Little hole in webbing

[Jenbirdee]

One of my young khaki Campbell girls who came to me as a rescue has a small circle hole in her webbing on one foot. The weather is cold and snowy lately and I noticed she sits on her feet a little more often than the other ducks her age so I’m just wondering if the small hole in the webbing is disrupting her “foot heating system.” With the extra cold weather coming I’m going to be bringing all my ducks down to their “hospital room “ for the week anyway. But I’m curious if the little hole which is about the size of the holes in notebook paper makes any difference it seems like it does.

 

[TOMTE]

I don't have an answer but in my mind it would make sense. If any of the blood vessels were damaged then maybe the heat doesn't circulate in the feet as efficiently?

 

[ruthhope]

I don't think the small hole will make any difference. Small holes are common. In cold weather, ducks turn off circulating blood to their feet, they let their feet go cold. My drakes are sitting down all the time at the moment -- I'm in NE Florida so it isn't cold like where you are @Jenbirdee. But it's colder than they like.

 

[Quatie]

I can't say if the hole has any effect.

In cold weather, ducks turn off circulating blood to their feet, they let their feet go cold.

However, this is not true. Ducks have a specialized circulatory system, called counter-current circulation, in their legs that helps keep them warm in the winter. As warm blood is pumped through arteries in the legs, it passes right by the cold blood coming from the veins. As they closely pass by each other, the heat from the arteries warms up the blood in the veins. At the same time the blood in the arteries begins to chill as it leaves the body. This way cold blood coming from the veins doesn’t chill the body of the duck, and heat isn’t wasted in the duck’s feet. Their feet still need the nutrients from the blood to keep their feet healthy. So instead they have this really cool adaptation, which is why their feet are always so cold.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I can't say if the hole has any effect.


However, this is not true. Ducks have a specialized circulatory system, called counter-current circulation, in their legs that helps keep them warm in the winter. As warm blood is pumped through arteries in the legs, it passes right by the cold blood coming from the veins. As they closely pass by each other, the heat from the arteries warms up the blood in the veins. At the same time the blood in the arteries begins to chill as it leaves the body. This way cold blood coming from the veins doesn’t chill the body of the duck, and heat isn’t wasted in the duck’s feet. Their feet still need the nutrients from the blood to keep their feet healthy. So instead they have this really cool adaptation, which is why their feet are always so cold.

Thanks I noticed that their feet are cold when I pick one up in the morning when they’ve been in the straw inside their coop all night I pick one up to hold her and check her feet( and maybe give some vitamins if they need it like my old pekins need extra bcomplex )and I feel the feet and they’re cold - I was wondering why are your feet cold when you’re in all this really thick straw all night sitting on them with your warm body? so I then hold one foot at a time and warm it in my hand, even warm Breathe on it a little lol

 

[Quatie]

Thanks I noticed that their feet are cold when I pick one up in the morning when they’ve been in the straw inside their coop all night I pick one up to hold her and check her feet( and maybe give some vitamins if they need it like my old pekins need extra bcomplex )and I feel the feet and they’re cold - I was wondering why are your feet cold when you’re in all this really thick straw all night sitting on them with your warm body? so I then hold one foot at a time and warm it in my hand, even warm Breathe on it a little lol

Even in the summer when it is 100+ degrees out, their feet won't feel warm. If their feet feel warm, that is actually a sign that there is some injury or infection. I am sure they appreciate the foot pampering, but they don't need it . Moisture is the big worry for frostbite, because even at barely freezing temps it can cause issues. I can't speak much to it, because we hardly get freezing temps.

 

[ruthhope]

@Quatie I think that ducks do reduce the circulation to their webs in cold weather. That complements the heat exchange counter current higher in their legs that you mention.

"The legs and feet of waterfowl also play an important role in maintaining body temperature. Ever wonder how a mallard can stand comfortably on ice? A unique heat-exchange system in the birds' legs known as counter-current circulation makes this possible. The large, flat feet of waterfowl are natural radiators, so to minimize heat loss, the arteries and veins in the birds' legs work in tandem to retain heat. Arteries supplying blood to the feet pass alongside the veins removing blood. The warm arterial blood flowing to the feet is cooled by venous blood flowing back to the body where it is warmed again. Consequently, very little of a duck's body heat is lost through its extremities. Thus, while the core body temperature of a duck standing on ice is near 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature of the bird's feet may be just above freezing.

To further conserve heat in cold weather, waterfowl reduce the volume of blood flowing to their feet by constricting blood vessels in their legs. Experiments have shown that waterfowl gradually reduce blood flow to their feet as the air temperature drops to 32 degrees Fahrenheit (the freezing point). When temperatures fall below freezing, however, waterfowl again increase blood flow to their feet to prevent tissue damage. The birds also protect their feet by drawing them into their flank feathers and close to their body. To further minimize exposure in bitter cold weather, waterfowl often stand on one leg at time, tucking the other leg into their body feathers to protect it from the elements". [1]

Whether I am correct or not, I am not an expert I just read about ducks feet some years ago, I still don't think a small hole will cause any adverse effects. I have seen healthy ducks with a shredded web from trauma

[1] https://www.ducks.org/conservation/waterfowl-research-science/webbed-wonders