Oh no! Limping duck

[seashoreduck]

I have a mallard duck of indeterminate sex who is now limping. He/She is about 6 weeks old and has very little down left and was fine yesterday. No duck vets with a resonable distace
-Being fed antibiotic free food for fowl
-In a pen about 25 feet square, no top
-Plastic doghouse for shelter and at night
-Fresh water every day
-no visable deformity
-seems to be better with more walking, hard time getting up

My though is that he/she may have injured it when I shut them up in the doghouse last night as they were furious (it was warm and rainy)

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a mallard duck of indeterminate sex who is now limping. He/She is about 6 weeks old and has very little down left and was fine yesterday. No duck vets with a resonable distace
-Being fed antibiotic free food for fowl
-In a pen about 25 feet square, no top
-Plastic doghouse for shelter and at night
-Fresh water every day
-no visable deformity
-seems to be better with more walking, hard time getting up

My though is that he/she may have injured it when I shut them up in the doghouse last night as they were furious (it was warm and rainy)

Might have happened then or she may need a little bit of niacin, if it doesn't get better in a few days then I'd try her on a dose of niacin for a couple of days. rest is good with water therapy.

 

[seashoreduck]

I will get some niacin and put it in their "pool" (which is a flower planter).

How do I keep her resting? Should I put her in a small cage?

I don't think I have any preditior problems....are ducks smart enough to go in at night? Should I "force" them?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I will get some niacin and put it in their "pool" (which is a flower planter).

How do I keep her resting? Should I put her in a small cage?

I don't think I have any preditior problems....are ducks smart enough to go in at night? Should I "force" them?

No they are not smart enough at first you have to train them to go in, and if you leave them out side you'll find out real fast you do have predators. If she is penned she should be fine just the way she is. just try to make sure when getting in and out of dog house or pool she doesn't have to jump, at least while she is recuperating. buy 100-150 megs of niacin plain ,not flush free. and put into their water bucket this should be 1 gallon to make sure she is getting a good dose. Doi they have a special treat they like you might try putting some of it inside their house so that when you put them in they associate it with a good thing. and they will remember so keep the treats up for a while after they are going in on their own.

 

[cosbackyard]

Might have happened then or she may need a little bit of niacin, if it doesn't get better in a few days then I'd try her on a dose of niacin for a couple of days. rest is good with water therapy.

My first time raising ducklings I did not know about niacin. They got none and I had one duck who had lame legs as a result. No injuries, they just weren't strong enough.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My first time raising ducklings I did not know about niacin. They got none and I had one duck who had lame legs as a result. No injuries, they just weren't strong enough.

Did you start niacin after you found out about it? ? and how is your duck now?

 

[cosbackyard]

Did you start niacin after you found out about it? ? and how is your duck now?

I had no idea about niacin so I just assumed it was a fluke. Luckily since then I have found BYC.
Unfortunately we lost all three to predators in one night. Which is why I'm so adamant with my advice about security.

 

[seashoreduck]

No they are not smart enough at first you have to train them to go in, and if you leave them out side you'll find out real fast you do have predators. If she is penned she should be fine just the way she is. just try to make sure when getting in and out of dog house or pool she doesn't have to jump, at least while she is recuperating. buy 100-150 megs of niacin plain ,not flush free. and put into their water bucket this should be 1 gallon to make sure she is getting a good dose. Doi they have a special treat they like you might try putting some of it inside their house so that when you put them in they associate it with a good thing. and they will remember so keep the treats up for a while after they are going in on their own.

Well, good news and bad news.

Started them all on Niacin this morning.

When I got home at 9 last night from work, they were in the doghouse, so that's good. They're smarter than I thought they were.

Gimpy isn't doing well, held him (he wasn't a fan) but he drank and ate so atleast he had some niacin. 100 megs to an almost gallon feeder. The other ducks are stepping on him which worries me. He is the little-ist. (I see a faint hint of green so I'm thinking he)

They like peas but not enough to really motivate them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, good news and bad news.

Started them all on Niacin this morning.

When I got home at 9 last night from work, they were in the doghouse, so that's good. They're smarter than I thought they were.

Gimpy isn't doing well, held him (he wasn't a fan) but he drank and ate so atleast he had some niacin. 100 megs to an almost gallon feeder. The other ducks are stepping on him which worries me. He is the little-ist. (I see a faint hint of green so I'm thinking he)

They like peas but not enough to really motivate them.

Can you put Gimpy in a large dog crate inside the pen just to give him a few days rest? it will be more work for you but it may be what he needs especially if the rest are walking on him.
Great news about them putting themselves up for ya. Yay!! they deserve some dried mealworms for a reward.

 

[Jadis]

Miss Lydia is absolutely right, you need to crate it.
When we first moved back to Maine, my mom's duck was downed by a fox. It dragged it's leg behind it. We put it in a warm crate where is stayed for some time, but it did heal.
Having it running around, regardless of how it was hurt can't be helping it heal.