What to do if a duck is limping and how to treat it, causes and prevention
There are several reasons that can cause lameness in a bird. It can be dislocation, injury, illness. In the latter case, the animal has additional symptoms, for example, feather loss, corneal inflammation, etc. Such signs may indicate a deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body. What if the duck is limping? 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 (sprains, fractures, wounds, burns and other injuries of the limbs);
- congenital pathologies of the legs due to abnormal development of the fetus (possible reasons - closely related crosses, violation of the incubation regime);
- an insufficient number of females in the duckhouse (the drake often covers 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 joint dislocations, bone fractures, bruises, wounds. Ducks often receive such injuries by making sudden movements due to fright (not only ducklings, but also adult birds are very shy, so they instantly react to the slightest noise).
With fractures, 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 in birds, perosis develops, a sign of which is the displacement of the tendons, and later - the dislocation of the joint.
If there are no calcium, phosphorus, sodium in the diet, the animals have a softening of bone tissue. 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 defenses allow mycoplasma bacteria to activate in the animal's body. Signs of mycoplasmosis:
- the joints of the lower extremities begin to swell;
- local temperature rise;
- stiffness of movements, lameness;
- greenish droppings;
- ruffled feathers;
- pale beak.
Treatment and prevention
The lame duck is kept in a separate cage. The site of the injury is cooled, and after 4-5 hours the limb is wrapped in a warm cloth. After a couple of weeks, the bruise disappears. When the joint is dislocated, a reduction is made, 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 retainer 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, and a total disinfection of the ducklings is carried out. In order to prevent the development of vitamin deficiency, a grain mixture, potato tubers, lettuce and cabbage leaves 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 compliance with the incubation regime. Eggs must be turned over regularly so that the fetal tissue does not adhere to the inside of the shell. Eggs must not be injured. In order not to have to constantly treat ducks, it is recommended to purchase birds with good immunity, for example, a hybrid mulard duck.
Lameness in ducks is common, but the condition is not difficult to cure. And yet it should not be taken to the extreme. Compliance with preventive measures and bird care recommendations will help prevent the occurrence of a problem.
