Duck lame: what to do and how to treat, causes and prevention

There are several reasons that can cause lameness in a bird. It can be a dislocation, a wound, a disease. In the latter case, the animal has additional symptoms, such as feather loss, inflammation of the cornea, and so on. Similar signs may indicate a deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body. What to do if the duck is lame? The first is to find out the cause, the second is to eliminate it.

Why can a duck limp

Lameness in a bird can be caused by:

leg injuries (dislocations, fractures, wounds, burns and other limb injuries);
congenital pathologies of the legs due to abnormal development of the fetus (possible causes - closely related crossings, violation of the incubation regimen);
insufficient number of females in the duck house (drakes often cover the same ducks, which increases the load on their body - the weight of the drake is 6 kg, while the females weigh about 4.5 kg);
avitaminosis;
mycoplasmosis.

Leg injuries

This category includes dislocations of joints, broken bones, bruises, wounds. Ducks often get such injuries when they make sudden movements due to fright (not only ducklings, but also adult birds are very shy, so they instantly react to the slightest noise).

Bruises are characterized by redness, swelling of the damaged area. With a dislocation of the joint, the leg is twisted at an unnatural angle. A tumor and a hematoma may form around the diseased area.

When broken, the damaged area swells and becomes bluish. The problem is usually not eliminated, and the bird with pathology is sent for slaughter.

Avitaminosis

If the duck is lame, it may be due to a lack of vitamins. Due to the lack of vitamin B group, birds develop perosis, a sign of which is the displacement of the tendons, and later on, the dislocation of the joint.

If there are no calcium, phosphorus, sodium in the diet, the softening of bone tissue occurs in animals. The accelerated growth of fattening ducklings causes great stress on the skeleton and deformation of the bones, which is why lameness develops.

Mycoplasmosis

Weak immune defense allows mycoplasma bacteria to become active in the animal's body. Signs of mycoplasmosis:

joints of lower extremities begin to swell;
local temperature increase;
stiffness of movement, lameness;
greenish litter;
ruffled feathers;
pale beak.

Treatment and prevention

The lame duck is kept in a separate cage. The site of the bruise is cooled, and after 4-5 hours the limb is wrapped with a warm cloth. After a couple of weeks, the bruise goes away. When the joint is dislocated, reduction is performed, after which a tight bandage is applied to the leg. A stocking is put on the animal in such a way that it captures the tail and part of the back. In case of a fracture, an x-ray is taken, the limb is fixed and antibiotic therapy is prescribed. After a month, the fixator is removed, and a tight bandage is put on the leg.

If mycoplasmosis is found in a bird, the veterinarian prescribes a course of antibiotics, a total disinfection of the duckling is carried out. To prevent the development of beriberi, a grain mixture, potato tubers, lettuce and cabbage are introduced into the diet of animals.The menu should also include yeast, fish oil, bran.

It is important to ensure that there are enough females in the house.

Another important point is the observance of the incubation regimen. Eggs must be turned regularly so that the tissue of the fetus does not adhere to the inside of the shell. Eggs must not be damaged. In order not to have to constantly treat ducks, it is recommended to purchase birds with good immunity, such as a hybrid mulard duck.

Duck lameness is common, but the condition is easy to cure. And yet it should not be taken to extremes. Prevention of a problem will help to follow preventive measures and recommendations for caring for birds.