I've had pet birds with leg problems. Was given a male cockatiel that got wedged between the nest and a wall when he was a baby. His previous owner said it caused nerve damage to his feet. He was unable to close them around a perch. He had to stay on the floor of his cage. When I got him he couldn't even walk. My vet said he had a calcium deficiency and prescribed a calcium supplement. He was able to walk again after this but could still not balance on a perch. I bought him a wire ledge to sit on so he didn't have to stay on the ground.

Another time I was at a pet store and saw a baby parrot with crooked legs inside an aquarium. The owner had put some kind of braces on him so they would develop properly as he grew.

Here is a link specific to Pekin ducks. Good luck!

HandicappedPets.com/www.handicappedpets.net
ÃHandicappedPets.com Forum Index -> Birds/Exotics

"Leg problems in Pekin Ducklings"

I'm not exactly sure how your baby's leg is, but I have a female muscovy who was born with her leg twisted upwards where her knee part touches the ground and she can't walk on her feet on the left side.

I've always had to give her extra special care since she's like that. I carry her food and water to her and put her in the swimming pool to take baths since she can't do all this on her own.

We tried carrying her to get her foot put in some kind of brace when she was younger, but there was nothing that could be done about it.

She's 3 years old now and I know there is no way she could swim out in a pond because she would drown. She can't swim very long at a time so when I put her in the pool I always wait for her to get ready to get out before I go inside.

She also doesn't hang out with the other ducks. I feel sorry for her sometimes because she's always alone. But, the other ducks just won't have anything to do with her because she can't keep up with them.

I know you asked for help about your little duck, but I thought maybe all this would be helpful for you if I told you about my duck, Troy.

I hope some of this helps. Let us know if he gets better!
Genny

thank you :-) the duck is two and a half weeks old and I am glad to hear its not alone. My ducks feet both are bent in on the lower portion with it walking on the feet that are turned side ways. The others hang out with it but when in bath tub they take off and play.

I have bred animals for my entire life, ducks to deer and a whole lot more. Things go wrong for many reasons and it is no doubt easier for me to say than for you to realize that the duck should be euthanized. Its just a part of breeding or keeping animals. It will have a poor quality of life as it is. The problem could be caused by incubator temps or it could be a genetic thing?? Many times people will blame these problems on inbreeding; thats rarely the case, it would be more likely to happen in a total outcross mating when neither parents have known heritage and both are carrying some sort of deleterious recessive genes.. the first signs of too much inbreeding are lowered fertility rates and lessened disease resistance.

I know the problem was not with my incubator temps. I have hatched numerous chickens, I bought the duck eggs from someone else so I have no clue about their genetics or such. I know that the other two are healthy. He swims like the others and after putting it in the bath tub a few times the duck seems to move the one leg a little more. He can keep up with the other two just does it on his bent legs. Kinda like a human with no arms learns to adapt by using their feet. Not sure what is meant about quality of life? The duck seems very happy and plays and such with the others.

I don't think the little duck should be euthanized. My duck, Troy, can't walk either, but she enjoys life.

Patricia, I think your little baby can live as happy of a life as the other ducks if you just give him some extra special love and care. I wouldn't kill him, he can't help he was born that way.

I simply got Troy and gave her a chance in life, otherwise she would have probably died, because I found her when she was a baby without a mom. Just love your little baby and I think he'll be ok

The ducklings legs need to be straightened before he gets bigger and his legs may not support his body that way; or he may get sores on his feet which will lead to pain and infections.

Some vets may work with you on this, or wildlife rehabbers, but you will have to pay for it. I have straightened out legs like that, depending on the problem. Good luck.

But letting it just grow as is may lead to a life of pain and ultimately, the bird may be crippled, living in its own feces, which is not a good life. Some people here may tolerate that, thinking a miserable, painful, deprived life is better than no life at all. I am not one of those people.

Love is not all. Love is making hard choices for the critters in your care.

Your right, ellynj, if she can get it fixed then that would be awesome, but I was just saying that my duck can't walk either, but she seems happy. She has to use her wings to balance herself, and she can walk a little with her other foot, but not much. I just didn't want Patricia to euthanize her duck if there was something she could do to help him. I 8nderstand if an animal us in pain and suffering then sometimes you have to make tough decisions, but sometimes if there is a way to save the animal, even if it might not be normal just like the rest, that is still sometimes the best thing.

Thank you I am sure Troy is enjoying a great life. I am going to make a few calls after Christmas and see if I can get the duck to a vet and try to get its legs straight. My little gal it seems to be today actually stood a little taller on the legs and while swimming. Yes she actually was swimming in the tub was able to extend one leg back like the others. When we grib her toes she does have some strength. I am not rich with 4 kids but will do all I can to help her survive. I have seen animals with wheels if thats what it takes. We have one of our chickens whos the same age in with them and if need be I will let them in with my other chickens and supply a baby pool. Or I will continue to have that nice round baby pen and bedding in there and let my duck play in bath tub. Most say not a household pet but if it gets a great life than be it :-) I know everyone has opinions but I feel animals are like humans I would not get rid of them either.

Merry Christmas
happy Holidays

Patricia

Gennym, the other reason to euthanize an animal is just not having the 1-3 hours per day to see that the animal gets a good quality of life; if you have to move the animal to and from its food, water and any form of exercise, as well as make sure its surroundings are constantly clean, then that's wonderful for both you and the animal. BUT, if you have a job, family or multiple other animals that also take up a lot of your time, then the kindest thing may in fact be to euthanize the animal. This is always a decision that each one of us has to make for ourselves, but it does help to consider the perspective from which any advice is being given. And, as well, if you are keeping an animal as a pet, you may be MUCH more willing to make major sacrifices, either of time or of money, much moreso than if the animal is a farm/production animal, that has to "pay" for itself. It sounds as though Patricia is keeping her ducks as pets, as you are, so she may well decide to make the effort. And, if the duck's leg can be improved at all, all the better for both it and Patricia!

Yeah, Troy is definitely a special little friend and I'd never consider putting her to sleep. . We do have a lot more animals, but I have enough time each day to take care of Troy and the other animals.

Patricia, I'm glad your little baby was swimming well today! That's great!!!!!!!

We have 80 chickens approx. 3 cats and the 3 ducks and of course 4 kids. LOL I work at home and many times up late working because I sit and cuddle each and everyone. I have a polish chicken who makes sure she gets loven first as she will literally sit on your foot untill you do :-)

Patricia

Sometime you have to consider the animal's needs, not your own. "Swimming" on wings is not the purpose of wings. When an animal is living in its own feces, then it is time to reconsider its quality of life.

Hard decisions. That is the responsibility of responsible owners.

Best of luck to all.

Swimming on wings?? If you're talking about Troy I never said that. She can float and swim like any other duck, just not as long.

She can walk, but only with her right foot, so since it's ahrd for her she doesn't do much walking, but that doesn't mean she can't. Yes, she does use her wings to help herself get around. She balances herself with them mostly. She will wake up in the morning though and be on one side of the yard and by the end of the day be on the other end, it only takes her longer where it will take the other ducks 2 minutes to get to the other side and it might take Troy about 20 minutes. She walks, but not much at all.

Troy doesn't need to be put to sleep though. She isn't like the rest of the ducks, but she still has strength and the will to live. As long as she's strong I'm going to be strong and help her take care of herself. She's one of the best ducks I've ever had and I love her dearly. I'd never do anything to harm or or hurt her.

And were you talking about Troy when you said 'living in its own feces' because Troy doesn't live in those conditions. I clean out where she stays daily. She is able to move on her own, not that great, but she can get up and move.

I'dappreciate it if you wouldn't tell me that you think euthanizing Troy would be the best thing for her. I'm not trying to argue with you, but I love that little duck and I don't like anyone to say things like that about her when she is in good health as far as her health goes, and still has the will to survive.

Here is a picture of her.

{{gwi:36293}}

Patricia, You have 80 chickens!!! That's a lot! We have 3 cats too.....

Talk to you all later!

Troy is beautiful. My duck does not live in feces either. I clean the cage they are in daily as well as let them swim in tub to be clean. My duck does not use its wings to balance. She stands on the bottom portion of her legs. Shes able to hold her self up to swim and has started to use one leg to scratch I call it like the others. One leg is not as good but she has some strength in her toes not much. She can keep up just almost as good as the other two boys. I am glad you would never put Troy down. I am not going to with mine either. We had to do it with a few chickens I felt really bad but new it was better for them but shes got life to her. If I can fiqure out how to post her I will :-)

Patricia

Hi Patricia, thankyou! I'd love to see pictures of your little girl too!

I go to photobucket.com to download mine. If you go there and make an account then upload your pictures to that website it saves them for you and you can just get the link from there and post it here! I find that pretty much the easiest way to post pictures anywhere really :)

Merry Christmas!!

Genny