Exhausted, limping Welsh Harlequin Duckling. :(

[ducklover700]

One of my WH ducklings started limping today, and is very quiet, and tired. He doesn't get up if he doesn't have to, and once he does it's like his left leg is stiff almost. I gave him some vitamins in his water, and he has food. He wouldn't touch it at all at first, but has since ate a little, and drank some. Any suggestions for this little guy? I'm worried about him, and just looking for any ideas that may help him out.

 

[Amiga]

Could be an injury, could be bumblefoot or something else.

Good first steps you are taking.

He needs to be kept quiet, with lots of fresh water and some food. Check his foot. Any swelling, warm spots? How do the joints look and feel?

If it is an infection that has gone beyond the foot, you probably need to give him antibiotics. Do you have any on hand, know how to use them?

Let him swim for a while in some lukewarm water. That will take weight off the leg, improve circulation, and maybe even cheer him up a little.

Keep up with the vitamins.

If you find swelling and warmth, get some triple antibiotic ointment on the leg and foot. Use the kind that does not have pain killer, the pk is a problem for ducks.

Please let us know what you find.

Poor little guy.

 

[ducklover700]

He doesn't have any swelling on his foot, or leg, and there aren't any unusually warm spots either; he's only five days old and hasn't really been out of his brooder. (he's only been outside twice, and the rest of the time, he's inside my house just outside of his brooder.) He is one the smallest babies of the ducklings I have, kind of the runt of the group; if that has anything to do with it. I put him in a different brooder, with two of his duckling friends, so that he has company, but doesn't have six other ducks crawling over him.

he's started moving around more after drinking, and eating a little, but he still prefers to lay down. Should I still let him swim in a bath since he's so small/young?

thank you for your help!

 

[ducklover700]

I did go take another look at him, and refilled his vitamin water up; he seems to be a little better, more bright eyed, and less dull. He's still mostly resting, but doesn't refuse to get up...he even blew some bubbles in his water.

 

[Amiga]

He just may be having a hard time. One of my littles seemed really puny one day, so it was vitamins and extra TLC for the day, and she snapped out of it. We cannot rule out that he may have something else going on, but if he just seems a little off, keep doing what you are doing.

Since he is only five days old, a swim for him would be about five minutes in 85 degree F water, then dried off and into the warm brooder.

What is the temperature in the brooder, by the way?

 

[ducklover700]

I'm not sure what the exact temp is in the brooder, I have them in a large tote, and had the lamp on the top of it, when that was a little too hot I raise it up until they were comfortable with it. (adjusted it a few times with how high up it was, and they seem comfy, cozy now. I'll have to get my thermometer and see what the exact # is.

He does seem to be happier than before, so I'll keep up with the vitamins, and the spoiling. He's been out of the brooder more than the others once I realized that he wasn't doing well. He stays closer to me while he's not so good.

 

[PoultryGirly]

My black callduck is limping a little, too. I hope the limping subsides with her and your duck.

 

[Amiga]

Ducklings are not all standard issue, in my experience. I mean that what bothers one won't bother the rest. Nutritional deficiencies, temperature extremes, fumes, dust, all seem to make some ducks sick, but not other ducks.

So there may be something in the environment stressing the little baby. See if you can get a thermometer that is safe for inside the brooder to give you an idea . . . and see if you can make it so that there are cooler spots in the brooder. I fret a bit (be warned

), and worry that in a tote, it could get too warm and they would have no cooler place to move to, or that it could get too humid. The first two weeks I had my ducklings in a four foot long giant tote. Then we moved into a puppy pen, then added another puppy pen to double the size of the brooder.

 

[ducklover700]

The tote is pretty long length wise, so I know they have space to get out from under the heat lamp, but there is a makeshift lid on it so that the cat/dogs don't manage to get to them... maybe thats it? I had used this tote once before several months ago with my Rouens, and they were fine, however I did not use the lid that time. I bet that lid has something to do with it... keeping the heat trapped in it. I should have a clamp for the light, so when I get a hold of that, then I can see what happens when I take the lid off. (it's not closed in BTW it has two big holes cut into it. so it's not like they're shut in. That would be awful! I'll try some different things, and maybe just move them to my other brooder... I'll keep ya updated!

 

[ducklover700]

My black callduck is limping a little, too. I hope the limping subsides with her and your duck.

I hope your baby gets better soon! Maybe try letting her swim like Amiga suggested.