*help!* duckling limping!

[corrae]

I have a 9 day old Welsh Harlequin duckling who is limping. Her entire leg is swollen--from up by her body down to her foot. It seems hot. She is living in a box in my bathroom--plenty of room, shavings for bedding. I'm feeding her Purina Flock Raiser. They have also gotten cooked scrambled egg as treats. Am I overdoing it on the protein? Maybe she was stepped on by a sibling? I have no idea how she's gotten herself hurt. What should I do????? Please help!!!!

 

[Amiga]

First thing I would do is get her into lukewarm water, about 85 degrees F, deep enough to float in. I know she won't be able to be in there long, but for 5 or 10 minutes at least, let her get weight off the foot. She can paddle a bit, which should help circulation. You can also see how she holds the leg, how much she uses it, and even other signs or symptoms to help you figure out what is wrong.

Take a close look at the foot and leg again and let us know if you see any scratches or punctures. Could she have accidentally wounded herself?

Try some niacin dissolved in her water. This is a long shot, but leg problems can be associated with low niacin and I am not familiar enough with Flock Raiser to be sure. But some ducks seem to need more niacin than others. I just don't feel really sure this is the problem but it cannot hurt to cover this base.

Can you separate her with a dividing fence so she can be next to but not in with siblings? This would require additional water and food setup.

Put some unpasteurized apple cider vinegar in their water. It is supposed to be a natural anti-inflammatory. Try a tablespoon per gallon to start with.

As always, if you have access to a vet, think about taking her in.

 

[corrae]

Thank you Amiga--I've discovered the problem, and it was my fault. These ducklings arrived last wed. from a hatchery. My DH and I removed their leg bands on Thursday. There was no leg band on this one. After I posted here earlier, I began thinking, "What if the band slipped up over the hock and we missed it?" Sure enough--that is what happened. I raced the duckling to the vet who removed the band, which had indeed broken the skin. This is beyond upsetting--because I'm pretty on top of care for my animals and the fact that I missed this band--which I still missed even when looking this AM--it wasn't until I FELT the band that I knew it was there. The duckling is still perky and bright, which gives me hope--but please, everyone, be ULTRA careful to look for those leg bands.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you Amiga--I've discovered the problem, and it was my fault. These ducklings arrived last wed. from a hatchery. My DH and I removed their leg bands on Thursday. There was no leg band on this one. After I posted here earlier, I began thinking, "What if the band slipped up over the hock and we missed it?" Sure enough--that is what happened. I raced the duckling to the vet who removed the band, which had indeed broken the skin. This is beyond upsetting--because I'm pretty on top of care for my animals and the fact that I missed this band--which I still missed even when looking this AM--it wasn't until I FELT the band that I knew it was there. The duckling is still perky and bright, which gives me hope--but please, everyone, be ULTRA careful to look for those leg bands.

Wow that had to have been upsetting, so glad you found the problem and it is now fixed and the duckling is on the mend. Good warning for others too.

 

[Amiga]

Their little legs grow so quickly, the bands become liabilities just as quickly.

Glad you found it! Unless the vet said otherwise, I suggest a few little swims in warm water daily to help the circulation and muscle tone. Yikes.