One leg working.

[alishabusch]

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on making life a little easier for this little duckling...
He doesn't use one leg at all. I bought a few cayuga ducklings from a lady and she said that he might have been hurt when he was little. The other duckling I have is older and kind of takes care of him that I have noticed. His foot stays curled up and doesn't use it at all....I am planning on making this shallower and shorter for it to be easier for him since he uses one leg...I know that once he has his wing feather he will have better balance but for now he is hobbling around. Just got them today so I haven't really got to check him out too much though because of how petrified they are....gonna let him get a bit used to the place before messing with them too much. He freaks out.

He peeps a lot too. The other is starting to get his quack kind of going...but he is rather vocal...

 

[Amiga]

It doesn't hurt to give them vitamins, and he may really benefit from some niacin. It depends on the nature of the problem, though, and he may be a special needs duck.

Time in a lukewarm bath deep enough to float in can help relax and strengthen muscles and improve circulation. It takes the weight off for a while. See if you can get him into a bath two or three times a day. And that time may help you bond with him.

Hope you can upload photos before too long!

 

[alishabusch]

Thanks, today I am going to check him out a little closer and see what exactly is wrong with his foot. I am hoping it might be something that can still be fixed though honestly him being as old as he is already, I highly doubt it but it never hurts to make it easier.

The boyfriend (the one who said he wasn't taking care of them ducks, they were my project) was up with him until three last night and then kept checking up on him every time he would wake him up. lol Gotta love hardened guys that say they won't help.

 

[alishabusch]

Ok, so after examining the baby, he does have all the webbing in his foot however that means that they toe bones themselves are curled....another issue is that his knee is frozen in a upward position similar to him having laid on it for a long time and is swollen. I am thinking that this is a case of untreated curl foot resulting in him having fallen and twisted his achilles perhaps. If I can find batteries, I will take some pix and perhaps get some second and third opinions for someone.