[Dizzycow]

I think my poor drake may have a broken leg. He was using his wings to walk this morning, poor boy. I've put him in a cage to keep him still and quiet. Any thoughts? Poor old thing. (Actually, he's only a matter of months old, and a very handsome and quite tame boy.) I wonder what happened. 

[BenBhoy]

have you felt it, sure it a broken leg or could he have damaged/pain in actual foot? do you have other animals that could have injured him?

if it is a broken leg then i think you'd be best putting him down, thats what we did when a  broke it's leg, we think it had run in with a pony.

[darkbrowneggs]

My ducks pen has a lot of ivy and shrubby stuff growing round the pond, and every so often a duck/drake will show up with a limp. 

I intended to catch up the first one, but it flapped off too quick and jumped into the middle of the pond, and kept out of my way for a few days, by which time it was better.  So now I give them a good long time to recover, and so far everyone has.

[Dizzycow]

Thanks, guys. I haven't given him a proper feel, I'm not sure whether I'd know if it's broken or not. They're so tricky to catch and examine as they're very flappy and scaredy! I'll keep him confined over the weekend then see how he is. I desperately don't want to put him down, and would have to get someone to do it for me as I'm too wet to do it myself!
 

[jaykay]

I've splinted bird legs successfully but if it is broken you need to do it sooner rather than later. You need two of you, one to grab him round his body, pinning his wings, which stops the flapping and they usually relax if held firm. Then you can look properly.

To splint, you wrap a couple of wraps of bandage to pad the leg,then put a piece of thin wood or metal either side and wrap the bandage to hold in place. Lollipop sticks are ideal.

[Dizzycow]

Thanks, Jaykay. I'll check him out tomorrow. He's starting to pong a bit in his solitary confinement... smell ducks! 

[Penninehillbilly]

mine sometimes seem to have trouble walking at about a couple of months old, I make sure they can get food and they seem to come though OK, hope it's just that.

[Hermit]

I agree he definately needs a good check but I always seem to have one with a limp cause they are free range with geese who bully the ducks. You dont say what kind of duck , I believe runners 'show' a limp more than say an Aylesbury. If the duck is pushing the leg against your hand when you examine it it maybe more of a twist than a break( geese for example hang on to a leg and swing the duck around!)  I tend to isolate for a day if bad but then I let them back on the burn as Darkbrown eggs says water is the best therapy.  Hope your duck is ok and not a break.

[Dizzycow]

I've just put him back out and he seems ok. I put him out two days ago, he was fine for about a minute then went down again. Yes, he's a runner. One of my previous runners who had a limp a few months back still walks a bit funny. I hope he stays ok, they really don't like being kept apart from the flock! Thanks for all advice, fingers crossed he's ok again. 

[jaykay]

Fingers crossed. My runners occasionally limp too - it does generally sort out. I've no idea why, I have thus theory that they twist their ankles charging about our rough land. Then again, maybe they get thistle spells in their feet 

[northfifeduckling]

Hope he is ok now! We had some limping ducks over the years, two got one of their feet trapped in something and one punctured her flippers on something sharp...all recovered quickly! 

[Dizzycow]

I'm delighted to report that he is fine!
 

[Penninehillbilly]

Good news!

[Hermit]

Great ....Runners do tend to 'eggsagerate'.

[colliewoman]

i think i read somewhere that ducks can suffer from an affliction called cramp (dunno if its the same as us) might be worth a google to see if anything could be done if it happens again