Duckling with one disabled leg

[Elliebuss13]

My duckling that hatched yesterday can’t seem to be able to use his left leg, he can’t extend it or even spread his toes. What could this problem be and will he ever be able to walk? As he is only stumbling around at the moment on one leg…

 

[Butchers Wife]

Malnutrition in a parent, improper incubation, injury after hatching, malnutrition in the duckling. Add a vitamin supplement and double check the nutrition label on your feed bag. Compare it to the nutrition label on duck feed, try an online search. And don't give up too soon. I recently hatched a duckling, from Craigslist eggs, with a turned in leg that caused him to limp horribly. Even worse his head was misshapen. There was a bulge on one side as if the skull wasn't enclosing it's brain properly. At first just a little squishy bump but a week later it was looking like I'd need to do a mercy killing. But I began offering scrambled eggs and vitamin water and game bird feed and time on grass against the sunny side of the house, and a month later you can't tell Gimpy from any other duckling in a flock of 20. Color me Shocked.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Just to add to the above comment genetics can also play a role on issues like this for example excess inbreeding. I love poultry cell for cases like this. You also may need to splint the leg with tape and some cardboard. I use painters tape and find that it's stiff enough for young ducklings without the cardboard though. Lay the foot flat on the stick wide of tape then fold over gently pressing the sides together. Make sure the foot is properly spread out on the tape as well.

 

[Elliebuss13]

Just to add to the above comment genetics can also play a role on issues like this for example excess inbreeding. I love poultry cell for cases like this. You also may need to splint the leg with tape and some cardboard. I use painters tape and find that it's stiff enough for young ducklings without the cardboard though. Lay the foot flat on the stick wide of tape then fold over gently pressing the sides together. Make sure the foot is properly spread out on the tape as well.

I have tried to straighten his leg out but it doesn’t seem to stretch at all. He sometimes even gets it caught on his wing. I’m not sure what’s wrong but I hope he gets better

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sounds like a slipped tendon. here is info
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...of-slipped-tendons-in-bantam-duckling.987977/