Leg instability in duckling

[Kmadkisson]

I didn't remember correctly so my apologies. It's all coming back to me as I read over the thread and looked at the pictures. I had a lot of problems keeping Reggie's boot on. I purchased some sheets of moleskin. It is super sticky on one side and the soft moleskin on the other side. This was firm enough to encourage Reggie to lay his foot flat but not too firm to cause pain, if that makes sense. I also used cotton medical tape in place of bandaids. Since Reggie was a week old and your duckling is also older, they're quite a bit more messy than a hatchling, so there will be issues with keeping a boot on him without using something really sticky. Using something that's more sticky means that it's more difficult to remove. I found that rubbing some coconut oil over the adhesive made it come off easily. Then let your duckling swim to rinse away the oil and reapply boot once the swim is over. I hope this helps. I wish you and your gorgeous duckling the very best

Edited to add: I placed the sticky side of the moleskin on Reggie's foot, making sure to stick it flat, then used medical tape to keep it on. Vet wrap, like @Miss Lydia suggested, will probably work better and then you won't have to deal with any tape sticking. If this doesn't work, try medical tape. Please let us know if you have any questions

Thank you so much for your help! I went back and read everything from your original post and it helped a lot. I’m doing a super vitamin from a local feed store but I’lll look into the B vitamin as well. He is also walking on his joint so hopefully he recovers like Reggie.
Is vet wrap the same as Coban? I work in the medical field and I think it’s the same, if so I have some I can use. I’m going to make him a little boot tonight.
Warm swims seem to help a lot. He really enjoys them!
During Reggie’s recovery- did you keep him separate from his siblings? I’m concerned about separating him (I got him with 4 of his siblings) and them forgetting him. When he is with them they smush him as they are significantly larger than him at this point. For the past few days I’ve been keeping him separate for about 20 hours a day and putting him with them for the other 4 hours. When he is with them he is often to the side and trying to keep up or is getting laid on which worries me that it may make his foot worse.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Thank you so much for your help! I went back and read everything from your original post and it helped a lot. I’m doing a super vitamin from a local feed store but I’lll look into the B vitamin as well. He is also walking on his joint so hopefully he recovers like Reggie.
Is vet wrap the same as Coban? I work in the medical field and I think it’s the same, if so I have some I can use. I’m going to make him a little boot tonight.
Warm swims seem to help a lot. He really enjoys them!
During Reggie’s recovery- did you keep him separate from his siblings? I’m concerned about separating him (I got him with 4 of his siblings) and them forgetting him. When he is with them they smush him as they are significantly larger than him at this point. For the past few days I’ve been keeping him separate for about 20 hours a day and putting him with them for the other 4 hours. When he is with them he is often to the side and trying to keep up or is getting laid on which worries me that it may make his foot worse.

Yes! Same thing as Coban Usually Coban is a lot more expensive so vet wrap is typically mentioned, plus we never know who is familiar with medical items I did leave Reggie with his flockmates. He came from TSC so I'm sure he was in a stock tank with a BUNCH of ducklings. He did kind of keep to the corner, but was far more stressed if I tried to remove him. I made sure to see that he was eating well and oftentimes made two bowls of feed while I was standing by to make sure he was getting a good amount. I suspect that's why these little ones are typically smaller. They're just rooted out. If you're little one tolerates it, I would make sure to remove them to eat multiple times throughout the day. If they're away too much, we run the risk of the flock rejecting them back once they're recovered. Of course we want to keep them safe and if their well-being is on the line, I'd remove him, just like you're doing. You're doing a great job

 

[Kmadkisson]

Yes! Same thing as Coban Usually Coban is a lot more expensive so vet wrap is typically mentioned, plus we never know who is familiar with medical items I did leave Reggie with his flockmates. He came from TSC so I'm sure he was in a stock tank with a BUNCH of ducklings. He did kind of keep to the corner, but was far more stressed if I tried to remove him. I made sure to see that he was eating well and oftentimes made two bowls of feed while I was standing by to make sure he was getting a good amount. I suspect that's why these little ones are typically smaller. They're just rooted out. If you're little one tolerates it, I would make sure to remove them to eat multiple times throughout the day. If they're away too much, we run the risk of the flock rejecting them back once they're recovered. Of course we want to keep them safe and if their well-being is on the line, I'd remove him, just like you're doing. You're doing a great job

Y’all are such a blessing! I’ve been using this site as a resource for a few months now. I’m very new to raising chickens and ducks and I was hesitant to post because the internet can be a cruel place sometimes but I am so glad I did! I took everyone’s advice and I am actually already seeing a difference. I amped up his vitamin intake, made him a little boot and reunited him totally with his siblings. It’s only been 24 hours with the boot but I can tell it’s going to help. I took his boot off to swim and he was more balanced. When I redid it this evening I made it stiffer and thicker which seems to help. I’m using band aids and coban but am going to get something firmer like foam to help support it. Thank you all again! My fear for his future has turned into hope for his recovery

 

[HeatherKellyB]

View attachment 2732357Y’all are such a blessing! I’ve been using this site as a resource for a few months now. I’m very new to raising chickens and ducks and I was hesitant to post because the internet can be a cruel place sometimes but I am so glad I did! I took everyone’s advice and I am actually already seeing a difference. I amped up his vitamin intake, made him a little boot and reunited him totally with his siblings. It’s only been 24 hours with the boot but I can tell it’s going to help. I took his boot off to swim and he was more balanced. When I redid it this evening I made it stiffer and thicker which seems to help. I’m using band aids and coban but am going to get something firmer like foam to help support it. Thank you all again! My fear for his future has turned into hope for his recovery

This seriously made my night! I am so happy to hear that your little duckling is already showing improvement! That's so promising. I also love knowing that we eased your mind a bit. We all could use a break from a little bit of stress every now and then. I am grateful to have the opportunity to help you and your duckling. Please keep us updated and feel free to ask any questions you may have. I'm always happy to help if I can and will try to find someone to help with the things that I don't know. Thank you again for your kind words and this update

 

[Aunt Angus]

Made my night, too! Such a lucky duckie!!! And SOOOOO cute!!!

 

[Kmadkisson]

Update/ advice needed on my little duckling (now 3 months old). The foot injury wasn’t repairable like I hoped, but she seemed to be getting along just fine using her “elbow”. Well the past few weeks her health has significantly declined. Her good leg is now starting to do the same as her other leg when it first started giving her trouble. I’ll find her stuck face down with the severely deformed leg balanced on the “elbow” and the other leg straight out behind her. She isn’t walking and is having trouble even laying down with her head up. I’m at such a lose. She will drag herself across the ground by her bill. I’ve given her extra supplements and probiotics but nothing seems to help. Is it possible that there is just a genetic issue with her? If I hand feed her she will eat but she won’t eat and drink at the same time and will often eat too fast which results in her throwing everything up immediately. I know she will never live a normal life but I am worried I am just prolonging the inevitable. Her 4 sisters don’t really even bother to check on her anymore, so I’ll come home and she hasn’t moved outside of her little house all day.. or even worse is stuck in the mud. Realistically I got the 5 ducks to free range on our property to help with weeds and eating bugs but I have grown quite attached to her but also do not want to have to hand feed her the rest of her life. Any advice is appreciated!