EMERGENCY Newly hatched duckling with curved feet

[Coop's Coop]

My sons class just hatched this duckling with curved feet this morning. He can’t walk at all. He’s been out of the shell for 8 hours. Just started to eat. Drinks a tiny bit. What’s going on and how can I help him? Thank you!

 

[Pyxis]

I would try making him some booties to straighten the feet out. Hopefully in a few days they can come off, and his feet will be fine. I would use something sturdy like cardboard for the base, and spread his feet out to the proper position on them. Then use a bandaid or vet wrap over the top to hole them in position. Like this:

 

[Coop's Coop]

I would try making him some booties to straighten the feet out. Hopefully in a few days they can come off, and his feet will be fine. I would use something sturdy like cardboard for the base, and spread his feet out to the proper position on them. Then use a bandaid or vet wrap over the top to hole them in position. Like this:

This is a good idea. They seem extremely stiff and fused where the ankle is. The feet are totally curled under

 

[casportpony]

You might have to use a stiffer base. Do it sooner rather than later because I see red marks on his ankle joint, which is probably from it trying to walk on the joint.

 

[Coop's Coop]

You might have to use a stiffer base. Do it sooner rather than later because I see red marks on his ankle joint, which is probably from it trying to walk on the joint.

We used a bandaid and a bit of cardboard to make a shoe but we can’t straighten his foot out at all so we are just trying to slowly straighten out the ankle. Thanks for the help. So sad!

 

[casportpony]

We used a bandaid and a bit of cardboard to make a shoe but we can’t straighten his foot out at all so we are just trying to slowly straighten out the ankle. Thanks for the help. So sad!

Hope you can do something for it.

 

[Pyxis]

Hope you can do something for it.

X2

 

[Coop's Coop]

Hope you can do something for it.

Me too. The best we were able to do was sort of push the joint out a bit. I feel so bad for the little guy. Rough first day of life.

 

[ChickNanny13]

In chicks it's sometimes cause by vitamin deficiency (CTP) ...
Riboflavin Deficiency/Vitamin B2 - PolyVisol baby vitamin with no iron 2 - 3 drops per day, or B Complex 1/2 tablet & beef liver, boiled egg yolk, spinach, mushrooms, sesame seed, tuna. That's for chicks/chickens, not sure a but ducklings.

Hope someone with more experience with ducks will quack in soon. You could also try a sling. Maybe with the booties, it's just a matter of time, it was cramped in that egg

 

[Coop's Coop]

In chicks it's sometimes cause by vitamin deficiency (CTP) ...
Riboflavin Deficiency/Vitamin B2 - PolyVisol baby vitamin with no iron 2 - 3 drops per day, or B Complex 1/2 tablet & beef liver, boiled egg yolk, spinach, mushrooms, sesame seed, tuna. That's for chicks/chickens, not sure a but ducklings.

Hope someone with more experience with ducks will quack in soon. You could also try a sling. Maybe with the booties, it's just a matter of time, it was cramped in that egg

I read about niacin deficiency in ducks causing leg/foot problems. I'll pass all this info on to the science teacher who is hatching ducks in the class. I hope we can save him! Thanks for the tips!