Call duckling with bad legs?

[keyt1969]

I have three 5 week old call ducklings, all of which came from the same place and hatching and seem healthy and happy. One is extremely large compared to the other two, another one seems average size and one is a bit smaller than that one. However, the smaller one looks like she's bow-legged and doesn't walk as well as the others. The other two's legs are straight and long, but this one, her legs are much shorter and look thinner and bow-legged.

This is my first experience with ducklings this small so I don't know if I'm seeing things. Could it just be she's a slow grower and maybe not worry for a while yet?

It's the one on the left

Keyt

 

[callducklover20]

Are you supplementing their food with brewers yeast-it could be a vitamin deficiency, also too high of protein can cause problems with legs and Angelwing. I feed mine Purina duck grower (Can be a little hard to find) and also give them electrolytes with vitamins in their water everyday for the first 2 weeks after hatch then 2 times a week and then taper it down to once a week as they get older. I do give mine hardboiled eggs for the first few days and wet their food down. As for size difference, some calls are bigger and some are very tiny (thats actually what you want is the tiny ones). The bigger ones breed better so you can have a range of sizes that are still considered calls. Most of your show breeders have great stock of tiny birds with small round head and bills. This link tells lots about specs- http://prickereepines.homestead.com/CallDuck.html. I know one of mine is pretty big even though he came out of the same batch of eggs I got-he isnt as big as a mallard but he is big compared to everyone else, made all the other babies look so tiny. Here is another link that talks about call duck size and has a lot of help with illnesses http://www.acornhollowbantams.com/waterfowl_basics.cfm?id=36 Also are they on a slip free surface? That can also cause legs to bow out-I know that some people have had to strap the legs together to correct problems like that. They are cute babies, Im sure you love them as much as I do

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:
I got them when they were about 2 weeks old. I am new to raising ducks this young so I read ALL the time (except those links you provided which I will in a minute) and try to do what's right. I haven't found any food specific for ducks at any feed supply store or grainery, but I now have an electrolyte supplement for water that I have used for my chickens. I can also use that for the ducks? They have always been in an extra large rubbermaid container with pine shavings until this week when I've been putting them out in the duck run during the day with two 4 month old cayugas. I absolutely LOVE my calls! I'm glad I got them from such a young age. I just got the cayugas last weekend so they don't know me, but the calls do and two of them even love to cuddle which is one of the best parts!

Thank you so much for your help! Any other info is greatly appreciated!!

 

[callducklover20]

yeah it should be the same electrolytes I use, I get mine in a small pack at TSC and its for multi animals-has a pic of chickens, ducks, sheep, horse and cow on it. I used Purina Flock Raiser for last years babies but then I found the Duck chow-I know you can order it on line, Purina has all kinds of links on their website including food for show birds called Mazuri (kind of like Eukanuba dog food, higher price high quality) I also signed up for the awards program and they send you great coupons for their products several times a year. If you cant find special food you can also buy vitamin supplements and brewers yeast-niacin is what you need for healthy legs etc-lack of niacin is what causes leg problems and other issues. You are keeping yours just like I am so I dont think its a slippery surface issue. Oh mine cuddle with me all the time, it is so sweet-my little girl now does her little jump fly thing right into my arms-Im ruined, I love these little ones so much

 

[callducklover20]

also I dont know if there is anything wrong with her legs-mine always go through "ugly duck" stages-feet grow first then the legs a day later, bills are too big for their little heads etc, some days they look so funny

. I see from the pics that her little feathers are starting to come in (the red spots on the wings). Giving niacin and electolytes wont hurt them, so I would call it a preventive measure-she looks like she is a good weight so I think she is eating good. I just want to pick them up and cuddle

ducky kisses to all

 

[SunnybrookFarm]

We adopted a duck from our neighbor whose legs had a problem. 1 of them turned in. He tried splinting but it didn't work. We tried slinging her but she was too old to fix it. Since she was in no pain, a good weight, and happy so we let her be. To sling a duck you:

Use a large plastic storage box. Fill it with bedding. Wrap some stretchy material around it like a band, cut slits for legs. Sit her in it with her legs through the holes. Make sure the fabric is away from her butt and the box is longer than the duck(remember duck poop shoots straight out, you want it to end up in the box. We duck taped a small plank wrapped in a garbage sack to the front and put a little dish of water and food where she could easily reach. Her legs should not touch the bottom. If her leg is twisted you can splint it to get it strait. Basically this gets her weight off her feet, and lets her heal. We took her out and put her in a wading pool for weight free exercise.

 

[keyt1969]

Actually, the pics I posted were about 2 weeks old, so I took some new ones today. The first two are of the duck I'm speaking about and you can see what I mean about the legs.

 

[callducklover20]

oh yeah I do see what you are saying. Glad another BYCer chimed in about how to splint them-I have found instructions on it but have never had to do it. She is so cute, they all are

, I will be following along to see her progress-hoping for the best for her

 

[duckluv]

In the first pic it looks like it has it's 'hands' on its hips and is complaining.

 

[keyt1969]

Quote:
hahaha you're right!!