# Duckling with a broken foot



## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

A couple of days ago, a goat stepped on a 6 week old Pekin's foot. At first one toe was a teeny bit crooked, I figured it was broken and have been trying to get her to not walk too much. 

Two days later she was limping on it worse and now it is hot and swollen and so is her ankle joint!

I'm pretty sure it's sprained from her trying to run on it and infected too. She's now in isolation inside - what is the best antibiotic to give for an infected broken toe and is there anything else I can do besides just not let her walk on it too much?


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## RedDirt Cowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm wondering if a warm tub with epsom salt would be a good thing?


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## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Tylan seems to be safe for ducks.
Put a pinch of borax in her gallon of water for bone pain.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I don't think that warmth always means an infection. It could just be inflamed with lots of blood flow to the injury.

I would keep it isolated and as still as possible with food and water close by. Some electrolytes and vitamins in the drinking water would help too.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

Vitamins and supportive care - check
It's really swollen. It looks awful, it looks like bumblefoot, but just in the one toe and the joint. When the goat stepped on her, she threw herself backwards and I thought she twisted it, but it seemed ok that day and the next and then puffed up like a balloon after she tried running after her friends.

The borax that's in 20 mule team?


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Poor baby!  I think some extra treats are in order along with the supportive care!


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## the mama (Mar 1, 2006)

Bone infection. I lost a goose like this. Duck needs antibiotics.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Unless the skin was broken I don't see why it would get infected.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Give her clean water to swim in for as much of the time that you can. I've found that ducks with leg injuries respond well to being able to get off their feet and float. Don't let her get water logged though. 

If you can get whatever Cyngbaeld recommends, I'd do that, she's very expert. 

One thing I found out is that Aloe Vera juice in poultry water is used for an antibiotic in Africa, I keep some Aloe on hand for burns and have used the juice in the water of isolated injured ducks. Also I'd feed some Comfrey if you have it - its called "boneset" for good reason and is high protein, attractive to a duck in pain as a treat and very healthful. I try to support any medical treatment I do with extra healthy "treats" and herbs. If your duck won't eat Comfrey, you can chop it up and soak it in the water also. 

I found when Silver was injured a couple of years ago, she wasn't eating well at first, but she loves worms so I fed her those for a day or two to get her eating. Worms are high in fat and protein, but also are an alternate host for parasites (probably because they are a favorite food of ducks), so keep in mind that possibility.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

Thanks GrannyCarol, I just planted comfrey this year - I'll start her on it ASAP.

I put her in the duck pool a couple of times a day and she does like to just float. When she wants to get out and go after the other ducks I put her back in her pen. For her water in her pen I've got a nice big dishpan with a little borax in it. She can get all the way in and make a tremendous mess if she wants to  I put her in it and she seems happy to float for 10 minutes 2 or 3 x a day (right before I change it)
Tylan needs to be special ordered so I started her on amoxy - it was all I had on hand besides injectable penG. I wasn't sure if it was good for her but I thought if she may die of bone infection anyway...

But she's doing ok, limping a teeny bit less today, still swollen but not hot. Her appetite has stayed tremendous through this whole thing though she has lost a little weight. 
I'm hoping she makes it.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

Somehow being able to float seems to really make a lame duck happy and seems to really help lameness. I think its natural for them and takes the stress off the injury. Sounds like you're as big a softie as I am! I'll baby any injury until I see there's no hope of improvement (or they heal!) and nurse my animals along. 

It's a good sign her appetite is good. When Silver got a big hole in her side last year, I didn't see it for several days, it was under her wing and it was ugly (full of maggots, it was summer). That was NOT a fun clean up and she was depressed and lost her appetite, I thought I'd lose her. However, she is my pet and loves earthworms and will eat from my fingers. I went and dug worms for her for two days until her appetite started to come back. She made a full recovery, which pleased me no end. She lived in a wading pool in my grooming shop for two weeks, until she felt good enough to start hopping out and leaving duck poop everywhere! I filled my grooming tub every day for her swim too. My husband held her every day while I cleaned out her wound and gooped it up with antibiotic ointment. She got a lot of comfrey too. Silver is a good sport. I'm sure we overdid the nursing part, but she didn't mind. 

Good luck with your duck, does she have a name?


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

I tried to resist naming them, as they weren't supposed to be our ducks. Someone was supposed to come get them and never did. So my 10yo got to name them by default.
Which is why the girls are FootMuncher, Jemima and Bridget (the hurt one) and the drake is Luke Skywalker.


Their pen is right outside the backdoor and Bridget is with her friends today. It is brutally hot so they are lounging in the shade with the occasional 6 foot wander to the wading pool. The swelling is starting to go down and she's limping less.

These are Jumbo Pekins from Metzer. From the first it was very easy to tell the drake, his bill was pink and the ducks are all orange. It's no longer as dramatic as it was, but still a very noticeable difference. Has anyone else noticed this in Pekins?


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Are you sure that borax is safe for ducks to drink?


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## Iada (Jan 17, 2021)

the mama said:


> Bone infection. I lost a goose like this. Duck needs antibiotics.


What type of antibiotics would you recommend my duck has the same thing right now, he broke his middle toe and it’s starting to get swollen and I want to help him but we don’t know what type of antibiotics to get.


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## Iada (Jan 17, 2021)

the mama said:


> Bone infection. I lost a goose like this. Duck needs antibiotics.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

When one of my chickens broke or badly sprained her foot, I left her and she self healed. The injury was not dire and to separate her would have been more distressing in her circumstances. Most antibiotics I see for chickens are for respiratory infections. I don't have medical training but know respiratory infections and wound infections can be totally different organisms and just using an antibiotic for the sake of it being an antibiotic overall seems to do more harm than good. When in doubt, consult a veterinarian.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

Something you may consider is feeding them oregano, fresh, from the grocery store if you can get it. It has natural antibiotic properties. It is something I have done many times with good results. For example, when my rooster had a bite from a dog, and when one of my birds was limping and seemed to have a problem with one of her feet last summer. Basically anytime something is off, I feed them oregano. It doesn't have to be expensive, it's perennial and I have 3 patches I cut and dry in the summer to feed them in the winter as a treat.... good luck










Oregano for Chickens- Feeding Oregano for Healthier Backyard Chickens


Oregano for chickens has many health benefits. If you're interested in a more natural, holistic approach to keeping your chickens healthy, consider oregano.




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*Is oregano good for chickens?*
Oregano is a powerful preventative that can be fed to chickens. It has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Oregano also helps to strengthen the chicken’s immune system.


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