A Broken Duck Leg?

[Haydog03]

Hi! This is my first post, and I wish it was a happier one! We got two new ducklings to add into our flock of three (one female and two drakes). We're hoping our new ducklings will be females!

One of the ducklings (we have yet to name), fell and hurt his/her leg. We're wondering if it's broken, fractured, and what we can do? The duckling's leg is crippled, so it seems to be walking on the leg and not the foot. It cannot straighten it's leg. The place we buy our older duck's food from ran out, so we've been giving them (the older ducks) chicken feed and they roam the yard for bugs and grass. The ducklings didn't get chick starter, so we've been giving them crushed adult chicken feed and small bird seed until we can get to the store; they also get worms, peas, and etc.

These are pets, and the duckling's live inside currently, have fresh water, and warmth. If it was broke, I thought it wouldn't walk, but it does so I don't think it's broken... it can move it, and it swims fine, eats fine, and drinks fine. Aside from the obvious hobbling, it's a normal duckling. It lays down so much, though and tires easily! What should we do? A splint? Less chicken food? More peas? Is it hopeless? Thanks for reading and hopefully any advice I receive! I've been a long time reader of the site, but just created my account! I hope someone can help!

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! Can you post pictures and a video? To post a video, upload to YouTube or Vimeo them copy/paste the link here. Can you also tell us what bone or joint is injured?

 

[Eggcessive]

There is a duck forum as well to post on for more duck experts. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/ducks.42/

Sorry about your duckling. They need a feed for younger ducks complete with all vitamins and mineral for their age. I would get the poultry starter grower for them and start some B complex vitamins—crush 1/2 tablet daily or sprinkle some nutritional yeast which has B vitamins for them. If the leg or foot is broken, a splint may help. Can you post a picture?
http://www.duckdvm.com/condition/broken-leg
https://theiwrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Duerr_Splinting_Manual_2010.pdf

 

[Haydog03]

Thanks so much for replying! We put a splint on last night, and this morning the duckling doesn't seem to want to move... I'll try to post a picture once I can get one, all it wants to do is lay down. Something odd happened yesterday, they were in their pool, and it straightened it's legs? Plus, it hurt itself three days ago and it was fine after a minute, two days ago it was little worse, and yesterday suddenly terrible! It seems like it's getting worse by the day, that seems weird to me, like it's slowly breaking!

 

[casportpony]

What bone is broken?

 

[Haydog03]

Sorry about not replying! My notifications don't work!

Anywho, I think the ankle is broken! The picture I posted was taken two days ago, so before it got really bad! This is him/her walking, or trying. It cannot straighten any better than that while out of water, and yesterday he couldn't raise his ankle off the ground, so it looked like he was laying down, but trying to walk. I'll try to get a better picture today when we let them on the porch!

 

[Haydog03]

Update; He/she is having trouble reaching food and water. The other duckling is wild, and pushes the other one accidentally. Should we separate them? They love each other, and get so stressed when separated... but the wild duckling pushes the hurt one over, and eats most of the food and drinks most of the water. The hurt one tries to eat and drink, but it just can't compete with the wild one... It's heartbreaking to see the duckling take a step, fall over, get back up, then get pushed. I just wish the baby would heal and have fun with it's friend!