Pekin duck can't walk!

[harvestmoonGal]

She's is in the process of molting right now. I give them plenty of fresh water and food. Last night we had rain constantly it dropped into the high 50's. this morning at eight I came out and she was walking fine. Now she can't stand or walk! I messed with her foot and she doesn't seem to be in pain. She'll try to get up and if goes backwards.

I put her in a cage with fresh water and hay. She's out of the rain. When I feed them they get scratch, laying pellets, oyster shell and I have started letting them free range some days. If some one could please help me!!! I don't want her to die!!!

 

[harvestmoonGal]

I don't have the money for a vet unfortunately. She had been stretching it and when I touch it she shows no pain. She had been eating and drinking fine, and there's no external damage to her foot. She hasn't laid to day. So I should try the bath?

 

[Amiga]

Are you giving her niacin supplements? 100 mg per gallon of water, not no-flush or timed release, just a capsule emptied into the water at that concentration. It is a long shot, but worth a try, I feel. Also I would start some Epsom salt compresses on both legs. Don't let her drink it, it's a laxative. I put Epsom salt in water, soak a clean rag, and wrap the legs. Some others put the solution in a short bucket and stand the duck in the bucket. But no drinking!

 

[Amiga]

Dark green with bad smell could indicate a health problem. Bad smell can also come from a higher protein diet. Had you started giving her sardines? That could do it. And dark green can come from her eating things like kale, but it could also indicate her system is stressed.

She could have an infection. If that is the case, think about oral antibiotics. I just bought some Duramycin 10 for about $7. That's enough to treat the whole flock and them some, I think. It's about 8 ounces of powder.

Anyway, I am not a vet, but there is information in the archives here about what people have used with their ducks.

Do what you can to boost her immune system in any case - like poultry vitamins, probiotics, electrolytes.

I want to share with you that my ducks Neun and Shelly, at different times, had egg yolk peritonitis. I was told there is not much you can do, although I feel if I had known soon enough that oral antibiotics may have helped. I don't want to upset you, but I lost both of them. I would not give up on her, ducks can recover from many serious ailments. But keep looking into options for her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is walking normal again. She's eating fine, and honking. She's acting like herself again. Her feathers are growing back(they look really good!) But she still hasn't laid, and she has green diarrhea. It's really bad! I have to clean her cage 3 times a day becuase it's so bad. Other than she seems fine.

How long should I wait to put her back with the others?

That is great news, and maybe the green poop is from not eating so much when she wasn't walking. Get some electrolytes/probiotic mix at the TSC or feed store and mix in her water. It will help get her gut working right again. I'd give her a couple more days of TLC before putting her back especially if you have a drake, he may try mating her and I don't think it would be a good idea right now. As far as laying if she is coming out of molt it may still be a couple more weeks before you see an egg. Maybe even longer. But happy to hear she is up walking

 

[Miss Lydia]

She's is in the process of molting right now. I give them plenty of fresh water and food. Last night we had rain constantly it dropped into the high 50's. this morning at eight I came out and she was walking fine. Now she can't stand or walk! I messed with her foot and she doesn't seem to be in pain. She'll try to get up and if goes backwards.

I put her in a cage with fresh water and hay. She's out of the rain. When I feed them they get scratch, laying pellets, oyster shell and I have started letting them free range some days. If some one could please help me!!! I don't want her to die!!!

When was the last time she laid an egg? she may have an egg stuck and it's pressing on a nerve in her back, I'd put her into a warm tub of water and let her float for a while sometimes warm water will relax them enough that they can pass the egg. Of course this is just a guess I'm not a vet. Is she eating and drinking okay? panting? which could mean pain.

 

[Amiga]

If you can get a vet to help, please do.

In any case, lukewarm bath deep enough to float in, watch her closely. Did you say the leg goes backward? Like, a break? Or she holds it stretched out behind her?

If she is molting it is not likely she would lay, but not impossible, I think.

Please tell us more if you can.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you can get a vet to help, please do.

In any case, lukewarm bath deep enough to float in, watch her closely. Did you say the leg goes backward? Like, a break? Or she holds it stretched out behind her?

If she is molting it is not likely she would lay, but not impossible, I think.

Please tell us more if you can.

I read right over the molting part, so maybe not an egg. Vet would be a good idea if you can.

 

[Amiga]

Definitely the bath. Give her as much time as you can in the lukewarm bath. You might try a little ointment in the vent. Be very careful. But something to ease the passage if it's an egg.

 

[harvestmoonGal]

Okay I will try it thank you all very much!