How to spot leg problems in Ducklings??

[Miss Lydia]

Still to be determined. I'm guessing injury just because she was doing great yesterday and isn't as well today.

Are you limiting her activity? mainly swim time? just like us when we have an injury we should be up using the leg so much but water therapy is great because it keep weight off the leg but gives her a chance to keep the muscles moving.

 

[Lacrystol]

Still to be determined. I'm guessing injury just because she was doing great yesterday and isn't as well today.

Leg injuries take a long time, I had a momma duck hatch out seven babies in the woods, came home and was limping something terrible, it took about a month before she would use that leg. She doing much better now but the time it took her to put weight on it. WOW. Seemed FOREVER...

I'm wondering if the bath helped with swelling and soreness, perhaps that's why she was doing soo good yesterday. Have you bathed her today?

 

[Lacrystol]

What kind of flooring do you have her on? Sometimes that makes a WORLD of difference..

 

[Lacrystol]

I went back and took another look at your pics, do I see some redness? Examine her knee area.

 

[nayeli]

She had a bath this morning, I can't really limit her activity since she is in a shared brooder and I can't seperate her. I think she was just tired cause she seems a little better than this morning already. We have another bath time and epson compress tonight!

 

[Lacrystol]

I would switch back and forth, put some cold compressor on the knee area up to the wing for 10 minutes, then the warm bath. Try to get the swelling and redness down and she/he should start feeling better. Only make bath time for about 10 maybe 15 minutes... Just a little each day and maybe add 1 minute each time you take her/him bathing until she/he starts to use it more.

It's going to take a while, plus make sure she gets her/him Vitamin b Complete. Just drop a pill in a quart of water. It's OK if the rest drinks it too. In fact it will help them in there future.. Make sure she's eating, pooping etc...

 

[Fancychooklady]

Put a tablespoon of Epsom salts in the bath as well as the compress. Water therapy is good , but magnesium sulphate in the water is better!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Put a tablespoon of Epsom salts in the bath as well as the compress. Water therapy is good , but magnesium sulphate in the water is better!

Only if she can keep them from drinking the water, ES is also a laxative .

 

[Fancychooklady]

Only if she can keep them from drinking the water, ES is also a laxative . 

That's true! I put mine in a laundry tub with my hands under the tummy and gently massage the legs. Won't hurt if they drink a little.

 

[nayeli]

I might put just the one in a bucket with water and epson. How long would I leave her in the epson water though?