2 Week Old Welsh Harlequin - Issues

[LoneHarlequin]

Hey All - been following the forum since around May(?) and roughly two weeks ago received(to my surprise) two day old Welsh Harlequin ducklings! It was more of a rescue situation than anything else, but I knew of someone that had a very late clutch and I agreed to take two off her hands if I could choose them the day they hatched - to give myself the best shot of securing two females.
Long story short - picked up two little fluff balls and all was well until day 2 and overnight in the incubator, one passed. No visible signs of trauma, heat exhaustion, etc. and the second was very perky and happy. I chalked it up to a health issue from birth. I wanted to get another to keep my now very lone WH company, but all the others had been given away! So it was me and my duckling and I made a pact then to raise this little girl!
...this long story isn't getting much shorter is it? - Sorry!

A few days ago I became increasingly aware of a fairly serious "duck walk" she had going on. She is very active through most of the day, I take her to work with me most days and travel with her and a setup of portable brooder equipment. So far, it works. Anyway, I am feeding her Purina Flock Raiser - a fairly common and to my knowledge, very well liked duck starter that I have been told requires no addition or supplement of Niacin. However, I am concerned it is not giving her the requisite amount of Niacin needed in her diet.

I am still fairly new to the whole supplement of Niacin agenda - I mean, as kids, we raised tons of ducklings and never thought twice about supplementing anything, fed them chick starter, grape nuts, anything we had on hand! ...and they all turned out happy and healthy. Just concerned now as it seems to fit the profile for why her legs are turned inwards as they are.

Included are some pics for reference taken just this morning - is this a Niacin deficiency or did I just luck out with the little duckling with funky little legs?
Again, she doesn't seem in pain or in any way impeded by this issue, except that it does affect the way she walks and stands.

Any advice/input would be greatly appreciated! I'm going by the health food store to pick up Niacin tablets tonight just to start her off - certainly couldn't hurt, right?

Cheers! Matt

 

[LoneHarlequin]

and to give y'all some eye candy to help speed along your helpful replies, here are some more cute shots(sorry for the cruddy iPhone quality)

 

[Miss Lydia]

and to give y'all some eye candy to help speed along your helpful replies, here are some more cute shots(sorry for the cruddy iPhone quality)

okay her legs look good here.

adorable

adorable here too.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey All - been following the forum since around May(?) and roughly two weeks ago received(to my surprise) two day old Welsh Harlequin ducklings! It was more of a rescue situation than anything else, but I knew of someone that had a very late clutch and I agreed to take two off her hands if I could choose them the day they hatched - to give myself the best shot of securing two females.
Long story short - picked up two little fluff balls and all was well until day 2 and overnight in the incubator, one passed. No visible signs of trauma, heat exhaustion, etc. and the second was very perky and happy. I chalked it up to a health issue from birth. I wanted to get another to keep my now very lone WH company, but all the others had been given away! So it was me and my duckling and I made a pact then to raise this little girl!
...this long story isn't getting much shorter is it? - Sorry!

A few days ago I became increasingly aware of a fairly serious "duck walk" she had going on. She is very active through most of the day, I take her to work with me most days and travel with her and a setup of portable brooder equipment. So far, it works. Anyway, I am feeding her Purina Flock Raiser - a fairly common and to my knowledge, very well liked duck starter that I have been told requires no addition or supplement of Niacin. However, I am concerned it is not giving her the requisite amount of Niacin needed in her diet.

I am still fairly new to the whole supplement of Niacin agenda - I mean, as kids, we raised tons of ducklings and never thought twice about supplementing anything, fed them chick starter, grape nuts, anything we had on hand! ...and they all turned out happy and healthy. Just concerned now as it seems to fit the profile for why her legs are turned inwards as they are.

Included are some pics for reference taken just this morning - is this a Niacin deficiency or did I just luck out with the little duckling with funky little legs?
Again, she doesn't seem in pain or in any way impeded by this issue, except that it does affect the way she walks and stands.

Any advice/input would be greatly appreciated! I'm going by the health food store to pick up Niacin tablets tonight just to start her off - certainly couldn't hurt, right?

Cheers! Matt









These pics looks like her legs are bowing which can be niacin dif.

I'm thinking she may respond to some niacin supplementation, I also use Flock Raiser and have for many years from hatch too, Never had any of my ducklings have leg problems but when I did have to bring a newly hatched duckling in side because his mama didn't want him, I did put brewers yeast on top of his food till he was 12 weeks old, only because Me not being a mama duck wanted to be sure he was getting everything he would get if he was with his mama. So start the niacin and lets see how is doing by the weekend. Usually if it's niacin they respond pretty quick.

 

[Amiga]

From what I have seen on the forum, I would try some extra niacin, see how it goes in a week.

I also like to have a poultry vitamin with electrolytes and probiotics to give to ducklings once a week or two, just to cover the bases.

 

[Miss Lydia]

AND