Runner duck not walking or standing

[Conan]

Hello all, this morning I went out to feed the ducks and my runner female could not get up or walk. Recently, I've integrated three magpie ducklings into their flock, which also required me to remove the drake to his own area. I've noticed that the magpie ducks kind of pick on Flojo (the runner female) and the Cayuga females from the original flock also started picking on her. Other than some pecking order stuff, I've noticed no aggression towards her. I removed her from the pen this morning and put her in a warm bath and gave her some poultry vitamins and electrolytes plus her regular pellets and some spent grain from brewing. An hour later, she'd eaten, laid an egg in the water and seemed in better spirits, but she is still unable to walk. I ran another bath and she stayed in the tub the rest of the day. I thought I'd put her back down in the field with the others for the night, but one of the magpie ducks immediately picked at her. Back to the tub. This time with dry straw, water and food. This duck is about one a year and a half old. They have a small pond in their pen that is cleaned daily. They free range on two acres and have plenty of bugs, water, food. He legs are not swollen and they don't appear to actually hurt her. Does anyone have any idea what may be happening? I don't want her suffering, she's kinda my favorite. Any input is much appreciated. Thanks

 

[Amiga]

She may still be egg bound - some ducks have multiples backed up.

I would give her 50 to 100 mg of calcium twice a day for a couple of days. This is a guess, I am not a vet. I supplement my Runner flock, five years old, with 50 to 80 mg calcium about 5 times a week. This is in addition to being fed high quality layer feed.

The egg may have pinched a nerve, or something else could have pinched a nerve. Tub time does wonders, especially lukewarm water, not very warm, but not icy.

 

[Conan]

...

She may still be egg bound - some ducks have multiples backed up.

I would give her 50 to 100 mg of calcium twice a day for a couple of days.   This is a guess, I am not a vet.  I supplement my Runner flock, five years old, with 50 to 80 mg calcium about 5 times a week.  This is in addition to being fed high quality layer feed.

She's been in a nice bath all day. I've put fresh tomatoes and organic pellets in a food dish on bricks so it doesn't get wet, but she can reach it. She can swim just fine so hopefully she'll be feeling better tomorrow. It's hot here in western Washington so it probably feels good for her to be in where it's cool. No egg today though she has been skipping days here and there. Otherwise, she's been laying consistently every day for about nine months, sometimes in the pond :/
Anyhow, thank you for your advice. I hope she feels better soon.

 

[Kaw]

Hello all, this morning I went out to feed the ducks and my runner female could not get up or walk. Recently, I've integrated three magpie ducklings into their flock, which also required me to remove the drake to his own area. I've noticed that the magpie ducks kind of pick on Flojo (the runner female) and the Cayuga females from the original flock also started picking on her. Other than some pecking order stuff, I've noticed no aggression towards her. I removed her from the pen this morning and put her in a warm bath and gave her some poultry vitamins and electrolytes plus her regular pellets and some spent grain from brewing. An hour later, she'd eaten, laid an egg in the water and seemed in better spirits, but she is still unable to walk. I ran another bath and she stayed in the tub the rest of the day. I thought I'd put her back down in the field with the others for the night, but one of the magpie ducks immediately picked at her. Back to the tub. This time with dry straw, water and food. This duck is about one a year and a half old. They have a small pond in their pen that is cleaned daily. They free range on two acres and have plenty of bugs, water, food. He legs are not swollen and they don't appear to actually hurt her. Does anyone have any idea what may be happening? I don't want her suffering, she's kinda my favorite. Any input is much appreciated. Thanks

I saw the same with one if my ducks. One morning she couldn’t walk well, then not at all. I removed her and kept her indoors with a lot if bathtub time so she could float without stress on her leg.
We took her to the vet. There was no obvious bumble foot, and xray didn’t show a break. We put her on anti- biotics and ant-inflamatories for 14 days.
She seemed depressed so I would put her in a pen we had originally created for our ducklings. We call it the “no Quacks be-gone”). It had 5 sides and no cover.
She wanted to see her mates so badly she fluttered higher and farther than I have seen.
But then she stood there outside of the flock, with her foot stretched out. They fussed when she tried to join. It made me feel so sad for her.
But, you know how ducks don’t like anything different or unusual?
Well as soon as she started to keep up they accepted her back.
I left her with them because she was hapoier.
My flock are all Indian Runner Ducks. I din’t know if that matters but maybe temperament is different.
I also think she was injured by a male. She was only 7 months old. If you have a different breed male with more weight with females can theu easily injure a female if cooulating on land?
My thoughts follow your management. to treat in this order: Safety (isolate if required), treat injury or illness the best you can (considering the sick duck and exposure to the rest of the flock) then watch carefully when you re-intoduce.
One other thought. We have two white make runner ducks. Both have bumble foot and I put them both indoors in the tub and treated them for a few days.
Now, they are inseparable. Line buddies who have been through trauma together.
If you need to separate your girl again, put another friendly duck with her. They will keep each other company. It will boost her spirits; and maybe reintroduction will be easier.

 

[Isaac 0]

I saw the same with one if my ducks. One morning she couldn’t walk well, then not at all. I removed her and kept her indoors with a lot if bathtub time so she could float without stress on her leg.
We took her to the vet. There was no obvious bumble foot, and xray didn’t show a break. We put her on anti- biotics and ant-inflamatories for 14 days.
She seemed depressed so I would put her in a pen we had originally created for our ducklings. We call it the “no Quacks be-gone”). It had 5 sides and no cover.
She wanted to see her mates so badly she fluttered higher and farther than I have seen.
But then she stood there outside of the flock, with her foot stretched out. They fussed when she tried to join. It made me feel so sad for her.
But, you know how ducks don’t like anything different or unusual?
Well as soon as she started to keep up they accepted her back.
I left her with them because she was hapoier.
My flock are all Indian Runner Ducks. I din’t know if that matters but maybe temperament is different.
I also think she was injured by a male. She was only 7 months old. If you have a different breed male with more weight with females can theu easily injure a female if cooulating on land?
My thoughts follow your management. to treat in this order: Safety (isolate if required), treat injury or illness the best you can (considering the sick duck and exposure to the rest of the flock) then watch carefully when you re-intoduce.
One other thought. We have two white make runner ducks. Both have bumble foot and I put them both indoors in the tub and treated them for a few days.
Now, they are inseparable. Line buddies who have been through trauma together.
If you need to separate your girl again, put another friendly duck with her. They will keep each other company. It will boost her spirits; and maybe reintroduction will be easier.

Post is six years old.

 

[Conan]

Post is six years old.

It sure is. That duck is still kicking, and envisions herself as something of a prophet. Bosses everyone around. She hasn't laid a single egg since that one in the bathtub, but she's healthy.

 

[Kaw]

Love that your girl is well! Great news for a six year old post. Best end to a long weekend.