Duckling with strange leg issues, not spraddle etc

[Bella-7187]

I will post some pics and videos to.

 

[Bella-7187]

Hi there my little one is doing well , I have come up with a rough way to see if I am on the right path to fixing his or hers legs. I will give it a few days and if it is starting to work I’ll do a better version of it lol. It’s amazing what hair ties can be used for my aim at the moment is to flatten out the feet and get the legs to stay under where they are meant to be. Fingers crossed it works!

 

[Bella-7187]

 

[Miss Lydia]

How’s the little one doing? Sure is a precious little thing. Is that contraption helping?

 

[Kimmyh51]

Hi Kimmyh51, I have come across your post as I to have just hatched out a duckling with the same condition. I cannot find any information about it. How is your little one going? Do you have any advice? Thank you

no information on the diagnosis or cause, sorry,

Millie's legs did not improve despite numerous attempts with splints, shoes etc. I have had ducks with similar looking conditions that can be treated with shoes or splints, and have treated these mysefulf successfully, however I now feel that with Mills its a different situation and I also found that despite splints/shoes etc, her legs became more firmly entrenched in their 'superman position each day. Basically as she gained general strength in the first few days as a duckling does, so her legs got more strongly into that position, and it became difficult then impossible to even move them into the correct position. Till finally we had to accept this is the way she will be.

she can keep herself above water in the pond so can now swim, but had to learn to use her wings in the water to propel herself forward as her legs kick basically above the waterline and dont do much. I wouldneverlet her swim unsupervised as she could not get out of the water herself. she also panics if i go more than a meter or two from her when she is swimming. i have made her a little outfit to support her and she really enjoys 'flying' by being attached to a 'trapeze' in a tree. She also will get restless to I guess just move about and burn energy which she cant do by herself, so when she gets that way I pick her up and hold her under her tummy for 30 seconds or so, and she flaps her wings and pretends she is lying lol.

Millie (Mills, or Millsie as I now tend to call her) is a happy wee duck most the time. but does need a lot more care than a normal duck and will never be independent.
However she is also a great help to me in caring for ducklings, and I have become very close to her as a result of her needing extra care. I feel very blessed to have her.

feel free to pm me directly if you like.

Would love to hear more about your duck and see any photos or videos you have?

 

[Kimmyh51]

Here is a pic of my duckling

I might be wrong but based on that one pic your duckling doesn't have the same issue as Mills, its legs are not so firmly and rigidly fixed behind her...

 

[Kimmyh51]

I might be wrong but based on that one pic your duckling doesn't have the same issue as Mills, its legs are not so firmly and rigidly fixed behind her...

I did try similar contraptions as the one you are using in your pics, no change whatsoever.
i think its neurological/spinal damage.

For mills its like the message is getting messed up between her brain and her 'crazy legs' as i affectionately refer to them....
The other thing that might be possible is some sort of deformity in the tendon, as it almost looks like the tendon is like a piece of string threaded through material and pulled tight till the fabric gathers, i.e. that the tendons are so tight they are pulling the legs that way, however that doesn't to me explain the position at the hips, or why when her scratch reflex activates the leg goes in the opposite direction to what it normally would (IE head turning and scratch target on right, leg goes left). she also has a super sensitive scratch reflex and often just touching her anywhere on her top half will trigger it, another neuro thing maybe?
im guessing that some damage occurred in the egg, or during her difficult hatch.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Mills couldn’t have anyone better to care for her. It’s such a blessing to read about all you’ve done to make her life better. And her reward to you is substitute mommy for others that need special care.

 

[Bella-7187]

Hi sorry I have been off line with Christmas lol. My little ones legs haven’t improved as yet and I am finding with age her legs are getting harder to correct. I am thinking it is a growth deformity as the hips don’t seem to have a spot for the legs and her neck has an odd curve in it. I give her daily swimming time and then dry time in the sun. She enjoys a scratch on the sides of her beak as I guess she can’t reach lol. I find my little one gets stuck in the corner of her pen as she can’t go backwards but I check regularly and correct when needed. I’ll post todays swimming video and sun baking pic. Kimmyh51 did you have any recent pics of Millie? And how old would she be now? My little one is two weeks old.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have you been giving her Liquid B complex? @Bella-7187