Hey! I’m new here! But I have a question!

[Ilovemyflock]

Hi everyone! I came across BYC with my crazy researching about my chickens and ducks! I recently became a duck owner of Pekins, kaki cambells and a Rouen. I love them endlessly and I have put so much work into them!
Recently, my Pekin has been having walking issues. I have given them more niacin. Here’s the problem, it’s little feet are crossed! It does fine swimming, great actually but poor little guy just can’t seem to walk strait. It’s not in pain, I’ve touched his joints, hips (if that’s what you call them) and doesn’t mind.
I’m just worried and I don’t know a vet around me that looks at ducks? Overall, is this normal Pekin behavior? Are they just doppy?

The pictures I added are of my doppy one.

 

[tlcmurphy]

@Miss Lydia

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I will let Miss Lydia explain but you need to go to a feed store like Tractor Supply and buy Durvet’s vitamin B complex and some syringes. They sell it as an injectable for cattle but we just put it on dry meal worms and let our ducks eat it. The short answer is this is not normal but most likely a niacin deficiency. Pekins often just need a lot more than feed or yeast provide.

 

[MamaPoult]

!!!! Im not a duck owner but loved the pics❤

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi everyone! I came across BYC with my crazy researching about my chickens and ducks! I recently became a duck owner of Pekins, kaki cambells and a Rouen. I love them endlessly and I have put so much work into them!
Recently, my Pekin has been having walking issues. I have given them more niacin. Here’s the problem, it’s little feet are crossed! It does fine swimming, great actually but poor little guy just can’t seem to walk strait. It’s not in pain, I’ve touched his joints, hips (if that’s what you call them) and doesn’t mind.
I’m just worried and I don’t know a vet around me that looks at ducks? Overall, is this normal Pekin behavior? Are they just doppy?

The pictures I added are of my doppy one.

Welcome to BYC
How long as your pekin been like this? Like @cheezenkwackers said you need to get your duckling on Liquid B complex ASAP if you want it to be able to walk at all. And Pekins are a large breed and will be heavy so your duckling needs to be able to carry it's weight on it's legs. Get it started as quick as you can. The bottle says injectable but with a bit of work you can get the foil off and take out the stopper use a 1 ml syringe without a needle and pull 1 ml out and put over some dried mealworms or another treat your ducklings loves. Just enough to get the full dose of Liquid B Complex. Keep in the frig once you open it.
Your other ducklings will benefit from Nutritional yeast over their feed if they haven't a problem But when one already has a Niacin deficiency as severe as yours they need the Liquid B Complex.
Please keep us updated on how your little one is doing. Also it may take a while before you notice improvement so don't stop giving your duckling the Liquid B Complex.

 

[CoriM]

Sweet babies! Are his hocks swollen? Are his legs and toes just pointing in, called pigeon-toed, or is the foot actually twisted - as it appears to be in the photo? If the foot itself is actually twisted you need to devise a little brace to flatten the foot - you can find other threads on this forum of how people have done that, and also you can use hobbles (you can make these with vet wrap and I can give further instruction if this is needed) to bring the legs into proper position.

The liquid vitamin B Miss Lydia advised is essential!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sweet babies! Are his hocks swollen? Are his legs and toes just pointing in, called pigeon-toed, or is the foot actually twisted - as it appears to be in the photo? If the foot itself is actually twisted you need to devise a little brace to flatten the foot - you can find other threads on this forum of how people have done that, and also you can use hobbles (you can make these with vet wrap and I can give further instruction if this is needed) to bring the legs into proper position.

The liquid vitamin B Miss Lydia advised is essential!

The hocks do look swollen @CoriM

 

[CoriM]

If the hocks are swollen it may be a slipped tendon. I have no experience with that but you can find threads on BYC about that issue: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pekin-duckling-developmental-issues.1578595/page-2

 

[Ilovemyflock]

Welcome to BYC
How long as your pekin been like this? Like @cheezenkwackers said you need to get your duckling on Liquid B complex ASAP if you want it to be able to walk at all. And Pekins are a large breed and will be heavy so your duckling needs to be able to carry it's weight on it's legs. Get it started as quick as you can. The bottle says injectable but with a bit of work you can get the foil off and take out the stopper use a 1 ml syringe without a needle and pullView attachment 3794867 1 ml out and put over some dried mealworms or another treat your ducklings loves. Just enough to get the full dose of Liquid B Complex. Keep in the frig once you open it.
Your other ducklings will benefit from Nutritional yeast over their feed if they haven't a problem But when one already has a Niacin deficiency as severe as yours they need the Liquid B Complex.
Please keep us updated on how your little one is doing. Also it may take a while before you notice improvement so don't stop giving your duckling the Liquid B Complex.

Hi! I noticed his legs like this about a week ago! Let me tell you they grew SO MUCH in a week! This is my first time owning Pekins. I did not know they would grow so fast (I am learning.) as soon as I noticed I started giving all my ducks niacin. But I will definitely give them liquid if that will work better for him. Thank you for your advice!

 

[Ilovemyflock]

The hocks do look swollen @CoriM

I have head of little braces being made for their legs for support. He can stand and walk he just doesn’t stand strait up. He is double the size of his other duckling friends! I have been checking for swelling, I am learning so I didn’t realize they were swollen. It doesn’t suprise me tho. I just want to help the little guy. But his feel are pigeon toed for sure