Please help. Duckling is badly deformed.

[jeo82]

I have a duckling that hatched today. His feet are in the shape of a claw. I have made him “braces” of cardboard and bandaids, but he is unable to stand has anyone had a duckling with an extreme deformity and had success in rehabilitation? I feel so bad for him and I want to give him a chance but I don’t want him to suffer.

(I can’t put him in the brooder with my other ducklings because they will peck him and he cannot defend himself)

pics below

 

[jeo82]

 

[jeo82]

Also, I bought Niacin today and have given him 1ml

 

[Floof]

Do you have pictures of the feet before you wrapped them?

 

[Miss Lydia]

It may take your duckling a few days to get its legs under it when you wrap the feet. Please post pics of before wrapping. Do you have the feet laying in a normal position? Please what type of niacin?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Your duckling has what is called "curled toe" which can be caused by anything from bad positioning in the egg to genetics. The good news is that if properly treated there is a high chance your duckling will be able to walk and possibly not have any sign of curled toe as an adult. I had one duckling in particular that hatched with severe curled toe. I have found that the best splint method is a painters tape boot. Painters tape comes off easily without hurting their skin and allows you to stick the foot flat to the tape keeping the foot from bending, bunching or getting malpositioned in the boot. Lay the duckling's foot out flat on the sticky side and then lay another piece over top sticky side down sealing the ends together gently with your fingers. The key is making sure that when you splint the foot is placed properly. With how fast ducklings grow you do not want the foot to be splinted incorrectly as it can start to actually form incorrectly. Keep your duckling separated from the others otherwise with boots on it will get run over. I actually placed mine in a clear plastic container next to the brooder with the others so he could still see and be right there with the others. I also gave 0.25 cc Poultry Cell in a 1 cc. Syringe orally once a day. If you have never given a duck medication via. syringe just follow the directions for water dilution and offer in a separate water dish. I had both electrolytes and fresh water in separate ramekins. I keep little ramekins on hand for when I have to separate a duckling and have found that it's much easier for them to reach food/water if they can't walk, but they are heavy enough they don't tip over. I did offer scrambled eggs as well with food. Within 3 days my duckling was walking, by day 5 I no longer had to use the boot/splint and as an adult that duckling ended up being the fastest runner in the flock.