warm bath would help her feel better. We noticed for the first time that she is holding one of her wings down lower than the other one. When I felt the top of it, there is a knot there. Does it look broken to you all? If so, what do I do for it?

You say there is a knot does it look like it's a wound? what size is the knot golf ball size, quarter size? does it feel hard, soft? do you have a drake? has he been mating with your ducks? sometimes ducks can get over mated by a drake and they can cause injury. You could try using some vet wrap and placing the wing in it's natural position and wrapping just the wing not around her body being careful not to wrap to tightly as to not cut off circulation. Leave it on for 2-3 days unwrap and see how she is holding it. Similar to how you treat angel wing. Tell us about the knot.

 

[TwoDogFarm]

I would say the knot is about quarter sized and hard. It doesn't appear to be a wound. We do have drakes and yes their hormones are going crazy right now. We just separated them Sunday but we have had one escape twice since then and get back in with the girls.

Today it seems like she is holding the wing in more of its natural position. It just keeps falling down and she keeps flipping it back to her back.

 

[TwoDogFarm]

Also, we tried to treat one of our drakes for angel wing last year and I don't know if we didn't do it right or what, but he kept pulling the vet wrap off and it never healed right. He doesn't seem to be having problems with it now though, even though he does still have it. Any tips on keeping the vet wrap in place if that's what I should do? Sometimes, I feel like there needs to be an Elizabethan collar for ducks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe since you are seeing her trying to hold it in place herself just giving a bit more time away from the drakes and just rest will take care of it. I'd keep an I on the knot though it may dissolve on it's own too when you feel it does she act like she is in pain? You could even try putting some kind of drawing salve on it to see if that helps or rubbing some coconut oil on it. Ducks are like Houdini they can get out of pretty much anything I'll get a pic of what one member did when her young duck developed angel wing.

Looks funny but it worked.

 

[TwoDogFarm]

Maybe since you are seeing her trying to hold it in place herself just giving a bit more time away from the drakes and just rest will take care of it. I'd keep an I on the knot though it may dissolve on it's own too when you feel it does she act like she is in pain? You could even try putting some kind of drawing salve on it to see if that helps or rubbing some coconut oil on it. Ducks are like Houdini they can get out of pretty much anything I'll get a pic of what one member did when her young duck developed angel wing.

Looks funny but it worked.

She is jerking a little when I touch it but it doesn't feel quite as big as it was. She seems to be holding it more in place on her own now. Could you tell me what drawing salve is and where I can get it? What is that wrapped around the duck? We never put ours this tight because we were afraid we would cut off circulation. Is it supposed to be that tight? I'm just asking. Maybe that's what we did wrong.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is jerking a little when I touch it but it doesn't feel quite as big as it was. She seems to be holding it more in place on her own now. Could you tell me what drawing salve is and where I can get it?

What is that wrapped around the duck? We never put ours this tight because we were afraid we would cut off circulation. Is it supposed to be that tight? I'm just asking. Maybe that's what we did wrong.

Ichthamol Drawing salve I bought it at TSC . and the thing on the duck is a woman's panty hose cut to fit. Could be your lil one just needed some time to rest and heal. With the drawing salve it also works on splinters to for us humans.