What Is Angel Wing In Ducks?

It’s beautiful to see the ducks fly. But a condition called angel wings can deprive them of the ability to fly in the air effortlessly.
So, what is angel wing in ducks?

When the wings of the ducks grow twisted and misaligned, it makes the wing stick out and destroys their ability to fly. And this condition is called angel wing.

Today, we’ll talk about why angel wings happen and the impact it has on the lives of ducks. Also, we’ll discuss how you can treat the condition and prevent it before it from occurring in the first place.

Looking for more articles about duck diseases:

What Is Angel Wing in Ducks and How Does It Affect Their Flight?

We all know that wings help ducks to fly, which is essential for their living. But sometimes, the growth of the wings can go a bit weird.

In this condition called angel wing, the flight feathers of the ducks get all twisted and deformed and kinda stick out instead of sitting nicely against their body.

It gives them a look like airplane wings or like the angels we see in movies. Sounds cool, but kinda looks odd as well. Also, it affects their flight ability badly.

Can Ducks with Angel Wings Fly? No, since the flight feathers aren’t aligned the right way, they can’t fly properly. And that’s a huge problem, especially for wild ducks.

Since they live out in the wild, they rely on their ability to fly to save themselves from predators and other dangers.

Without the ability to fly, they’re sitting ducks against any potential predators. Though, they might not be an issue for the domestic ducks as they’re not gonna fly anyway.

But for some people, it might be an appearance issue. That said, I think ducks with angel wings look very cute.

Why Do Ducks Get Angel Wings?

It happens mainly when the feathers grow faster than the wing structure. As a result, feathers keep growing on top of another feather producing the angel wing situation.

But why do feathers grow faster than the wing structure? There’s no confirmation on the root cause of the strange growth, but it’s strongly suspected that diet is involved.

When ducks consume too much protein and calcium, it can cause them to grow unusually fast. As a result, the wing structure fails to keep up with the growth of the feathers.

But isn’t protein supposed to be good for ducks? They are good for ducks and very essential for meat birds that need to bulk up quickly. But they can have an adverse effect on pet birds that lay eggs.

Also, scientists have noticed that genetics can play a role in this as it can often be a hereditary situation. In fact, ducks can pass down angel wings from generation to generation. So, you can’t use ducks with angel wings for breeding.

When Do Ducks Develop Angel Wings?

Ducks are susceptible to getting this condition in the teenage phase when they’re 2-3 months old.

Once they’re fully grown, they’re out of the danger zone and safe from the condition. But if they catch the condition while growing and no treatment is done, the crooked wings are there to stay forever.

Does It Happen in Both Wings? Now, they can appear in both wings, but normally it appears in the left wing only.

In fact, it’s very rare to see crooked right wings on ducks. The reason for that is still unknown.

How to Treat Angel Wings?

When ducks are still young, their bones are very soft, which can give you a chance to stop the condition. Reversing is rare, but if you catch the symptoms early, you can take steps to stop it from getting worse.

To do this, you can use a wrap called Vetrap. It’s like a bandage. First, you need to carefully wrap the wings with the Vetrap, and then you need to bind it to the duck’s body. Keep it that way for 7-14 days.

The wrap should be tight enough that they can’t remove it easily but also loose enough so that their movement isn’t restricted.

But you need to change the wraps after every 3 days to allow the natural growth of the bones. However, you can also remove the wrap during the night and tie it back again during the morning.

Hopefully, this method will prevent the wings from getting worse.

Surgery

There’s also the option of surgery. During surgery, an osteotomy needs to be done, meaning the doctor has to make a cut close to the base of the bone. That will make it possible to rotate the bone and place it in the right position.
After the operation procedure, it will take around 1.5-2 months to heal completely.

That said, the surgery doesn’t mean the duck will surely fly. 1 out of every 2 ducks can fly after the surgery.

Can You Prevent Angel Wings?

If the condition is passed down by a parent of the duck, then no amount of preventative measures gonna do any good.

However, you can take some precautionary measures to make sure the ducks don’t grow angel wings if there’s no genetic issue.

Diet

A proper diet can go a long way in ensuring natural growth for the ducks. For the first 2 weeks, you can go for 20-22% protein.

After that, you need to cut down on the protein intake and bring it down to 16-18%. You can add fresh vegetables like lettuce and various fruits to the diet. Also, give them enough grit for digestion.

Space

As ducks grow, you need to give them enough space according to their size. The ideal situation is to give 1 square foot per duck until they are 21 days old.

For the 4 week olds, it should be 3 square feet per duck. Then switch it to 4 square feet per bird when the duck is 9 weeks old.

Exercise also helps in preventing angel wings. So, you should give them the opportunity to swim or go for outdoor exploration regularly.

Are There Any Long-Term Effects of Angel Wings on Ducks?

Apart from not being able to fly, there are no other long-term effects for the ducks. They can move around normally and can live their life as usual.

However, this isn’t a good situation for the wild ducks as they will need to protect themselves from danger. And without the flying ability, it’s infinitely harder to do so.

Conclusion

Angel wings are a difficult condition for ducks that hampers their ability to fly in the air.

While it’s just an appearance issue for domestic ducks, it can be deadly for wild ducks. But if the symptoms are caught early, the damage can be controlled and in some cases, reversed.

For more quality content on ducks, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.