4-6 wk old ducklings not walking right or at all - VIDEO LINK ADDED

[Eroc1_1]

Why am I starting to have a few ducklings having hard time walking? Feeding 16% grower/finisher , a little brewers yeast in feed, and some vitamins in the water(a heaping 1/4 teaspoon of Durvet vitamins & electrolytes per gallon). I have 4-5 that are having problems. They are between 4-6 weeks of age. It has been happening over the last week. I can't figure it out.

I have them in fenced in grass yard that is about 16'x20' and inside I have about 8" of straw and pine shavings - so they aren't on concrete at all. I am hoping it is because they are just growing so quickly.

I just bought the bags of feed in the last week and they don't smell moldy or rancid. They have been eating a lot of grass and such in the yard. I have the ones having issues in a much smaller pen with water and food close by.

They kinda scoot along on their bellies and When they walk it is like their tail is tucked underneath them and they kinda use their foot and the section above the foot to walk - like using a your hand and forearm. Does that make sense?

I had asked some other people about this and some said the protein needs to be higher and maybe I am adding too much of the vitamins & electrolytes.

Here is a 15 second video -

 

[mandelyn]

Are you sure they're not doing the "scoot run" in play? It's constant?

First time I saw the "under water run" on dry land I panicked. Ducks just move weird sometimes.

But if it's constant as in they only move that way, that's something to worry about and I'm not sure what could be causing it. Sort of like how I followed everything I read to do, and both my baby call ducks developed angel wing. First time with that, they're cooped up while they wear their wraps.

You can try Niacin supplement from the drugstore, though I'm unsure of what percentage of the pill they would get. Each one is 500 mg, I'm sure that's too much for a little bird. I bought some for myself after reading up on it's benefits. Haven't given the pill type to the ducks, they still get the brewers yeast.

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
It is a constant way of getting around. I was hoping the Brewers yeast and vitamin mix would have enough Niacin for them. I believe it is 100mg(of the no-flush) per gallon. I try that as my last resort.

 

[Amiga]

The feed doesn't sound like a problem - I fed probably 18% grower/finisher at that age to my runners with no problem.

I gave them vitamins once a week, not constantly.

From what I have read, there is a wide spectrum of sensitivity to nutritional deficiencies in ducklings. Some are more prone to angel wing or neurological problems, etc. than others.

Fresh water, I'd back off on vitamins a little, don't know if you're giving enough brewer's yeast or not (it's more an art than a science, I think). Feel their tummies and legs and compare to the other ducklings - anything different?

And maybe you or a friend can make a video that we can see of their behavior.

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
I backed off the vitamins this morning to 1/8 teaspoon(or less) per gallon and have been adding about 1 tablespoon of brewers yeast per 4 cups of feed.

 

[Eroc1_1]

I added a video.

 

[Amiga]

Are they getting too much calcium?

Here are some Storey's excerpts.
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Some causes:

dislocated hip, sprins, infections, muscle damage, pinched nerves, dietary deficiencies (especially of niacin, biotin, and other B vitmains) or a calciumhosphorus imbalance (common when high-calcium laying rations are fed to immature birds).

Less common: inherited leg weaknesses, injuries

If injury, keep quiet in a clean pen privide easy access to food that supplies a blanced diet, drinking water with good poultry vitamin, clean swimming water.

With deficient diet, add vitamins

If immature birds getting high-calcium ration, switch to feed with 1% calcium and phosphorus:calcium ratio of 1:1 to 1:1.5
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My guess is that diet's not the problem - could they have hurt their legs or picked up an infection? Do you have a duck vet or rehabilitator you can contact?

Letting them swim might help - it would take weight off their legs but give them exercise. Could that be done?

 

[mandelyn]

Seems like it would be a dietary thing since they're both doing it. Can you separate them from the others and give them a boost in the Niacin and see what that does? I don't know what else it could be, unless there is a weird skeletal thing that they can get as they grow. Google isn't being very helpful on this.

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
I do have the ones that are like this separated. I am adding 2 Tablespoons of brewers yeast to 4 cups of feed.

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
I don't think they are getting too much calcium since I am using a grower/finisher feed. I can let them swim for sure! Let me check on something real quick...I want to compare the old vitamin/electrolyte mix to the new one....