Just Hatched Duckling Has Problems, Need Answers

[Haunted55]

I am posting this here in the hopes I can get a quick answer. I had a mallard hatch late yesterday and it is showing problems with it's feet. The toes do not open so that the web is flat, rather they stay close together and the poor little thing cannot stand up. I didn't notice this when it first came out of the egg, but it's there this morning. It is smaller than it's other hatch mates and 2 days out from the date it should have hatched. I just had a pekin hatch this morning and it appears to be fine.

What can be done, if anything, to help this little one? If I could get it's feet to work I think it'll be all right. It's lively, very vocal, but is still in the tired stage from all the work it did so it is still taking the short little naps.

Any and all answers would be appreciated!

 

[jdywntr]

I'm not an expert on this but I think that I have read something about basically making a support for the foot and "taping" it down. Not with tape but with vet wrap or something. This way you are allowing the duckling to develop strength in the foot.

Hopefully someone else with experience will chime in. Do a search for "foot problems" too. Good luck to your little one.

 

[Haunted55]

I'm not an expert on this but I think that I have read something about basically making a support for the foot and "taping" it down. Not with tape but with vet wrap or something. This way you are allowing the duckling to develop strength in the foot.

Hopefully someone else with experience will chime in. Do a search for "foot problems" too. Good luck to your little one.

Thank-you! I knew about this with chickens but wasn't sure if you could do the same with ducks or if they need something else because of the webbing.