Muscovy Ducklings in dire need of help (Cant walk)

[DJBass88]

This is gonna be a long thread packed with info. I need all the help I can get so I appreciate anyone willing to read/post.

Quick summary of issue: I have taken in two 4-5 week old Muscovy ducklings that fell behind the mother/siblings. Both have leg issues and I would like to see if I can rehab them and get them back out into the wild.

Background: Aprox: May 26th, A Muscovy duck had a clutch of 15 ducklings. I've kept watch because I was curious and noticed they dwindled down to 5 by June 21st. Then the next day I heard one in the pond crying out and abandoned. Some crows were trying to grab and kill it. I intervened and rescued it. I took it to its mama after almost an hour of trying to find it. Tons of chirping aside, It fell behind immediately after mama left the lake and went into the bushes. It could not get out of the water. So therefore I took it in figuring it was as good as dead. Fast forward to a few days ago, and another duckling suffered the same fate. Leg issue and could not keep up. Even a drake that was following the mama decided to try and kill it.

So Duck #1 (We'll call it puffy), Seems a bit big. Duck #2 (We'll call it speedy) seems a bit undersized. Speedy is present in the photo of the mama above but puffy was already captured at time of photo.

Steps I've taken thus far:

As seen in the picture above, I have set up a pretty sizeable box to both limit how far they need to go to get to food/water and keep them from pooping all over my floor lol. I was able to get some Duck food from a friend and bought brewers yeast with niacin/protein from amazon. I also acquired some peas. Its been 6 days with Puffy and 3 days with speedy and their ability to walk has not improved at all. Both are eating, drinking, and swimming good. Just can't walk. Puffy also seems to have tailfeathers growing in without any feather? I've uploaded videos of both and some additional pictures below.

What am I missing and what else can I do? My budget is limited but Amazon links help if their is another product I need. Since it seems a lot of the clutch are suffering from this problem we think the environment is the ultimate issue. It is a reclaimed water lake with plenty of predators for ducklings such as cats, tons of geese, and I even think I spotted a Ferron (sp?) recently.

It also should be mentioned that all attempts to contact wildlife rescue and rehab places have failed with either them closed or not willing to accept Muscovy ducklings. One even mentioned they were going to die either way and im wasting my time. Great advice.....

Questions:

- Can anyone identify the sex of either one from the pictures/videos?

Videos:

Video of the clutch May 30th

Puffy Walking:

Speedy Walking:

Pictures:

They seem calm enough to sleep after I let them swim in the tub for a bit. Puffy has a big chest.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Puffy look like it might have splay lerg or spraddle leg it's the same just some say either one. Here is info on helping
https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/how-to-fix-splayed-leg-spraddle-leg/
Looks like Speedy was from someone elses clutch and mama Muscovy took it in. Since he is so much larger.
When they eat a lot their chest can appear too big but it is becasue the food sits in the crop and makes it look that way. Be sure they always have water deep enough to clean their eyes and bills when eating.
If your in Florida @ruthhope may be able to help she is in Florida.

 

[DJBass88]

Puffy look like it might have splay lerg or spraddle leg it's the same just some say either one. Here is info on helping
https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/how-to-fix-splayed-leg-spraddle-leg/
Looks like Speedy was from someone elses clutch and mama Muscovy took it in. Since he is so much larger.
When they eat a lot their chest can appear too big but it is becasue the food sits in the crop and makes it look that way. Be sure they always have water deep enough to clean their eyes and bills when eating.
If your in Florida @ruthhope may be able to help she is in Florida.

So the spraddle leg has been present in these ducklings for a couple weeks that ive observed in the wild. The fix there mentions you need to do it in the first 48 hours of hatching. These are 4-5 weeks old. Am I looking at an impossible task to fix the legs?

Also, Speedy I am 99% sure is from the same clutch. All 5 (Now 3) remaining ducks from the clutch are different sizes and I have not witnessed any other clutches around the lake.

As for deep water, I've provided it in the makeshift brood but it cant stand so it ignores the deep water placed inside it. This is why I put them in a tub for an hour in the morning and afternoon. Even then..Puffy just floats. It doesn't dive deep or fully submerge its head or just its beak.

So If the legs are permanently damaged, What is my strategy here in order to release them back into the wild with the best chance to live? Keeping them until they can fly is gonna be very difficult.

 

[Bobbiejocoop]

No advice but thank you for giving these adorable babies a fighting chance

 

[ruthhope]

Puffy look like it might have splay leg or spraddle leg it's the same just some say either one. Here is info on helping
https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/how-to-fix-splayed-leg-spraddle-leg/
Looks like Speedy was from someone elses clutch and mama Muscovy took it in. Since he is so much larger.
When they eat a lot their chest can appear too big but it is becasue the food sits in the crop and makes it look that way. Be sure they always have water deep enough to clean their eyes and bills when eating.
If your in Florida @ruthhope may be able to help she is in Florida.

Thank you, @DJBass88, for caring for these ducklings.

I was thinking that the issue might be nutritional or a toxin until I saw the video of the ducks moving and the photo showing puffy's leg sticking out. Now I think Puffy has splayed leg, or a leg injury from a predator attack.

Muscovies do have large clutches and they are very vulnerable to the predation that you have noted .

You are giving the right diet (duck pellets and peas for treats). If there was no suggestion of splayed leg, I would suggest getting durvet high level Vit B complex from a feed store (Tractor Supply Co.) Or Amazon. Ducklings with symptoms of Vit B deficiency--that is gait issues--need 1ml each daily soaked into a treat then stay and watch the ducklings eat the full dose. Keep giving the added brewers yeast in the food and treat with Vit B Complex until 1 week after the gait issue is resolved.

I would treat Puffy for splayed leg and give both ducklings Vit B Complex

@DJBass88, Where are you (city and state)?

 

[Bobbiejocoop]

Thank you for caring for these ducklings.

I was thinking that the issue might be nutritional or a toxin until I saw the video of the ducks moving and the photo showing puffy's leg sticking out. Now I think Puffy has splayed leg l, or a leg injury from a predator attack.

Muscovies do have large clutches and they are very vulnerable to the predation that you have noted .

You are giving the right diet (duck pellets and peas for treats). If there was no suggestion of splayed leg, I would suggest getting durvet high level Vit B complex from a feed store (Tractor Supply Co.) Or Amazon. Ducklings with symptoms of Vit B deficiency--that is gait issues--need 1ml each daily soaked into a treat then stay and watch the ducklings eat the full dose. Keep giving the added brewers yeast in the food and treat with Vit B Complex until 1 week after the gait issue is resolved.

I would treat Puffy for splayed leg and give both ducklings Vit B Complex

https://a.co/d/0eTD0A4S

Here’s the Amazon link for the vitamin B.

 

[DJBass88]

Thank you, @DJBass88, for caring for these ducklings.

I was thinking that the issue might be nutritional or a toxin until I saw the video of the ducks moving and the photo showing puffy's leg sticking out. Now I think Puffy has splayed leg, or a leg injury from a predator attack.

Muscovies do have large clutches and they are very vulnerable to the predation that you have noted .

You are giving the right diet (duck pellets and peas for treats). If there was no suggestion of splayed leg, I would suggest getting durvet high level Vit B complex from a feed store (Tractor Supply Co.) Or Amazon. Ducklings with symptoms of Vit B deficiency--that is gait issues--need 1ml each daily soaked into a treat then stay and watch the ducklings eat the full dose. Keep giving the added brewers yeast in the food and treat with Vit B Complex until 1 week after the gait issue is resolved.

I would treat Puffy for splayed leg and give both ducklings Vit B Complex

@DJBass88, Where are you (city and state)?

https://a.co/d/0eTD0A4S

Here’s the Amazon link for the vitamin B.

Ill get the vitamin B. Thank you both for the advice/links.

About the Splayed leg, Ill copy my response above

So the spraddle leg has been present in these ducklings for a couple weeks that ive observed in the wild. The fix there mentions you need to do it in the first 48 hours of hatching. These are 4-5 weeks old. Am I looking at an impossible task to fix the legs? If the legs are permanently damaged, What is my strategy here in order to release them back into the wild with the best chance to live? Keeping them until they can fly is gonna be very difficult.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@CoriM can help with older duckling being fixed
The liquid b says injectable but just give it orally.

 

[CoriM]

You are so wonderful to take them in. They are darling! Here's what you can do for their legs. First, definitely the liquid vitamin B complex every day` - at least 1 ml over food, and you can even add extra to small dishes of water, just to make sure they're getting enough - they will pee out any extra their body doesn't need.

I don't think it's too late to fix splay leg. I had a pekin who developed it around the same size as these babies and was able to fix it. ASAP get 1 inch vet wrap - you can use first aid tape from the drug store initially, but you'll find vet wrap cheap on Amazon. It's stretchy gauze type stuff that sticks to itself not the duck.

Put a little loop around each leg, then pull the legs into normal position and put a bigger loop around the legs, sticking to the tiny loops, and that will hold the legs where they should be. It will seem awkward, but they will get used to it. Keep food and water close so they don't have to travel too far. You can still give them swim time to strengthen the legs.

As for releasing them back into the wild....I don't know if that would be possible after they've been rehabilitated in your home and grown accustomed to eating duck food. I'm not an expert in this matter, it just seems like they would be more like domesticated ducks.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm attaching a photo of my ducks with the hobbles and a video after my one girl had worn them for a couple of weeks and was walking better.

 

[DJBass88]

You are so wonderful to take them in. They are darling! Here's what you can do for their legs. First, definitely the liquid vitamin B complex every day` - at least 1 ml over food, and you can even add extra to small dishes of water, just to make sure they're getting enough - they will pee out any extra their body doesn't need.

I don't think it's too late to fix splay leg. I had a pekin who developed it around the same size as these babies and was able to fix it. ASAP get 1 inch vet wrap - you can use first aid tape from the drug store initially, but you'll find vet wrap cheap on Amazon. It's stretchy gauze type stuff that sticks to itself not the duck.

Put a little loop around each leg, then pull the legs into normal position and put a bigger loop around the legs, sticking to the tiny loops, and that will hold the legs where they should be. It will seem awkward, but they will get used to it. Keep food and water close so they don't have to travel too far. You can still give them swim time to strengthen the legs.

As for releasing them back into the wild....I don't know if that would be possible after they've been rehabilitated in your home and grown accustomed to eating duck food. I'm not an expert in this matter, it just seems like they would be more like domesticated ducks.

Let me know if you have any questions. I'm attaching a photo of my ducks with the hobbles and a video after my one girl had worn them for a couple of weeks and was walking better.

View attachment 3877490

Fantastic. Thank you so much for the advice. I will give your suggestions a try. Ive ordered some Vitamin B complex on amazon. Side note, These things are poop machines. How do you deal with them indoors? lol

As for releasing them back into the wild....I don't know if that would be possible after they've been rehabilitated in your home and grown accustomed to eating duck food. I'm not an expert in this matter, it just seems like they would be more like domesticated ducks.

Well crap. I knew I was probably in over my head lol. Ill see if any farms in the area might be willing to take them once they are adult and sorted out. Sounds like its gonna be a long few months. A relative has a big donkey sized cage that might make holding them as adults much more feasible.