Can you take another duck leg question?

[cmtrivia]

Well, I have read a lot about duck leg problems...but, since it is the first time for me to personally experience it, I have some questions.

Our 2 1/2 week old Welsh Harlequin duckling has seemed fine, but I notice her legs/feet are very "pigeon-toed," to the point of her stepping on her own feet when she walks.

We have had her on paper towels as a bedding substrate, and the traction has seemed ok. I'm wondering now if I've messed her legs up by this choice of substrate?

Anyway, she has been on a good quality waterfowl/gamebird starter (24% protein), and occasional vitamins in her water.

After reading some, I have boosted the vitamins, and put hay in on top of the paper towels.

Any other suggestions? I can't tell if this is the classic slipped tendon/perosis that I've read alot about, or splay leg, or some other problem.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

Michelle

 

[duckyfromoz]

Being pigeon toed is very different from splay leg or slipped tendons.

Splay leg is when the duckling cannot keep its legs underneath the body- amd it actually looks like it is doing the splits. Easily fixed in most cases by tapinig the legs for few days. Most often caused by walking on a slippery surface.

Slipped tendon causes an inability to move the leg from the joint. The effected joint will become inflamed and hot to touch over time, and the leg muscles will waste from not being used.

I was given a goose with splay leg to fix a month ago, and currently have a young duck whos last days are being made comfortable.- She has a slipped tendon and respiritory problems.

Being pigeon toed- while loking awkward at this age- isnt too much to worry about- you may find it will correct itself over time as the duck grows-.

 

[cmtrivia]

Thanks for the reassuring reply. I will watch her as she grows, and definitely keep the rougher substrate beneath her.

We've had a rough day, as we lost this little duckling's "sister," a little Cayuga to some type of respiratory problem today. The Welsh Harlequin seems ok from that standpoint.

You'll have made our night a lot easier!

Good luck with rehabilitating your crew!

Thanks!

 

[nettie]

ducks will step on their own feet often... don't worry about it unless it impairs her walking all the time.

Sometimes ducks will stand on their own foot, and forget, and then try to take a step with the foot that's underneath and trip themselves... lol... I've seen my ducks do it several times.

 

[allanimals21]

one of my boneheads steps on his feet and he is almost a year. Its funny because I will be trying to get him to move and he is standing on his foot...he can't seem to ever figure out why he can't move either. lol

 

[cmtrivia]

OK, I've been watching our little duckling (now 3 weeks old). She holds her feet almost at a 90 angle (toed inward) from where they should be. Think of pigeon-toed so much that the toes on each foot point at each other.

This is impairing her walking all the time. She mostly just stands or lays down, then when she needs to move, she stumbles around alot, stepping all over her own feet.

I tried wrapping the legs with Vetrap, but this just made her stick the wrapped leg straight backwards.

Any suggestions? I'm not sure what future she has, unless this is something that can be outgrown.

Again, she is on 24% protein gamebird/waterfowl starter, vitamins in water, and currently on Tylan in the water due to crackling air sac noises.

Thank you for your help!

 

[Susango]

Help anyone I have a 2 month old pekin duck who when hatched from egg her left leg was fused at the joint . She had learned how to balance on right leg and used her left elbow/knee joint to try and walk. But now she so big that she can't even get up . She scoots around now. I had a prosthesis made for her leg and she was even walking with it but then I noticed her foot was turning black and blue and cold . I assumed it was stopping circulation so I removed it.
Is there any help for this cut e little gal?

I tried to post pics but don't know how or can't