Limping Duck - Am I missing anything? (Pictures)

[SeaSea47]

Should I be concerned about her becoming egg bound? She’s a daily layer so far, and I know new stressful situations can affect that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wouldn't think so. Are you still offering calcium while she is in the recovery room?

 

[Quatie]

I wouldn't worry too much as long she is eating fine. If she is not on a layer feed right now, you may need to add some calcium while she is separate just to keep her calcium levels up. Usually I find they just stop laying all together for a bit.

 

[SeaSea47]

She’s eating layer feed and I actually boiled her an egg this morning, thinking she could use some extra protein (she ate the shell too), but I haven’t been giving her anything extra. I find my chickens stop laying when I have them inside for hospital reasons, but I’m still fairly new to ducks so I wasn’t sure if there was a difference. Thanks!

 

[SeaSea47]

I guess she is not too stressed out. I woke up to an egg this morning. She still has a limp but is not holding the leg up much when she walks the few steps she can in the pen and she’s hopping right in and out of that little tub of water I gave her. She’s ready to get out of there though!

 

[SeaSea47]

Okay, I got up this morning and she was flying up on the door to the dog crate and getting her leg stuck, so I let her out. She’s still confined on the porch but has a little more room and isn’t just sitting in the dark. The problem is, she seems to be moving worse than she was before. I think she has a swollen circular spot on the back of the bottom of her foot, but it doesn’t look like bumble foot from what I can tell. I’m going to try to get some pictures later today, but any ideas in the meantime?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nothing unless she injured it in the crate? Pictures would be good

 

[SeaSea47]

Nothing unless she injured it in the crate? Pictures would be good

I haven't been able to get good pictures because I would need help and don't have it at the moment, but she seems a little better today, and the place on the bottom of her foot, well, I noticed all of my female ducks have it, so I think it was just the swelling throwing me off. It's actually less swollen today. You may be right that she hurt it further trying to get out of the crate or maybe it got stiff? I've got her back on a higher-protein, high-niacin, and aspirin regimen, which seemed to help before, and I'll probably keep her inside the rest of the week since she has a buddy out there and isn't too upset about being inside. She's got limited room to move around now, but it's all soft surface and she doesn't have to move if she doesn't want to. If she's not any better by next week, I might start looking to take her to a vet. Mine stopped seeing birds due to avian flu, so that might be easier said than done. I just hate seeing her limping!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hopefully she’ll continue to heal and what all your doing will help. That’s a good idea keeping her inside for the rest of the week. Keeps her from over doing.

 

[SeaSea47]

So, I'm now thinking she may have bumblefoot or an infection after all. I have to get some supplies, but I'm going to treat her for it starting tonight or tomorrow. It's just in a weird place - more like where the back/top of our heel would be below the ankle rather than on the actual foot. She's putting more weight on it today and the swelling has been going down for the last couple of days, but there's also a small lump and some discoloration that I've just noticed. I guess I will soak it in Epsom salt and go from there! I'm hoping I didn't catch it too late!