Help! Little Duck in Trouble!

[neonbantam]

My poor little duck! I went out one morning and the poor thing was limping terribly! Now when i walk my 6 ducks and 1 goose out to the pond i have to carry him there and carry him back! I would rather leave him in his pen but he loves the water when he gets there and is so sad when he misses out on his daily bath and the cold water seems to do a little good for his leg..... i think it might be dislocated because when he stands he leans over on one leg and when i carry him his one hip doesn't feel quite right.... someone told me that it might also have something to do with his feed or maybe him being the smallest duck.....should i take him to the vet or just see if he gets better?

 

[CMV]

Leg injuries are very common in ducks especially when there is a goose present. If you are going to house them together then you better get used to it because each spring during breeding season your goose is going to injure your ducks' legs. You will see the goose dragging a duck around by the leg or biting them on their legs often. I have had sprains, strains and even fractures inflicted on my ducks by my goose.

Niacin deficiency can cause limping, but if your ducks are foraging/free ranging then this is unlikely. If they are strictly fed pelleted feed then it is possible and may need to be addressed.

I have never brought any of my ducks to the vet even when the one bird had a fracture. The leg will likely heal on its own with no intervention. My bird that had a fracture parked himself next to the feed dish with his leg stretched out in front of him for weeks. He got up to eat and drink and enter the house at night, but that was it. After a while he started hobbling around a little bit until he eventually started to wander around with the flock again. He walked with a bit more waggle than he had prior to the fracture, but it didn't slow him up much.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[neonbantam]

I bet that is what happened! I did see my goose grab a ducks leg in his mouth! I wasn't sure how he could have possibly gotten hurt because he's never been near our dogs and i turn them out for the day all the time. I've never had a goose before either and he's starting to actually defend the ducks from the dogs so i would like to keep them together but maybe i should seperate them.....if it's gonna lead to stuff like this....