Duck’s Leg Stopped Working

[BoonesBirds]

Hi all,

My American Wigeon’s right leg has suddenly stopped working as of this morning. When everyone went into the coop last night, she was fine. I let everyone out this morning and she tried to get out, but was laying on her belly and couldn’t get up. Her right leg was just dangling at her side.

I’ve checked for bumble or sores, looked for any signs of injury, and can’t find anything. No swelling, no heat, can’t find what feels like any broken bones. It’s like the leg suddenly became paralyzed overnight. She is the least tame of all the ducks so I’m hoping she’ll do okay once I isolate her in a tub with some shavings. Right now she’s floating in the pool but still can’t even use the leg to swim.

Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to help her? I’m setting up a tub with some shavings, her Mazuri feed, and adding some waterfowl Vitamix to the water. A vet is out of the question as our exotic vet charges $300 just to walk in the door.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would also post on the duck forum here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/ducks.42/
Could have a stuck egg pressing against a leg nerve? Could she have fractured her leg jumping down or from being mated by a male bird? Nerve damage could have happened. Do you see any swelling, redness, or green bruising along the leg?

 

[BoonesBirds]

I would also post on the duck forum here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/ducks.42/
Could have a stuck egg pressing against a leg nerve? Could she have fractured her leg jumping down or from being mated by a male bird? Nerve damage could have happened. Do you see any swelling, redness, or green bruising along the leg?

Will do, thank you!

I couldn’t feel an egg, and there’s no swelling/bruising/heat on her leg. I’m perplexed as to how she could have injured herself, because she walked into the coop just fine last night. As soon as I opened the door to the coop this morning I could see something was wrong with her. The only thing I can think of is that maybe one of the other ducks walked over her and that did something?

She’s not interested in food at all and I had to move her back outside. She was terrified of being inside and started throwing herself around in the tub. I imagine I’ll have to start tube feeding her if she doesn’t start eating… but she’s so terrified of being handled that I think she’ll just hurt herself more trying to run from me.

 

[BoonesBirds]

I noticed today for the first time that she can move the leg and somewhat put pressure on it. She’s still dragging herself around and hiding in the coop until I get her out to try to coax her to eat. She’ll nibble on a few Mazuri pellets, but that’s it. She’s definitely starting to get more skinny and is still acting very weak despite her legs having more function, which is puzzling. Aside from her weakness and lack of appetite she doesn’t seem sick, and the other ducks have all looked healthy since this started on Wednesday. I sprinkled some hose water on her while she was swimming in the pond and got her to bathe for a little bit. I might try to tube feed her, but the stress of me handling her all the time would do more harm than good I think.