Help! Duckling with twisted leg!

[Miss Lydia]

The vet says to put him down. She tried to put it back but couldn't.
He doesn't seem to be in pain and he's so full of life I don't want to end it.
What else can I do???
He used it a bit swimming last night - but was exhausted and shaky afterward.
I've got the yeast in water also.

I sure understand. How are you on keeping a handicapped duck for the rest of his life? not saying with vitamins and water therapy the lil one won't get better but this is a big commitment but alot of folks have made them. When you put the lil one in warm water just keep it in there for 5 mins or less depending on how it is doing, you don't want to exhaust it just give it a bit of time to strengthen it's leg. you can also sit it in your lap and do extension exercises moving the leg around in normal ranges bending it back as far as it will go comfortably then to side then front. All you can do is try sounds like the lil one is up for it.

 

[ghostco]

he seemed better after his swim this morning.
We're not going to quit on him until he quits at the moment he is just so full of life and so loving and trusting.
The extensions look good. How many times a day should we do that?
I was thinking of separating him apart from the siblings - to make sure he gets everything he needs.
Should we be splinting him? Those articles you sent me talked about strapping it at night?

 

[Miss Lydia]

he seemed better after his swim this morning.
We're not going to quit on him until he quits at the moment he is just so full of life and so loving and trusting.
The extensions look good. How many times a day should we do that?
I was thinking of separating him apart from the siblings - to make sure he gets everything he needs.
Should we be splinting him? Those articles you sent me talked about strapping it at night?

I think at night would be good to start. and water therapy during the day. along with massage. separating you'll have to judge by how the duckling acts, if being separated is stressing him/her out then you might consider giving the babe one duckling as a buddy. you dif want to make sure it's eating and drinking and able to get around without being stepped on. How's your rescue duckling doing with the new ducklings? sorry I don't remember it's name.

 

[ghostco]

I'll read up and strap it tomorrow night.
Might move him and the other small duckling into their own brooder.
Splash our rescue duck was a little too big for the five day old ducklings, and too small for our big ducks (the drake picked on him) so he's been buddied up with our six week old mini lop rabbit - odd mix but our last duckling had a baby bunny best friend also!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'll read up and strap it tomorrow night.
Might move him and the other small duckling into their own brooder.
Splash our rescue duck was a little too big for the five day old ducklings, and too small for our big ducks (the drake picked on him) so he's been buddied up with our six week old mini lop rabbit - odd mix but our last duckling had a baby bunny best friend also!

That made me laugh, you'll have to post a pic of Splash with his new buddy. and I think that's a good plan with the duckling 's having their own brooder you'll be able to keep closer tabs on how well it's doing. have you named the lil one yet?

 

[PoultryBird12]

I had hatched some guinea fowl the other month and that happened to one of them.... only with both legs. I was so sad when I saw it. I tried everything to help him. Every morning I would hold him in my hand and let him peck at a pile of food I had. Then, since he couldn't walk, I would hold him above his water and let him drink all he wanted. That was a mistake. He was getting lazy. I did some research, and learned that if you take a pipe cleaner, and make it into an 'M' type shape so that it looks like the duck's foot, you can somehow attach it onto the bottom of his foot so that it flattens his foot out. Then you have to force him to walk to get the strength into his lame leg. After a couple days, it should start working.

I don't want to scare you, but my chick died after a couple days. Maybe it will be better with your duck because only one of his legs is lame.

Hope this helped.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I had hatched some guinea fowl the other month and that happened to one of them.... only with both legs. I was so sad when I saw it. I tried everything to help him. Every morning I would hold him in my hand and let him peck at a pile of food I had. Then, since he couldn't walk, I would hold him above his water and let him drink all he wanted. That was a mistake. He was getting lazy. I did some research, and learned that if you take a pipe cleaner, and make it into an 'M' type shape so that it looks like the duck's foot, you can somehow attach it onto the bottom of his foot so that it flattens his foot out. Then you have to force him to walk to get the strength into his lame leg. After a couple days, it should start working.

I don't want to scare you, but my chick died after a couple days. Maybe it will be better with your duck because only one of his legs is lame.

Hope this helped.

Sorry you lost your chick PoultryBird if you ever have one hatch with leg problems again maybe this will help. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/
and

Welcome to BYC.

 

[ghostco]

I had hatched some guinea fowl the other month and that happened to one of them.... only with both legs. I was so sad when I saw it. I tried everything to help him. Every morning I would hold him in my hand and let him peck at a pile of food I had. Then, since he couldn't walk, I would hold him above his water and let him drink all he wanted. That was a mistake. He was getting lazy. I did some research, and learned that if you take a pipe cleaner, and make it into an 'M' type shape so that it looks like the duck's foot, you can somehow attach it onto the bottom of his foot so that it flattens his foot out. Then you have to force him to walk to get the strength into his lame leg. After a couple days, it should start working.

I don't want to scare you, but my chick died after a couple days. Maybe it will be better with your duck because only one of his legs is lame.

Hope this helped.

 

Sorry he died I'm prepared for the worst but not going to give up until his quality of life declines.

Miss Lydia, we've aptly named him wobbles, and he's happily enjoying the brooder with squirt (one of the smaller other ducklings). The rest have adopted splash as their new big brother - he was busily showing them how to groom themselves this evening!
Wobbles is showing a tiny bit of improvement with range of motion and swimming (although he is exhausted after swimming).

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry he died

I'm prepared for the worst but not going to give up until his quality of life declines.

Miss Lydia, we've aptly named him wobbles, and he's happily enjoying the brooder with squirt (one of the smaller other ducklings). The rest have adopted splash as their new big brother - he was busily showing them how to groom themselves this evening!
Wobbles is showing a tiny bit of improvement with range of motion and swimming (although he is exhausted after swimming).

I bet he is tired but so glad to hear your seeing some improvement, that's always a blessing. I'm glad him and squirt are enjoying their new digs and each other. And now Splash has become big brother that is so cool. You need to post some pics of them all. Keep up the good work.

 

[ghostco]

Big brother splash!

Wobbles having a cuddle with my other half