Injured duck

[jazzy jac]

Hi,
I'm new to the site and looking for some advice. I've had two ducks for a year now and two weeks ago one of them was having trouble walking, but I didn't know the cause. She rested for two days of her own accord and I put food and water nearby so she didn't have to move. After resting she has started putting weight on it and is back to walking around the garden. However she now has a limp (she almost looks like she is swinging her leg out and round) and struggles to get and speed up. I have checked her feet and legs but can't find a reason. Any ideas? She is eating and drinking ok.

 

[The Howards]

Hi and welcome. By no means am I an expert, so maybe someone can chime in with some better info. I do know that duck legs and hips can be easily damaged. You may want to crate her for a few more days to give her time to rest up. Have you noticed anything chasing her? Make sure you check the area around her legs where the feathers end. One of ours had a bad cut there that was hidden by feathers.

 

[randallt1]

When our two Pekins were about five months old, one (Gladys) fell off a six foot cliff and hurt her leg. We held her in our laps a lot and kept her on the porch so she couldn't run around. She was all better in about a month. Just a lot of love mainly. They are coming on a year old now and have literally changed our lives, our routine, and everything.

 

[Patty43]

One of my ducks did this some time in the late summer. I picked up the duck numerous times and checked the leg and foot for injuries. It was never swollen, hot, or injured in any way. I gave it Metacam for 5 days with no results. I kept it penned in so that it wouldnt run around too much. Nothing mattered it just continually limped. Months later it has just cleared up on its own. I'm sure the injury was probably some where up higher in the leg and it just took time to heal. I'm glad it did clear up as it wanted to follow the other ducks around the yard, but could not keep up to them. I was always feeling sorry for it. Just when I thought it might always have a limp, it went away.

 

[Amiga]

Epsom salts compresses often help leg problems. Just don't let them ingest the E.s. as it is a laxative.