In need of advice. Duckling curled foot went right back to the original condition. 😢

[AmyA248]

Good morning my friends,

My darling duckling was born with curled foot/toe. I made her a boot 4 times and she kept getting it off. The last one I made I went all the way up her leg with waterproof tape for wounds and used an old credit card that I cut and bent to keep her foot and leg stable.
It stayed on and she walked well on it.
I kept it on for 3 days and took it off yesterday morning. To my delight it worked!
Her foot looked perfect and she was walking and running! She was SO HAPPY!

Sadly, I took all 3 out of their brooder last night for some attention and exercise and immediately noticed her foot went right back! She wasn’t walking on her knees this time, she was walking on the side of her foot.
We immediately made another boot, but sadly we don’t have much hope. Upon examining her foot and toes it appears her toe bones and ankle may be deformed upon comparison to her other foot.

Otherwise she is healthy, growing normally, playing and acting as she should.
But my question is, what do you with a crippled duck?
Can they join the flock or will they be picked on?
Is there anything available to cover her foot permanently to avoid it being further hurt and scratched up when she’s outdoors?
Can she live a normal, happy life?

I’m very new to raising ducks and chickens and I’ve yet to encounter anything like this or speak to anyone who has a special needs animal.

I’m including photos of what her foot went back to and how great her foot looked like after taking off her boot.
Also her new boot, and the rest of my ducks that she’ll be living with.
The 2 Muscovy drakes are going to our neighbors farm, as they are simply too aggressive to the rest of the flock and fight with each other relentlessly.
They will be in 2 separate areas. You can clearly see what they do to one another, as they are a MESS with missing feathers everywhere from their fighting.

Thank you and have a blessed day!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Taping feet hides symptoms but does not adress the cause.. often a vitamin deficiency, riboflavin (in the hatching egg).

Sometimes without supplementation.. it will not return to "normal".

 

[RoyalChick]

I know nothing about ducks but did successfully treat a curly toed chick.
I used the boot - taking it off daily to do massage and physical therapy.
And I gave massive doses of B2 supplements.
I continued the supplements for weeks.
Here is her story
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/3-week-old-chick-with-a-bad-leg-any-advice-please.1519956/

 

[bhaugh]

Get her in the water (warm) for short swims (no more than a couple of minutes) but be there as she will be tippy turvy until she can get stronger. I’ve helped ducklings with bum foot this way. Don’t give up. I thought a time or two that it wouldn’t end up well then they grew out and although not perfect the foot worked itself out.

Contrary to popular belief ducklings don’t always know what to do in the beginning in the water. I let two ducklings in at a time and lightly splash the water which for some odd reason they respond to. It may not even take 2 minutes before baby tires so time isn’t set. She will learn to adjust the poor flipper to get around until the foot gets some strength to it.

 

[AmyA248]

Taping feet hides symptoms but does not adress the cause.. often a vitamin deficiency, riboflavin (in the hatching egg).

Sometimes without supplementation.. it will not return to "normal".

I’m giving her Nutra Drench daily.
I was told to make her a boot because I’m very new to raising ducks.
What do you suggest I try beside the Nutra Drench? Is there a riboflavin supplement I can give her?
Thank you for your help, I haven’t heard anything besides using a boot and vitamins.

 

[AmyA248]

Get her in the water (warm) for short swims (no more than a couple of minutes) but be there as she will be tippy turvy until she can get stronger. I’ve helped ducklings with bum foot this way. Don’t give up. I thought a time or two that it wouldn’t end up well then they grew out and although not perfect the foot worked itself out.

Contrary to popular belief ducklings don’t always know what to do in the beginning in the water. I let two ducklings in at a time and lightly splash the water which for some odd reason they respond to. It may not even take 2 minutes before baby tires so time isn’t set. She will learn to adjust the poor flipper to get around until the foot gets some strength to it.

Wonderful!
I will do that right now! I’ll put her in the bathtub with very shallow water and do some “water therapy” a few times a day.
I’m not going to give up on her regardless of the outcome.
So should I remove her boot permanently or keep putting it on after her swims?
Thank you so much!!!

 

[RoyalChick]

I’m giving her Nutra Drench daily.
I was told to make her a boot because I’m very new to raising ducks.
What do you suggest I try beside the Nutra Drench? Is there a riboflavin supplement I can give her?
Thank you for your help, I haven’t heard anything besides using a boot and vitamins.

Yes. You can use B complex for people - available in most pharmacies. I got B2 supplement on Amazon - also intended for people.
It was liquid drops and they turn everything bright yellow (it washes out). Mine loved the color so everyone scrambled to get the yellow mash!

 

[bhaugh]

I’d only let her swim once a day. She may chill too easily with more exposure. I use wood pellets in my brooders which helps all birds get better footing. And for birds with poor feet I will actually correct the foot then let them move on. When they are not walking on it and begin to substitute the foot for a tendon or drag it around, it takes some practice to getting them to walking normally.

 

[bhaugh]

How’s it going with the duckling

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

@AmyA248
Any update on the baby ?