Rescued a very neglected Indian Runner.. need advice pls

Miss Lydia said:

Poor little one so glad you rescued her. I guess you could slather some bag balm on her feet but it will make them slippery so she need to be kept on something so her legs don't slip. Was she the only duck? Hopefully good care feed and time she'll be right as rain. How old?

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CHinsz said:

She is apparently 10 months old. But the same size as my 7 week old Runner. I’ll keep up with baths and see how that helps …

No, there were other ducks.. but she was the only one I saw and I just can’t take more.. but I couldn’t leave her there.

I’ll research what I can give to hydrate her skin… thank u

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LizGio said:

Can you report the farm? Send authorities pictures?

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ruthhope said:

You should find that soaking her feet in epsom salts for the bumblefoot will bring off hte dry flakey skin from her feet.

I have rescued ducks in poor condition but yours sounds exceptionally bad. Thankful you got her.

She needs quarantining from your existing ducks. Officially, quarantine for 28 days but I find that quarantining for 2 weeks and giving a dose of worm medicine is OK if the duck has a good appetite and starts gaining weight, and is active. Two weeks ensures she doesn't bring avian flu to your ducks. Then move into see but no touch for a while -- depends on the reactions of your ducks and the newbie for how long.

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CHinsz said:

Th u!!! Great advice. Yes I wondered how long to quarantine her.

I’ll see about worm medication…. I do t detect any respiratory issues this far which is promising… and she dove into the food bowl when I brought her home. I don’t think she was getting enough of what she needed before. She doesn’t like to eat in front of us.. which is interesting. I assume she was picked on and low on that totem pole. Perhaps snatching food when she could. She will only eat if we leave the room.

Th u again. I appreciate any info I can get! I’ve never had an animal in this state before.

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Pyrantel Pamoate for Chickens and Ducks - PoultryDVM​

ruthhope said:

I used pyrantel from Tractor Supply
Overview Pyrantel Pamoate (pyrantel embonate) is a pyrimidine-derivative anthelmintic, used in poultry to treat internal parasites--specifically against large roundworms, Capillaria, and Hetarakis.

Pyrantel Pamoate for Chickens and Ducks - PoultryDVM​

www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/pyrantel

My two abused rescues are diffident about eating from communal feeding bowls. They have their own individual feeding bowl over night. They also don't know that they like peas and cherry tomatoes [they do]. I find the best way to give the treats is to put them in the wading pool and then they are happy to find them and eat. Both are good foragers -- one is with my son's girls and one has stayed with me.

My son's rescue is now growing new flight feathers and I hope will look a lot better when they are fully through. Mine hasn't yet got signs of new flight feathers, but he is the same age and presumably from the same clutch as the other. So I hope his will start showing soon.

Yours will likely need a couple of weeks to start fattening up -- mine were both severely dehydrated and so rehydrated quickly but took 2 weeks before they were noticeably heavier. And yours will clean up with acess to water but any ratty/tatty feathers might have to remain until the fall molt.

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