8 week old duckling with weak leg

[tayjamieson]

Hi there! I know exactly what this is - you need to go to your local nutrition store and ask for brewers yeast. it is not the same kind you would find at a grocery store, you need the nutritional supplement type. You can also order online if you can't find it locally, it should be under 25$ for a container of it. Immediately start administering this in their water. I will look up the proper dosage and get back to you. Brewers yeast should be in your chick starter, as it's essential for their bone growth! I check the ingredients at my local feed store when buying chick starter, some lack essential stuff which is bizarre to me that the suppliers wouldn't do their research and incorporate everything the babies need.

 

[tayjamieson]

Hi there! I know exactly what this is - you need to go to your local nutrition store and ask for brewers yeast. it is not the same kind you would find at a grocery store, you need the nutritional supplement type. You can also order online if you can't find it locally, it should be under 25$ for a container of it. Immediately start administering this in their water. I will look up the proper dosage and get back to you. Brewers yeast should be in your chick starter, as it's essential for their bone growth! I check the ingredients at my local feed store when buying chick starter, some lack essential stuff which is bizarre to me that the suppliers wouldn't do their research and incorporate everything the babies need.

Also - epsom salt baths for ducks DO WORK great! I have had 2 ducks of mine hurt their ankles and it swelled up huge. I had them soak once a day in a warm epsom salt bath with clean water until I noticed improvement and it worked wonders. My ducks were full grown when it happened so I bought a litter box that was big/deep enough to fit one duck in it. You need to fill it with hot water and add the epsom salt into it, then let it cool down a bit before placing your duck into it. Since it's a duckling you can probably use a salad bowl or something on hand.

 

[Knighstar679]

We have recommended liquid b complex which is more intensive than brewers yeasts. It has more of the vitamins needed in less amount.

 

[cymbaline]

If you can use a plastic dish pan and let him lay in it to soak I have done that. I have also put a towel around the duck after I get him In that keeps them from drinking the water just drape it around his neck outside of the pan. . If this is an injury it’s going to take a while to heal so be patient do water therapy, soaks liquid b complex and rest. When you have a minute check out the hip that you said popped maybe it was out of socket and pooped back in? Feel both sides to compare and if legs are the same length whe you gently stretch them out?

That's a good idea. It would be just enough to soak the leg without being enough to play in, lol.
Both legs seem to be the same length, but the weak leg really is so much thinner and bonier than the good one. I guess it's been favoring it for a while and I just thought it was being a goofy overgrown baby
I was researching last night, trying to figure out what muscle or tendon or whatever it might have injured that would make it want to swing the leg out when it walks and would make it difficult to pull forward, and also still allow it to bear some weight. Still not real sure... might just have to suck it up and incur another large vet bill soon *sigh* I'll give all this stuff a few more days, maybe a week, see if I can get any improvement on my own.

 

[tayjamieson]

We have recommended liquid b complex which is more intensive than brewers yeasts. It has more of the vitamins needed in less amount.

I didn't know that! That is so good to know. This is why I love BYC, I learn so much from you all. I was going off of my own experience and brewers yeast worked like a charm. Do you regularly provide them with b-vitamin supplement or is that just in the event of something like this?

 

[Knighstar679]

I provided it for bigger ducks regularly. But my light and little ducks I do it only a few times a week when they are young unless they show injury or problems. But I feed nature wise which has a higher niacin content.

 

[cymbaline]

Also - epsom salt baths for ducks DO WORK great! I have had 2 ducks of mine hurt their ankles and it swelled up huge. I had them soak once a day in a warm epsom salt bath with clean water until I noticed improvement and it worked wonders. My ducks were full grown when it happened so I bought a litter box that was big/deep enough to fit one duck in it. You need to fill it with hot water and add the epsom salt into it, then let it cool down a bit before placing your duck into it. Since it's a duckling you can probably use a salad bowl or something on hand.

Wow - how long did it take to see improvement?
Technically it's still a duckling, I guess (I still consider them babies, lol), but it's been bigger than my full grown mallards for a couple weeks now I should weigh it when I get home, I bet it's at least 4lbs... bigger than my Welshies too. Big ol' cuddly baby...

 

[cymbaline]

Hi there! I know exactly what this is - you need to go to your local nutrition store and ask for brewers yeast. it is not the same kind you would find at a grocery store, you need the nutritional supplement type. You can also order online if you can't find it locally, it should be under 25$ for a container of it. Immediately start administering this in their water. I will look up the proper dosage and get back to you. Brewers yeast should be in your chick starter, as it's essential for their bone growth! I check the ingredients at my local feed store when buying chick starter, some lack essential stuff which is bizarre to me that the suppliers wouldn't do their research and incorporate everything the babies need.

I've been putting brewer's yeast in their food from day one. I got the liquid b complex that was recommended also and have started giving them that instead.
I agree! Why on Earth do the manufacturers not put more niacin in their feed? It's not going to hurt the birds that don't need it, and who knows how many babies it could save?

 

[Helloworld]

Waterfowl should be on gamebird.

 

[casportpony]

Why on Earth do the manufacturers not put more niacin in their feed? It's not going to hurt the birds that don't need it, and who knows how many babies it could save?

I imagine it's because it costs more.