Waterfowl in the wild live mainly on grains and grass. Modern high protein feeds can cause a condition that is known as Angel Wing to occur in growing birds.
Angel Wing is where the wing joint deforms and twists, the weight of the growing primary feathers that are full of blood causes the wings to droop and the feathers to stick out at a funny angle. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done in adult ducks but if you catch it early in growing ducks, it can be fixed.
At the first sign of Angel Wing, the wing should be taped into the correct natural position for 3 days (masking tape is good for this). The diet should be changed to a lower protein diet. Feeding wheat with pellets can accomplish this.
See our FAQ on Feeding Ducklings for more information.
If Angel Wing is not corrected when young, the wing joint will remain deformed and as an adult, some of the primary feathers will stick out. The photo below shows an adult goose that has Angel Wing.
- An adult Goose with Angel Wing.
- Angel-Wing-Goose-in-Flock2.jpg (22.33 KiB) Viewed 6032 times