Splayed leg/wry neck duck - future flying/swimming?

[thepregnantgod]

Just wondering from more experienced folks, I saved a Muscovy duckling via emergency hatch. He came out with wry neck and splayed leg. He's eating very well, extremely friendly and talkative. He can completely groom himself - so the neck goes everywhere but is bent hard to the left.

I've tried letting him swim and he won't. He kicks his splayed leg very fast and his neck goes under. Not a fan.

I'm curious if he doesn't grow out of wry neck and splayed leg, will he ever be able to swim or fly? Or will he just be a fat yard duck?

 

[Oregon Blues]

You might be able to help the splayed legs by hobbling him.

The wry neck, there isn't much you can do.

It is never too late to put an animal to sleep, so if you want to give him a chance, you can see how it goes. If it appears that he is in pain later, you can always put him to sleep at that point.

Assisting a weak duckling to hatch rarely turns out well. Which is why most experienced poultry breeders don't do it.

 

[thepregnantgod]

First, thanks for the response.

Second, yes, I'm well aware that the majority opinion is to let the duckling die. I am in the minority. Had I felt that way I would have let the eggs freeze on my front porch when it dropped down to sub 40.

Third, I'm not sure he's in pain, per se. He eats like a horse, runs after me whereever I go and if he can't see me he bellows loud enough for me to hear him a few rooms over. He is a sucker for attention be it from the dog or my boys.

My concern is that I want to do what I can to help him live a normal life - i.e. swimming/flying. I've tried hobbling him with a bandaid for about 4-5 days. It didn't do much other than keep him from doing anything but laying around.