8 week old duckling struggling to walk

[Nants]

We ordered four giant Pekin ducks. One died during travel, and one was a little gimpy but otherwise okay. Now it is starting to get much worse. The other two Pekins are thriving and huge but our "Gimper" is really having a rough time of it. One foot looks deformed and it seems he just cannot get his legs under him to walk. HELP!

 

[Wynette]

Try searching on BYC for threads in the duck section with "niacin" in the title - you may have a niacin deficiency in that one...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi and welcome to BYC you might want to read this, some ducklings need a little extra help in the niacin department and sounds like Gimper may be one of them, course your others could use it too. http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html

 

[duckmamma]

They are all eating the same food, right, and the other ducks don't seem to have a niacin deficiency? Could it be that your problem duck has some problem with the way his bones have grown in his feet and possibly legs? Could you take pics of him from different angles and post them here...he's still young enough that you may be able to help his feet and legs to grow out properly.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What if only a few of my birds have leg problems? Variability within a flock is normal. Each bird varies on how well it forms niacin from tryptophan, either due to genetics or the different microflora in their gut. It would not be unusual to have a single flock of birds, with some exhibiting a niacin deficiency and others walking perfectly normally - but all eating the same feed.

duckmamma, it plainly says here on Metzers website that that niacin deficiency can affect some of of the ducklings and not all. even being fed the same feed. Most of the time when OP's post about their ducklings having leg problems it's from a niacin def. granted there maybe more to it here but I think she should eliminate if it's niacin def first since it's so readily available, and only takes a few days to take effect. Then try other alternatives if the niacin doesn't help.

Just my 2cents

 

[duckmamma]

Miss Lydia,
My apologies...I certainly meant no offense. But I'm trying to break this down.
Since they usually ship ducklings before they are even eating, and the poster says his duckling arrived with the leg problems (before it was even eating), I thought it veers to more of a genetic problem. The duck's egg might have missed being turned the last couple days before it pipped. Or it could very well be a niacin deficiency, which would commonly cause bowed legs, and rarely a slipped tendon (which could be the cause of the deformed looking foot). By all means, I agree, giving the duck niacin is a good idea.
What concerns me is that whatever the cause of the duck's leg/foot problems, the duck is 2 months old now. It's no longer a duckling, it's a juvenile. If the duck has a slipped tendon or a deformed foot, there isn't much time left to try to reposition the tendon and brace the deformed leg, before everything sets and the duck is left lame. I thought seeing some pics would help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Miss Lydia,
My apologies...I certainly meant no offense. But I'm trying to break this down.
Since they usually ship ducklings before they are even eating, and the poster says his duckling arrived with the leg problems (before it was even eating), I thought it veers to more of a genetic problem. The duck's egg might have missed being turned the last couple days before it pipped. Or it could very well be a niacin deficiency, which would commonly cause bowed legs, and rarely a slipped tendon (which could be the cause of the deformed looking foot). By all means, I agree, giving the duck niacin is a good idea.
What concerns me is that whatever the cause of the duck's leg/foot problems, the duck is 2 months old now. It's no longer a duckling, it's a juvenile. If the duck has a slipped tendon or a deformed foot, there isn't much time left to try to reposition the tendon and brace the deformed leg, before everything sets and the duck is left lame. I thought seeing some pics would help.

Very good idea duckmamma, my apologies also for not catching that the duckling came this way. I read it but it didn't register. Pics would be a very good idea. This could actually be a 2 fold problem. genetic and now a niacin deficiency .

 

[duckmamma]

Another thought on this...you would think that the grower wouldn't have packed you a duck that was gimpy. But since the ducks arrived with one dead and one injured, it may be a physical injury from the box being shaken/dropped during shipment. The Gimper could have been one of the weaker ducks anyway, and he could have arrived with an injury that needed to be treated but has not been tended to. Any niacin deficiency would have made it worse, yes.
Problem is that your Gimper is now 2 months old and his bones/tendons are somewhat set, which means a vet would probably have to operate to fix them. You could take Gimper to a vet and see. Or if that's out of the question, you could look at some of the websites that show wildlife rehabbers how to treat these problems. I'll see what I can find. Can you post some pics, and/or at least describe the legs and deformed foot more?
Just have to make sure the Gimper doesn't have an infection on top of all this: Is he eating, and does his poop appear normal? Sometimes ducks get gimpy then lame and weak when they get a virus...does he appear to be sick in any way, such as going off by himself/fluffed up/lethargic?

 

[duckyfromoz]

We ordered four giant Pekin ducks. One died during travel, and one was a little gimpy but otherwise okay. Now it is starting to get much worse. The other two Pekins are thriving and huge but our "Gimper" is really having a rough time of it. One foot looks deformed and it seems he just cannot get his legs under him to walk. HELP!

Nants welcome to BYC - Sorry that it wasnt under a more positive reason to join.

It can be really hard to try and diagnose a problem- or offer advice when we cant see the duckling for ourselves- so its really important to include as much information as you can about the problem - so I have a few questions for you-



If you try and move the leg yourself- does it have a full range of movement?

Would you describe the duck as looking bow legged when it does try to stand?

 

[maryjane76]

I started b vitamin on mine peer the wonderful help of the individuals in the group. It is working. My other 2 pekins who are the same age do not have a leg problem and hatched same time. I bought all 3 from tractor supply. Try the vitamin it is helping George.