Skippy has Angel Wings

[Alexc844]

I posted a few weeks ago about my Blue Swedish, Skippy, who was being picked on by his flock. I separated him, since the bullying was pretty bad, by spreading chicken wire across the pen to make two. He was so desperate to get to the other ducks, he rubbed his bill raw on the wire.

I noticed his wings looked odd, but I just thought it was the way he was standing... I did a little research and found something called Angel Wings. It looks very similar to what Skippy has going on, but I heard it is very uncommon for it to affect both wings? His diet is the same as the other ducks. They've all been on Flock Raiser crumbles. I don't feed them bread or anything with sugar or anything else that is known to cause this.

I have him inside the house again so I can monitor him a little better and keep his bill clean until that heals.

He's been an odd duck from the get-go, so is it possible this is a genetic thing? Can he live a normal life? I want him to live a quality, pain free life. Is there anything more I can do for him?

 

[Alexc844]

Bumping this up...

 

[jducour]

Poor Skippy. Some duck are just the odd duck out. To my untrained eye, this does not look like the typical case of angel wing. Usually, the feathers look like they are coming off the body at a sharp angel. These look like they are just puffed out from the body, but growing in the right direction. It could be a nutritional deficiency. How old is he? Angel wing can certainly be in both wings, I wouldn't call it less common, just more severe. Please tell me the brand and protein content of his food, and list his favorite treats. We had one duck a while back that got angel wing after her well meaning owner gave her a diet of mostly bugs, because she loved them. It was a diet way too high in protein. So -

Brand and protein content of primary feed
treats given most often
age

How are his legs? Do they seem good, strong and straight?

 

[Alexc844]

He is eating Purina Flock Raiser Crumbles, but I have no idea of the protein content. Since his health issues began, he doesn't get many treats. Once in a while I'll give him a handful of peas, but this is once every other week or so. I got Skippy as a hatchling at the tail end of last July, so he's about 3 months old.

He is awkward when he walks, but I think that is more neurological, as his legs seem structurally fine.

 

[jducour]

Well, I'm not sure then. I would make sure you give him a supplemental meal at least once a day of shredded greens, cooked carrots or squash, or other fruit/veggies you have in the house. If he isn't foraging, he isn't getting any variety in his diet. Sorry, that is the only thing I can think of right now that could help. Have you been supplementing with niacin? Flock raiser is very low in niacin, as chicks don't need it like ducklings do.

 

[Alexc844]

He gets 125mg of niacin in his gallon waterer daily, but I will try supplementing some greens in there. I have heard spinach is no good. Would Romaine lettuce be okay? What would he do best on?

 

[jducour]

My ducks love all greens. Chop them up and offer them in a dish of water or milk. My ducks also love carrots, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, really anything! Now that our garden is mostly gone, they have less to forage, so I am giving them a dish of boiled potatoes, squash and apples every night. I just cook a big pot of it, and it lasts for 3 big flock sized servings. In the summer I serve treats in a dish of water, but in the fall and winter I'm giving it in milk. Just a bit more calories and vitamins.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Purina Flock Raiser is 20% protein, just an fyi...

I use it for mine from hatch to lay, chooks and ducks...

It's hard for me to see properly on my phone, but it kinda looks like the pics I've seen of split wing, maybe?

@Amiga can you help?

 

[Alexc844]

That could be. It is a relatively new development.

 

[Alexc844]

My ducks love all greens. Chop them up and offer them in a dish of water or milk. My ducks also love carrots, squash, tomatoes, potatoes, really anything! Now that our garden is mostly gone, they have less to forage, so I am giving them a dish of boiled potatoes, squash and apples every night. I just cook a big pot of it, and it lasts for 3 big flock sized servings. In the summer I serve treats in a dish of water, but in the fall and winter I'm giving it in milk. Just a bit more calories and vitamins.

I never thought of giving them milk before... Does the fat % matter? I generally get 1%...