Week old duckling with crippled leg

[Miss Lydia]

I checked him and it doesn't feel any different than the other leg, temperature wise. My guess is it was born like this considering how it looks and it's pretty mobile for it only being a week old.

No heat then probably not infection. just not sure other than birth defect but I's still give both ducklings either the Brewers yeast or Niacin because when feeding chick starter they are not getting enough niacin. is it mobile or immobile? have you had them in warm water yet? I can't remember if you said. If yes can it use it's leg at all?

 

[melinda342]

Will do. I had them in the sink last night to check how well it could swim. I think it was moving its crippled leg a little, but when walking around it seems like the leg cannot move or extend at all. It hops around on its good leg just fine for the most part, but is a little wobbly.

Yup. Just put them in the tub. He swims just fine. The foot on the crippled leg stays curled up, but he does use it to paddle as best as he can.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Will do. I had them in the sink last night to check how well it could swim. I think it was moving its crippled leg a little, but when walking around it seems like the leg cannot move or extend at all. It hops around on its good leg just fine for the most part, but is a little wobbly.

Yup. Just put them in the tub. He swims just fine. The foot on the crippled leg stays curled up, but he does use it to paddle as best as he can.

If you can give them water therapy daily and after it has been in the nice warm water for a while maybe try doing some gentle exercises and see what happens not trying to extend the leg to where it causes pain but especially after starting the niacin, you just never know it may not never be 100% but you maybe able to get the leg better than it is now. Please keep us posted.

 

[melinda342]

Thanks. I was wondering about therapy like that

 

[jenniemig]

I agree with everything that Miss Lydia has said. She has been such a big help with my special needs duckling! I think that giving them swim time often in warm water will be VERY beneficial with your little guy/girl. For them to start learning to adapt super young so that they don't have any issues when they're older. Mine are in the bath tub 4-5 times a week, and have been since they were about a week old, they're 4 and 5 weeks old now. Keep us posted on the progress

 

[melinda342]

Ok, so I took my baby to the vet. The vet said it was a flexor tendon that slipped and contracted and got stuck like that. There isn't any way to fix it but he might get some use of the leg. It is not infected. He was either born like that, or soon after he hatched out and a week would have plenty of time to become that messed up. But in the upside, he should be fine, just a little runty.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok, so I took my baby to the vet. The vet said it was a flexor tendon that slipped and contracted and got stuck like that. There isn't any way to fix it but he might get some use of the leg. It is not infected. He was either born like that, or soon after he hatched out and a week would have plenty of time to become that messed up. But in the upside, he should be fine, just a little runty.

I am so glad you took the duckling in, now we know for sure. Glad to hear he should be fine too, it is amazing how well they can live with disabilities .Please keep us updated on how he/she is doing.

 

[melinda342]

Will do. I made the mistake of going to the feed store after the vet trip jut to look I said... Came back with a gosling. So now my ducklings have another friend.

 

[jenniemig]

Will do. I made the mistake of going to the feed store after the vet trip jut to look I said... Came back with a gosling. So now my ducklings have another friend.

The ONLY reason I don't have more feathery babies is the feed store I go to only has chicks, I'm good with the 8 I have. I need to go to Tractor Supply for some supplies, but I KNOW I will end up with more to add to my flock especially if they had goslings.

 

[melinda342]

Well my problem is I've got a lot of space to work with here. It seems like every time me or my sister go to Atwood, Tractor Supply, or the feed store, one of us winds up bringing more home. At this point we've got 7 chickens free ranging, 3 month old pullets, 13 more chicks ranging from 1-2 weeks old, the two ducklings, and the goose. In addition to the 4 dogs and 3 cats. And I want another gosling because I don't like having just one kind of something.