Flopping Duck

[megsjo]

I have a 13 week male Khaki Campbell that got in a fight with his brother and now can’t stand on one of his legs. He started out limping, then he stopped and walked regularly for a couple of days, and then one morning I went outside and he was flopping from place to place, using his wing like a crutch. I got him out of the coop and put him in a tote with water and food because the other guys were trampling him and he was just flopping the best he could. I checked out his leg to splint it and I have no idea what to splint. I compared it to his other leg and the best comparison I can come up with is his healthy leg is like a rigid open umbrella, and his injured leg is a floppy cold closed umbrella. I stroked both legs to check his reaction, and when I touched his healthy leg he started squirming and fighting, but I held his injured leg and moved it to try to find the problem for a good five minutes without him reacting at all. I could feel the blood moving in his healthy leg, but I couldn’t feel anything in the injured one. I’m afraid the leg is dead and I have no idea how to deal with that. It’s not swollen at all. He’s eating and drinking fine, and when I have to pick him up he flops around the tote trying to get away so he’s still frisky. If anyone can tell me what to do that would be great, I’ve called vets, park rangers, farm animal rescues, wildlife rescues, feed stores, tractor supply, and I haven’t found anyone who can help me. Every veterinarian I’ve called has turned me away, saying that they don’t deal with ducks. I’m afraid that he’ll get gangrene or another infection before I can help him. Please help me figure out what to do.
P.S. I made the mistake of naming him so I’m getting attached. My husband, whose favorite meal is roast duck, keeps saying “Goodnight, sleep well I’ll most likely kill you in the morning.” So I named him Westley.

 

[casportpony]

I agree, a video of him trying to walk would be helpful. Upload video to YouTube or Vimeo then copy/paste the link here.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Call animal control sounds like a good case of animal abuse poor things shouldn't have to live like that and prey on someone else's flock because of it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Could be the hip is out of socket feel for swelling compared to the other side.

Thanks for the pic K

 

[megsjo]

It’s possible, it’s kind of hard to tell the khakis apart right now and there’s six of them, he had a slight limp for a day and then was walking normally, and then his leg went completely out. When he sits his leg doesn’t go under him, it’s splayed to the side from the hip. If it’s dislocated, what do I do? I mix brewers yeast in with their food and I give them frozen peas in their water when it’s hot. I replaced the waterer and I’ve started to add raw apple cider vinegar to it. I did make the mistake of feeding them wild blackberries I pick in the mornings, I thought it would be a nice treat for them but I never researched to see if it was ok for them to eat berries. We recently moved the tractor to another patch of grass, I wonder if that’s what caused to injury. We tried to be gentle when we moved it but it did lurch a little when the lawn mower moved it. I’ve had really rotten luck with my ducks, my chickens are thriving but I feel like my ducks are having problems every other day.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you possibly get a video ? It would be good to see how he is laying and when he tries to walk. That is not normal for a duck to lay with it's leg out to the side out the back yes but not to the side. Sounds like maybe an injury but you know we can't be there to examine him. Does the other leg and the hurt one appear the same length when you pull them gently out from his body. length wise not from side to side of course. If his leg was out of it's socket I'd think the injured leg would be a bit longer. Flopping around really sounds like it could be. Let me see if I can get more help.
Black Berries Blue berries are fine for them to eat.

 

[casportpony]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[megsjo]

Thank you all very much for your help!

 

[megsjo]

Oh, it doesn’t do any good, I’ve been telling them to keep their dogs on their side of the road for years and they never have. They have three huge half starved Great Danes that come in my yard constantly. Normally I love Great Danes, I’m not prejudiced against any kind of dog, but they treat them horribly and they’ve gotten aggressive. Every time my dog’s in heat they howl all night in my yard. We eventually put up a fence to keep them out, but I forgot to close the gate last night and one came in. The poor thing’s just hungry but he almost got my ducks so I can’t feel too bad for him.

 

[megsjo]

I called them about two years ago but I never heard anything else about it, it may be time to do it again. Our animal control is pretty underfunded, I’m not sure if they’ll be able to do much though