Limping Duckling

[protodon]

Yesterday I noticed one of my ducklings was limping. She is still doing it today and I can't figure out what the problem is. The ducklings are a little over 5 weeks old. I got them from McMurray Hatchery as day olds. The one that is limping, is one of their Gold Star Hybrid ducks and it is a female. I picked her up and looked at her feet yesterday and today. Both feet work fine and don't have any weird bumps or injuries although the one foot, causing the limping, looks to be a bit atrophied compared to the other foot. Does anyone know what that's all about? She seems to get around fine and she is active, eats, drinks and follows her brothers and sisters everywhere. I just think the limping is odd because it's very sudden and I'm not sure what could have caused it.

 

[CMV]

Could she have been injured by one of her mates? Grab the girl, put her in your lap and feel along the leg bone paying close attention to her reaction especially as you handle the joints. If you don't feel any obvious breaks or hot spots, or see any open wounds then it's probably a "wait and see" injury. Probably the duck got jumped on by one of her cohorts.

I had a duck with what I believe was a broken leg (although I never had x-rays to confirm my suspicion) after getting pounced on by a clumsy ox of a goose. He limped badly for months, walked oddly for months more, but now is absolutely fine. He cared for leg himself-resting frequently with the leg stretched out in front of him, and limiting his range by staying parked near the food and water- which was good because I never could find out exactly where the break was, so I could never really splint the leg without risking more damage. I thought he would always walk with a little more waggle than he ought to have, but time has erased even that.

Good luck.

 

[eventmerlin]

I had a duckling whose leg broke at the knee joint. I brought her to the vet and they reset and then splinted it. Unfortunately it was hard to "keep her off her feet". It went back to bring broke and now it is bent up like she is scratching her head and basically that's all she can do with it. She walks "hops" around fine and she also flies, but her landings are more like crashing landing (she skids in on her belly). She is a beautiful swimmer though! She is 7 months old now and doing great. She is a mallard so she is a light weight. If your duckling can no longer use it's leg just be sure you keep it from getting too heavy so that her one leg can support her weight. My vet only charged me 40$ to look at it and reset/splint it. I didn't take her back again because she was a 5$ chick....I couldn't see spending hundreds of dollars of vet care on her (though I do love her.

 

[wasatusay]

Quote:
Make sure to check high to the 'hip' joint. I also suspect it may be bruised. Ducks don't show much pain or distress so watch her reactions closely. If it was broke it would flop at the break.If it was bad injury she would probably not want to move much if at all.
I have one girl that was hatched with a bad leg at the 'hip' I babied her as a youngin' but she is now about 3 years old or maybe more and does just fine. Fastest treat snatcher in the bunch! She limps with one leg out to the side, swims great and is healthy. She likes it when I pick her up in the evenings, only if she is a bit tired from a long day of foraging, hold her out in front of me and let her pretend she is flying past the others to the pen. She flaps her wings and leans when she want to turn..lol...then stands at the pen door and gives the other lip about being slow. I get a kick out of every time!

 

[todd walker]

How big is you pen? My young birgs are in my smaller pen and are a little tight,200 in a 50x50 with a 12x20 house in it they are a little over a month old and becuse of the storms(e tx) are going into the house at night and a few are limping,not a big deal will put them in one of the bigger pens 50x150 and they will be fine.I've fond out for me having ducklings this time of the year they huddle a little closer and things happen.
good luck

 

[protodon]

Quote:
My birds are all free range. They just get cooped up at night so i don't worry about any being hurt that way since veryone has their soit they stay in.

But I am pretty sure I figured out why my poor duck is limping. It is definitely an injury. I have a cockerel that has an affinity for ducks. This morning a spent a bit more time outside before leaving for work to keep an eye on the hurt little duckling. I walked away for a bit to hear her screaming I run back and this cockerel is on top of her! He isn't very large but much larger than a 5.5 wek old duckling! He was supposed to be butchered 2 weeks ago because of his tendencies with my full grown ducks but I have been putting it off. I am really regretting it now. I am going to have to catch him and pen him until the weekend comes. I hope my duckling is okay when I get home today. Unfortunately with the limping she is now an even easier catch for him. And here I was all worried that hawks would get them but this is like sleeping with the enemy! Literally!