urgent help needed

[poultry09]

yesterday all my ducks and geese where all down at the pond all day and they came up to the coop when it started to get dark but when i noticed one was missing i ran down to the pond and she was sitting thier in the grass i went down the herd her back up to the coop but when she tried to walk she could barely move so i picked her up and looked at her foot and i could not see anything so i put her down to make sure i checked the right foot and she tried to walk again but she is not useing her left foot at all she is hoping around

so i put her in my biggest dog crate with alot of hay a bowl of warm water and some food

any idea on what could have happen?

she is a kaki/rouen cross

any advice would be great please

 

[jdywntr]

Have you checked her leg/foot for any obvious injury? Try feeling the leg to see if it is broken. Best to keep her confined and quiet. Hopefully someone with more experience will answer.

 

[poultry09]

i dont realy know what to feel for i moved her foot back and forth and it moved just like her good one

 

[dumb_cluck]

Good thing you got her in. If she is lame, she is a big target for a predator.

As stated earlier, keep her calm and warm (not hot) and recheck the leg, foot, and even the abdomen. If she was playing in a pond, she could have been attacked by a turtle, etc.
Because she was fine before, indicates an injury of some kind. (or ingesting something causing cramps)

Let us know what you find out....

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Poor duck. Domestic ducks can strain their legs easily. Hopefully resting the leg like you are doing will be enough. Feel the leg to check for any broken bones. I think if it moves around normally then it is probably a strain. If you can give the duck a chance to swim a little so she can move her leg around without putting any weight on it.

I have read that supplementing a diet with niacin helps aid in the development of strong legs and helps prevent leg strains. But I am not sure if that is only helpful during early development, rather than helping heal a current strain.

 

[jdywntr]

Poor duck. Domestic ducks can strain their legs easily. Hopefully resting the leg like you are doing will be enough. Feel the leg to check for any broken bones. I think if it moves around normally then it is probably a strain. If you can give the duck a chance to swim a little so she can move her leg around without putting any weight on it.

I have read that supplementing a diet with niacin helps aid in the development of strong legs and helps prevent leg strains. But I am not sure if that is only helpful during early development, rather than helping heal a current strain.

X2 on the swimming even just in the tub. If her leg feels similar to the other one then it may just be a strain. I would also suggest adding niacin, it can't hurt. Keep her confined for at least a few days and see how she is doing.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

My immediate first thought was a snapper grabbed her leg. I'd keep an eye out for turtles poppin' up next time you're at the pond. I'd also be curious to know if the ducks are leary of getting in the water next time they're down there.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I so agree, we had alot of posts back last year of folks who had ponds and their ducks getting wounded by snappers, also one duck had it's foot bitten off, some of those snappers get big. Like QJ said go with them the next time they go to the pond and keep an eye out, you might have to catch the snappers that have taken up residence. I hope she recovers quickly, also if you can give her something nutritional for support, like Poultry Nutri Drench in their her water. it is great to help in recovery.

My immediate first thought was a snapper grabbed her leg. I'd keep an eye out for turtles poppin' up next time you're at the pond. I'd also be curious to know if the ducks are leary of getting in the water next time they're down there.

 

[poultry09]

Oure pond is a seasonal pond and only fills up when it rains and drains within a day and we have no snapping turtles in this part of Oregon. I contacted oure local vet who specilizes in birds and she thinks it is sprang or broken she recommended to take her in an get a full check up but that's $75 and I can not afford that other wise I would take her in to the vet but she recommended that if it is broke I leave her in her own cage for at least 4 weeks till she can fully use it again

Hopefully she will make a full recovery very quickly

 

[duckdad]

Yep...

rest the duck, keep her away from others to reduce the stress and urge to get up and roam, feed her well with fresh greens, good feed with some oyester shell mixed in for calcium to aid in healing a broken/damaged bone. Add vitemins to water of feed and supply additional warmth if its cold or chilly.

Ducks make amazing recoverys from orthopaedic type injuries. I've seen a duck that was totally lame, unable to place a foot on the ground, sleep on it and be walking around near normally the next day. Many times they just need rest and quiet. They stress very easily and that delays healing.

I 2nd the turtle warnings. I've seen a small pond turtle make a pass at a duckling. Neighbors said that they witnessed a 3-4" turtle grab a duckling in the pond as the duckling was swimming and take it under never to be seen again......much like a 'gator takes its prey. But, if you have no turtles them thats not the problem. There is no tellin how it happened...plenty of other possible ways for a duck to become injured.

I hope that she heals quickly and returns to her flock soon,
Good luck