Welsh Harlequin Leg Injury

[Niche Flock]

Hello Everyone,

My young Welsh Harlequin duck (she is just about 4 months now) has a leg injury! Every evening around 7 or so, I go out into the garden to put the ducks in their pen and usually they all run eagerly in because they know that it is time for food. Yesterday, my little Welsh Harlequin was sitting and at first I thought she was laying her first egg in the garden, but then I saw her struggle to stand. I separated her from the flock and she slept in a section of the coop that is sectioned off from the rest of the flock with electrolytes in her water, fresh kale and pellets. She is supporting most of her weight with her right leg and is favoring her left. She uses her wings to push herself up to stand. It has now been 24 hours since I noticed the injury. What is the typical time for recouping from a leg injury...if it is just a sprain or strain? Today I let her into the larger coop area when I put the ladies out to free range and she seems to be able to stand better (without using her wings) but is still hobbling.

Do you think she has a lame leg? What should I look for if it is broken? It isn't splayed out or anything, and no bones or gaping wounds are showing. Maybe she twisted it? My garden grass is quite tall and I am mowing to ensure no one else trips if that is what happened.

Is there anything else I can do for her? Or just give her time alone? She seems lonely by herself...I just don't want her to mingle with the other ducks because they might step on her or eat all of her food. Any suggestions greatly appreciated!!

 

[asher]

Have you checked under her foot to see if she has an injury on that? I'm not sure if it's called the same on ducks, but I know chickens get something called bumble foot sometimes that will cause them to not want to put weight on their leg.

 

[Niche Flock]

@asher
I will be sure to check in the morning, when I put her in the separate coop area tonight she was standing a bit better.

Thank you I will check that out! ☺

 

[chickens really]

@Miss Lydia

 

[Niche Flock]

My duck has bumble foot!! I checked under her left foot and there appeared to be a callous there, a small bump like growth maybe twice the size of a pencil top eraser. I feel horrible and know it is my fault.
Worst thing is, is that I was going to go away thusday to Saturday to visit fa but would feel selfish of I went while my duck was sick.

I have been reading about how to treat it. Planning on flipping her over, adding a bit of lidocane and maybe icing wound to numb it, then slicing it open with a clean and disinfected razor blade. Checking for oozing, then dabbing with iodine, dipping in warm water to cleanse it, then adding Neosporin and wrapping in gauze with a little homemade foot booty to protect. I saw something on BYC where someone made a 5 gallon duck soaking station for foot soaks. I will try that. I will probably not go away as I will feel horrible bout my duck suffering. Does anyone have any suggestions on anything else to try that will speed recovery?

 

[chickens really]

@Miss Lydia
She can help and she is awesome too....

 

[asher]

First step in helping her is figuring out what it is! I'm so glad you did and are able to get her help now. No need to feel bad, none of us know everything!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My duck has bumble foot!! I checked under her left foot and there appeared to be a callous there, a small bump like growth maybe twice the size of a pencil top eraser. I feel horrible and know it is my fault.
Worst thing is, is that I was going to go away thusday to Saturday to visit fa but would feel selfish of I went while my duck was sick.

I have been reading about how to treat it. Planning on flipping her over, adding a bit of lidocane and maybe icing wound to numb it, then slicing it open with a clean and disinfected razor blade. Checking for oozing, then dabbing with iodine, dipping in warm water to cleanse it, then adding Neosporin and wrapping in gauze with a little homemade foot booty to protect. I saw something on BYC where someone made a 5 gallon duck soaking station for foot soaks. I will try that. I will probably not go away as I will feel horrible bout my duck suffering. Does anyone have any suggestions on anything else to try that will speed recovery?

Update please? @Niche Flock

 

[Niche Flock]

Ok, so I purchased a bunch of first aid equipment at the local pharmacy anticipating a serious issue. Separated my limping Welshie and modified a clean five gallon bucket to make a nice foot soaking station.

For the foot soaking station: I filled a five gallon bucket with 1 cup of Epsom salts and I gallon or so of warm water. (in the future I don't think I will use so much...she ended up with a salty rear and attempted drinking the water in her panic mode...)
For the lid of the bucket, I used a hack saw to make a trangular opening for her head, and then used a brick as a weight so she wouldn't be able to topple the whole thing. This design was not my idea and I borrowed it from another BYC user! So thank you to whoever invented this great idea. Unfortunately, my little lady was pretty worked up, more so because she was separated from the flock, so sometimes her head was in the bucket as well.

After soaking I removed her with a dish towel and flipped her over into my lap. I inspected both of her clean feet looking for anything abnormal...see attached photos. I placed her down and had SERIOUS doubts about which foot was injured. I took several videos and pics and sent them to my boyfriend's sister who is a vet assistant. I initially thought it was her left foot, but realized she is fairly large breasted and has a significant waddle to begin with so figuring out the lake foot was harder than I thought. While observing, she saddled along water her lettuce and meal worms and decided to take a bath in her water dish...

In one of the photos, she seems to have a pink callous on the side of her foot. See photo with red arrow. Maybe that is the cause?

I decided not to wrap her foot as I was having confidence issues. She still has a bit of a limp and I am reconsidering. I will soak her feet again today.

Based on photos, what do you think? Is it bumble foot? On her right foot there is a tiny black dot, could that be a scab or point where something stabbed her foot??

(issues with uploading photos, will post soon!)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hoping you can upload pics.

Could she have a thorn or sticker in her foot? or a stinger or bite?

I saw that same method on you tube