Is this angel wing..?

[irisshiller]

Somebody dumped two muscovy ducklings in my duck pond about three weeks ago... they were about a month old I think. My other ducks were chasing them so I kept them in a cage for a week or two. Now they are bigger and out of the cage. No more aggression issues, but I noticed one of them has strange wing development... I wanted to ask you all about it. I wonder if it's angel wing or if this is normal? They get the same food as the chickens, which I didn't think had too much protein. I tried giving them soaked rabbit pellets (alfalfa) this morning but they weren't having it. I wonder what I should feed them instead?





The one with the problem wing is on the left in the second photo. It is not very clear there.


Thanks!

 

[Going Quackers]

I would tape that, and yes it AW...

I will have to do a search for methods on taping, as for feed.. what is the chicken feed protein level? honestly, so much debate on the causes of it you'd make yourself dizzy, taping it should get it back up.. either way it does not effect the birds health.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...how-we-wrap-to-mend-it-pictorial#post_8682154

 

[irisshiller]

Thanks Going Quackers, and thanks for that link! I will try that as soon as I can. Hope it will get better...
It's funny! I have several 'rescue' ducks. One of them grew up and lived in a low cage for 6 months and was fed almost only white bread. He is absolutely fine. I have no idea where these came from or what they ate the first month of their lives, but since they were here I thought I'd been feeding them properly - and that's the one that got it. Oh well!

Thanks again!

 

[Amykins]

Please keep us updated and get those wings wrapped ASAP! I used a cut up nylon to sort of "cigar" the wrappings together so they'd stay close ot the body instead of dangle downwards from the added weight of the bandages. It looks really funny, but it works.

 

[irisshiller]

Hi!

I did wrap the wing, it didn't hold for very long but it did the job! After two days, he got the tape off, but I didn't rewrap it because the feathers were perfectly straight, and they still are. I'm surprised how quickly that happened. The wing still seems a bit 'too big' for him, but it doesn't in any way stick out to the side anymore. I've seen this on one of my other ducks too - the wings seem to grow quicker than the rest of him :/ and they sort of hang down all the time. But I suppose this will pass.

Great that there is such a wealth of information on here! I would never have known what to do otherwise.

 

[Amykins]

Hi!

I did wrap the wing, it didn't hold for very long but it did the job! After two days, he got the tape off, but I didn't rewrap it because the feathers were perfectly straight, and they still are. I'm surprised how quickly that happened. The wing still seems a bit 'too big' for him, but it doesn't in any way stick out to the side anymore. I've seen this on one of my other ducks too - the wings seem to grow quicker than the rest of him :/ and they sort of hang down all the time. But I suppose this will pass.

Great that there is such a wealth of information on here! I would never have known what to do otherwise.

Please, I implore you, re-wrap them. Angel wing CAN heal quickly, but until the wings are fully formed and the blood feathers are drained it can still be an issue. It's better to be safe than sorry, and if it is left untreated, it will become permanent. You need to do a better job of wrapping it so he can't get it off, or take it to a vet to have it professionally done.

Wobbles had her wraps for three days and she looked fine too, but sure enough she began to "droop" again and thus had to be wrapped up for two weeks because I didn't follow through with the treatment properly the first time around. And hers wasn't half as severe as yours appears to be.

 

[irisshiller]

Hi Amy,

Sorry, I didn't see your message until now! I kept a close eye on the bird but the wing is still perfectly straight. Here's a picture:



It was the right wing of the left bird. It is not really clear in the picture, but it is perfectly straight. I am also surprised! Maybe I caught it *just* at the right time?
I can see now that this bird is a female, she makes the trilling sounds. I'm not sure of the other one yet, it is the same size as the female, smaller than my males, but doesn't make the trilling sounds. They are about 3 months old by now. One of my males is quite aggressive towards them and mounts both of them both in and out of the water. Does this mean that they are both female, or is it a dominance thing?

Thanks for your input though! I will remember your advice should it happen again to another bird.