Foot infections

[CoriM]

@HeatherKellyB Great idea with the foam pads - I never thought of that!

 

[CoriM]

Totally understand your frustration. I have felt the same many times - doing everything I can to keep the ducks as healthy as possible, yet continually facing issues. Your friend whose ducks are free-ranging in the woods probably have issues he doesn't even know about! Sounds like you're doing everything you can to help your duck! Ducks are not very hardy (as was advertised to me in a book before I got them). I hope your duck gets better!

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s their feet and legs that aren’t that hardy the rest of their body seems to be lol. I feel sorry for mine having to live in these mountains so rocky. But they have adapted well considering. @PicklesMom try not to get discouraged your doing all you can and @CoriM has given great advice.

 

[PicklesMom]

Totally understand your frustration. I have felt the same many times - doing everything I can to keep the ducks as healthy as possible, yet continually facing issues. Your friend whose ducks are free-ranging in the woods probably have issues he doesn't even know about! Sounds like you're doing everything you can to help your duck! Ducks are not very hardy (as was advertised to me in a book before I got them). I hope your duck gets better!

Yes, so true. We lost most of a chicken flock to Marek's so transitioned to ducks, who I was told were much less prone to issues than chickens! Clearly untrue.
I am very appreciative of this community though! Without it we wouldn't have made it this far.

 

[CoriM]

Completely agree - thank goodness for the generous people willing to help at BYC. I have been helped so many times!

 

[3xhhheather]

Because we're all chatting about it -- has anyone ever used those hydrocolloid patches on a bumble? I know people use them for their acne and I feel like it might work on a bumble after the scab is removed.

 

[3xhhheather]

My Pekin, Honey Boo Boo, also wears a DIY boot full time. Of course I change it often. I guess my "boot" isn't a real boot. I just wrap her foot really well with vet wrap. It's made a HUGE difference for her

Ah yay, glad that's working for her, sometimes they just need that extra lil love. I was doing the DIY boot, but Starscream was determined to rip it off and would end up nibbling too much on her leg.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do they come in different sizes? I think it would be worth trying. But if it's used to draw out infection seems we'd need a larger size than the ones for pimples.

 

[PicklesMom]

Because we're all chatting about it -- has anyone ever used those hydrocolloid patches on a bumble? I know people use them for their acne and I feel like it might work on a bumble after the scab is removed.

I bought some to try, but couldn't get it to stick.

 

[KaleIAm]

Thanks, @DucksOhio I'm trying to be so careful and they still seem like they are trying to self destruct, and take my bank account with them!

That has also been my experience with my own ducks. It has been very hard, emotionally and financially. Like Cori, I also read about ducks being hardy before I got them. My ducks aren't aware of this trait they are supposed to have.

I don't know what your ducks' environment is like, but you might consider making sure they are always standing on soft things. My veterinarian told me that even wood shavings are too hard for some ducks. I thought she was wrong, but when I switched to straw all my bumblefoot issues disappeared and never came back. I also cleared out all rocks, pea gravel, boards, cinder blocks, ect. The only thing my ducks had access to was grass or 4-6 inches of straw or hay.

Of course, my ducks still get reproductive issues. But we no longer had foot issues.