Sudden onset niacin deficiency in 3 drakes

[ruthhope]

I have a previously healthy flock of 4 adult drakes, 3 muscovy and one pekin

Two days ago, the pekin started limping. I checked his feet and he had a superficial abbrasion on his left foot pad but no pain, no inflammation, and no swelling. Yesterday, I soaked his feet in a bucket and cleaned off the very little black that was on his pad -- it was definitely just a small, well healed, superficial abbrasion and nothing else. I realised he must be niacin deficient which is odd. I ordered Durvet high dose Vit B complex from Amazon [no feed stores near where I am staying in the DC metro area suburbs!]. It won't arrive until Thursday. I also ordered brewer's yeast for when he is recovered.

Today the pekin can only walk with his wings and has trouble standing and even sitting down. I have him in a pen with a kiddie pool and he has enjoyed sitting in the water. I went to a CVS and got human Vit B complex liquid. It is not as concentrated as Durvet and I have to get 5ml down him every day. I gave him the first dose with a pipette down the side of his tongue.

Also today, two of my muscovy are limping and when chasing each other, one used his wings. Both muscovy have perfect feet. It's clear that they two are showing niacin deficiency, and I wait for the third muscovy to develop symptoms.

This "epidemic" of niacin deficiency is very odd. I just started a new 40lb sack of Purina 7 days ago. Is it possible that this batch of Purina is deficient in niacin? Anyone else having or has had a similar experience? I am really baffled by it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@ruthhope this is very strange for all but one to come down with a niacin deficiency. Seems it would almost have to be the feed. I don't use Purina feed so can't comment on the niacin content being changed but it sure sounds suspicious. I hope your boys recover real soon.

Just something I found on Gab

ROGTruth1@ROGTruth1
1d··Backyard Chickens
FYI. It isn't the ingredients that were changed in the Purina Chicken and Duck products. The feed has been compressed so that digestion/absorption of the ingredients is suppressed. You can prove this by taking the original feed (from before August 2022) comparing it with the current feed by immersing some of each in water and observing it. The reduced absorption of protein naturally inhibits egg laying. The proof is irrefutable. The motives were to reduce supply, consolidate supply and elevate prices of eggs.

 

[Lor]

Hmm...
I just bought a bag of it. Hopefully the farm store gets their duck food in soon.

 

[ruthhope]

They all had dose of rooster booster poultry cell on their mealworms this evening and I made up a gallon of drinking water with an ounce of poultry cell for them. The pekin, Pingy Wingy, had an oral dose of the human Vit B concentrate (Nature's Promise sublingual preparation) this morning and all three will get it from tomorrow morning until the Durvet arrives. Poor Pingy just lay in the back of his dog crate this evening ignoring his dosed up food and water. He sat on my lap for an hour late afternoon but that was more for my benefit than his. He has enjoyed frequent long periods in the kiddie pool but has just lain in the grass inside the temporary pen between times. He was eating and drinking out there and has pooped a few times. I am so sad for him and hope to stave off further problems for the limping muscovy

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sure hope all your doing gets them up and going again!

 

[Miss Lydia]

@ruthhope how are your boys doing?

 

[Jenbirdee]

excuse my ignorance but Is niacin defiency really the only possible reason that ducks would have those symptoms? it couldnt be anything else?

 

[ruthhope]

excuse my ignorance but Is niacin defiency really the only possible reason that ducks would have those symptoms? it couldnt be anything else?

If you have other suggestions I would welcome them. The Muscovy have fully recovered and will be maintained on Rooster Booster Poultry Cell in their drinking water and brewer's yeast on their purina duck pellets.

My badly affected pekin is able to stand now and flap his wings but cannot walk without using his wings as crutches. He is not eating enough which is worrying. He is special needs as his bill was damaged in a raccoon attack when he was a little fluffy Easter duckling. I have had him to care for as his owners abandoned him and few people want drakes, especially drakes that have lost the end of their bill. As he finds it easier to eat liquids, I am making him ducky soup enriched with Durvet and brewer's yeast. He has eaten the dried mealworms off the top and the few peas that floated. But he is not digging down and eating the thicker sediment from the pellets and the peas that did not float.

 

[ruthhope]

@ruthhope how are your boys doing?

Thanks for asking @Miss Lydia

The muscovy are back to their bossy selves. Pingy, the pekin is not getting worse but isn't a lot better. He can now stand and shake his wings without falling over, after swimming in the wading pool. But cannot walk without using his wings as crutches. He isn't actually showing any interest in walking. He is quite content to just sit in front of his food and water.

My big concern is that he is not eating enough. He only eats when his buddies come up to him. I put their food and water outside the pen, but right by Pingy's food and water. They do come up periodically when Ping calls them but not all the time; they have their own ducky business to go about. They also don't need to eat duck pellets very often during the day as they are out foraging round the garden.

I just hope Ping gets slowly back to normal, and is OK next weekend. If he is not OK, I won't be able to leave him with the others in the care of my duck minder. I am going back down to Florida for a week towing a U-haul. It won't be fun with a beagle puppy and a sick pekin in the cab!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Poor boy I hope he starts feeling better. So strange they would all 3 have it at the same time. Your doing all you can.