Injured Leg!!! :(

[Aunt Angus]

I have been a bad BYCer. I haven't posted in months...

But I am here for Marmalade (11 week old Welsh Harlequin). Came home today to find her unable to walk. She was fine yesterday, so I know it isn't niacin deficiency.

I examined her. She has full use of her left leg, but she won't put weight on her right leg. Hocks look fine. There's no swelling, discoloration, or obvious injury. She doesn't sqwak when I move her leg. She's for all other intents and purposes alert, active, and happy.

Anyway... I brought her inside. She's in a deep bath now. She's got electrolytes, niacin in her water, and the most important thing: peas. In the pic below, you can kinda see how she's treating her injured leg. She's using the other exclusively.

Do I keep her inside?

If so, how long?

Do I need to do a sling or anything?

Thanks, my BYC family... who I've been bad about communicating with lately....

 

[Weeg]

Hmm, you've answered all my obvious questions. Without swelling, it could be sprain. Feel her leg, do you feel heat anywhere? No swelling, no wincing, hmm.
Feel for heat, that may give you an idea of area. I would keep her activity low. Keep her in a bath were she was weight off of her foot, or in an area she can't get to excited and stress it out.
I use comfrey salve on my birds, it seems to work well. Otherwise, keep her activity low until experts can help with a better diagnosis. I'm sorry this is happening.

 

[KaleIAm]

In my experience rest is very useful in leg/foot injuries - regardless of the reason/severity. Even when my duck broke her leg my avian veterinarian recommended cage rest for 6 weeks. We had her in a small crate on soft bedding which we changed twice daily. We carried the crate into the barn at night and into the aviary during the day so she could be with her friends.

Also, they only way we detected the break was with x-rays. There was no swelling/dangling/obvious break. The only symptom was that she wasn't using the leg.

Another reason my ducks have lost the ability to use their legs is reproductive, but I think Marmalade is too young for that.

Personally, I would take her to the vet because that's me and I want to get radiographs and pain meds and take care of things as quickly as possible. But that could be unnecessary. With a little rest she might be fine. Without a veterinary option I would do cage rest until her symptoms clear up, and then offer limited mobility for a couple weeks afterward so she doesn't injure herself again.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I can do a vet, but not today, unfortunately. I will call though, first thing in the morning.

She's still in the tub, happily eating peas. And she's started using her leg a little to paddle. I wonder if she hurt it right before I got home. She seems to be improving already with her weight off of it.

No hot feeling. No cold feeling, either.

I will put her in a crate on fluffy towels tonight with food and water.

 

[Weeg]

I can do a vet, but not today, unfortunately. I will call though, first thing in the morning.

She's still in the tub, happily eating peas. And she's started using her leg a little to paddle. I wonder if she hurt it right before I got home. She seems to be improving already with her weight off of it.

No hot feeling. No cold feeling, either.

I will put her in a crate on fluffy towels tonight with food and water.

That sounds perfect! A vet will be the best thing for her. Tell us what you find out!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Well, the little darling is walking a bit now??? Idk what happened...

 

[Weeg]

Thats really great! Maybe she just had to walk it off. Make stepped on it wrong, or "rolled" it if ducks can do that. Hopefully she's back to her normal self tomorrow.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yes! Whew!

She'll stay in the crate for now, since it's almost bedtime. If she's still feisty tomorrow, I'll let her out to swim and see how she does.

I tell you what, though - it was scary to see her scooching around like that!

 

[Weeg]

Yes! Whew!

She'll stay in the crate for now, since it's almost bedtime. If she's still feisty tomorrow, I'll let her out to swim and see how she does.

I tell you what, though - it was scary to see her scooching around like that!

Hopefully she'll be doing good!
Its so scary! Especially since you raised them from sweet little babies, and now their hurt. Good job with her, I bet in your care she'll be doing great tomorrow!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

It looks to me like the result of a rough mating. - I know you don't have a drake, but in a female-only flock the ducks are "mating" each other to establish some kind of a »pool-float« order. Even in my mixed flock i have seen »duckburgers«, »drakeburgers« and »triple-mixed-burgers« in all combinations, like duck-duck-drake, duck-drake-drake, duck-drake-duck, even drake-duck-duck is not unheard of.
And during these gymnastics the duckies sometimes suffer minor injuries that usually heal overnight to a limp and disappear within a couple of days. She has already started to put some weight back on her leg and that is a good sign. You did the correct thing for such cases: A warm bath helps to relax tense muscles and soothes the pain.
I am sure she will be limping tomorrow but will otherwise be ok.
Does she have some feathers missing in her neck? - That is the giveaway sign for duck-burger gymnastics!