Duckling with birth defect (looks like scoliosis)

[MarlyMonster]

Hi lovely people!

4 weeks ago yesterday I hatched out a beautiful little Muscovy duckling. He was from a batch of double yolkers that I was trying to hatch, and as the only single he was the only one that survived. He was malpositioned and did externally pip, but I had to get him out of the egg myself a day later. Since then he seems to have grown up a little crooked, and I didn’t think anything of it. Only now at 4 weeks it’s really really prominent and I’m trying to find solutions to help him live a little more normally.

His body seems to have a big bend in it, that’s why I’m thinking scoliosis of some sort. His left leg is also turned out at the hip/knee so the bigger he got the more trouble he had walking. I was working with grippy shoes at first but when he suddenly couldn’t get up anymore I changed course and fashioned him a hobbles out of soft elastic and Velcro. He’s been wearing it for the past 36 hours and he’s already doing a lot better! He can stand on his own now and while he doesn’t walk fast, at least he walks! A lot of his weight is supported by his right leg though because the left one still isn’t the most steady.

Has anyone else experienced this before? Are there other things I can do to help him?
He’s a perfectly happy little ducky otherwise, he eats and drinks on his own and takes swims in the tub with his sister (who I went and got to keep him company). Swimming isn’t super easy for him since his left leg causes him to float up a little on that side but he’s found his own way to get around in the water.

Would love to get some input and I’d others have experienced this too would be really interested in hearing your story.

If I think of more details I’ll post them here!

P.S. he’s not splay legged, as he may appear in some pics, the leg thing didn’t start happening till he got bigger, I’m assuming triggered by his increasing weight.

Pictures below (tried to give a good idea of how it developed over time so started with baby pics. He’s the little guy without the spot on his head, the other one is his sister)

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I would try a hobble to pull the legs back under the duckling, they are going sideways:

And some extra Niacin and Vitamin B complex.

 

[MarlyMonster]

I would try a hobble to pull the legs back under the duckling, they are going sideways:

And some extra Niacin and Vitamin B complex.

Been doing that, wrote it in the post

He’s been wearing one I made of elastic and Velcro 24/7 for the last three days. They also get nutritional yeast for niacin

 

[Eggcessive]

There can be boney deformities in poultry including ducks, such as kinky back and scoliosis, as well as leg bone dofrmities. Some may be genetic or due to mineral deficiencies in parents.

 

[queenydan]

Hi there, i have a gosling that looks to have scoliosis as well as some neurological symptoms. I am wondering if your duckling ever straighten out?

 

[kissezmychicken]

Omg.. Ive never seen that.. Good luck i hope hes not in pain.

 

[fuscia]

I’m curious how your duckling got on. I took home a duckling from TCS that was runty and struggling. His tail was curved down and he looked hunched. Mine only lived a few days I hope yours is doing well

 

[Spotgieter]

Fuscia, I also got a duck from TCS and he struggled with his left leg and now that he's almost 3 months old, he can barely walk without falling over and I took him to a vet (not an Avian vet) and they say it's a birth defect. His left knee joint won't bend.