Ducklings with splayed legs

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MrsSkorp

MrsSkorp

Hatching
6 Years
Mar 10, 2013
3
0
7
Saline, MI
Hello all,

I recently posted on here about how my fiancée and I rescued a pair of ducklings with splayed legs from tractor supply and are trying to rehab them. Per 2 of the avian vets I work with, we are swimming them several times a day and using passive motion therapy with them several times a day, too.

After just a few days of this, one of them seems to be making great improvements - but the other does not, and one leg in particular seems to be really troublesome for him. I was wondering if you all had any advice about splinting their legs? I also read something about supplementing with niacin? The food they are on right now is purina start and grow (medicated) and I don't believe it has any niacin in it. Is this a mistake? Any advice is appreciated!
 
MrsSkorp said:
Hello all,

I recently posted on here about how my fiancée and I rescued a pair of ducklings with splayed legs from tractor supply and are trying to rehab them. Per 2 of the avian vets I work with, we are swimming them several times a day and using passive motion therapy with them several times a day, too.

After just a few days of this, one of them seems to be making great improvements - but the other does not, and one leg in particular seems to be really troublesome for him. I was wondering if you all had any advice about splinting their legs? I also read something about supplementing with niacin? The food they are on right now is purina start and grow (medicated) and I don't believe it has any niacin in it. Is this a mistake? Any advice is appreciated!
Click to expand...
This link will take you to a site dealing with leg problems scroll down. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry also what are they on as far as bedding? shouldn't be slippery, they need traction to be able to get their legs under them, keep up the water therapy, and non medicated chick feed with 100-150 megs of niacin added to 1 gal of water, just plain niacin not flush free or time release. also pouiltry vitamins add. this link I gave you will cover how to wrap legs.
 
Thank you! I will definitely check out the link. I was under the impression that if they were on unmediated food they could suffer from coccidiosis, is that wrong? And they are currently in a large sterility container on towels to give them some traction.
 
MrsSkorp said:
Thank you! I will definitely check out the link. I was under the impression that if they were on unmediated food they could suffer from coccidiosis, is that wrong? And they are currently in a large sterility container on towels to give them some traction.
Click to expand...
It's not necessary to feed medicated. go outside and dig them up a portion of dirt with grass attached or weeds what ever you have at the moment, let them play in it eat of it and get them ready for the big out doors, best way in the world to get the tummy ready. Ducklings don't get cocci like chickens do. but giving them chucks of dirt with some kind of greens attached to it get their immune system in peak rediness for all they are going to be on when time to go outside.And bless you for giving these lil ones a fighting chance. and also
welcome-byc.gif
 
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For the splayed legs on young ducklings, you can try tying their legs with a piece of knitting twine just above the "knee". Make it just tight enough to hold the legs into a normal standing position. They will work their way out of it, so you will have to repeat it several times.

We have had some success doing this with a Pekin chick that was in the starter flock we just got. The rest of the chicks naturally made it more difficult for this one, but they are now two weeks old, and you can't tell which one of the flock had the problem.

We only had to keep the twine on for a couple of days, but we did make sure that this one had plenty of access to water and feed. We did try to keep the other chicks from crowding it out from the water and food so it had the strength to develop it's leg muscles more completely.
 
Anyone looking for split ideas here's mine. Just 3 cotton swabs and a rubber band and it worked amazing, wish i got it on video but when i put the duckling down it stood up for the first time in 2 weeks and was extremely confused,stood as tall as she could looking down at the foot in silence.
20210823_164316.jpg
still has a very crooked leg but should realign itself with some support and therapy. She was basically walking around on the top of her foot that's how twisted it was
 
Lilithts said:
For the splayed legs on young ducklings, you can try tying their legs with a piece of knitting twine just above the "knee". Make it just tight enough to hold the legs into a normal standing position. They will work their way out of it, so you will have to repeat it several times.

We have had some success doing this with a Pekin chick that was in the starter flock we just got. The rest of the chicks naturally made it more difficult for this one, but they are now two weeks old, and you can't tell which one of the flock had the problem.

We only had to keep the twine on for a couple of days, but we did make sure that this one had plenty of access to water and feed. We did try to keep the other chicks from crowding it out from the water and food so it had the strength to develop it's leg muscles more completely.
Click to expand...
Try a rubber band or hair tie and tape or tie the middle. The resistance should help support while also strengthening the legs, i had a big bag of different sizes that helped
 

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