Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: Carshay on May 26, 2012, 17:10
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Things have improved a bit in the chicken run- the Babcock now gets off the roof for a few mins at a time but now I have a limping runner duck! She is the most nervous one and I think seems to have injured a leg. I can't see blood & she can hobble on it so I have decided to leave her & see how she is tomorrow as she will be very stressed if I try to catch her. BUT I feel guilty - should I do more or am I doing the right thing?
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If you cannot see an obvious injury I would leave it and see how she is tomorrow - if there is not improvement you could then try and catch her to take her to the vet on Monday.
They can heal quite quickly - one of our ducks was injured in a fox attack in which we lost one hen. He had a fairly minor cut - we just made sure that he had plenty of water to bathe in and in a couple of days he was completely back to normal so hopefully the same will apply to your duck.
They can be such a worry because they cannot tell you what is wrong and you are quite often guessing what the problem is.
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Thanks - ill hope for the best
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Thanks for the advice. Millie seems fine this morning - probably strained it trying to go somewhere she shouldn't!
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Glad to hear that she appears better - I think that because ducks are more at home on water than on land and because of the weight distribution they are possibly more vulnerable to leg problems than hens.
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I have found this too, particularly with the runners. I think the just zoom around and injure themselves but have always picked up quite quickly.
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My friend who's a breeder said this problem occurs occasianally as it has in mine he said it was a food imbalance and it corrects it self.Will find out more from him .