Premature duckling with gammy leg! Help please!

GracieJ

Songster
Feb 16, 2018
298
655
196
Wales, UK
Duckling was born prematurely two days ago. He was struggling to get out of his shell after his mother accidentally cracked it and was struggling to breathe so had to get him out of there. First night he was touch and go but kept him warm all night. By the next day he was fluffy and alert ish. Today, he can hold his head up but he cannot walk. One leg works but the other doesn’t. See photo!

we have put him in water to see if he can use it and he can’t but he enjoyed the swim. It moves but that’s it. It doesn’t come forward. He had drank some water especially whilst swimming and he is inside with a water bottle.

I’m not sure he will survive...he is alert and cheeping etc but then very sleepy as if it tires him. Any help is well appreciated. Mother Hen has hatched one other duckling that’s fine and there’s three eggs that have not yet hatched still.
 

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I had a chicken stuck in his shell for too long. Her leg did that at first. It was recommended that I hobble her legs to help hold the leg in the correct position. I did for about 24 hours and she ended up fine. You might search "splayed" leg and see what you can find. Instead of hobbling, I believe some people put poultry with a leg like that is a cup (like a tea cup), that is only big enough for the baby to turn around in but forces the leg underneath them. Good luck.
 

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