8 year old pekin duck cant walk very well. This isn't an emergency I just need advice.

[AngelinaThePekin8]

This is Angel, she is an 8 or 9 year old pekin duck, I don't know exactly how old she is at least to the exact date, we had her since she was maybe a week old I think that when we got her she was just starting to get her blood feathers in on her wings.

She had bumble foot in the past I only ever soaked her feet a few times and then gave up cause I didn't really know how to treat bumble foot very well. I don't really remember how long she had it or when she got it but she doesn't seem to have any now.

About six years ago now maybe more or less, she got bit by a neighbors coon hound a little bit below her right wing kind of by her oil gland, I don't really remember how we treated it I wasn't the main caretaker of our chickens and ducks around that time but I know she never seemed to have issues from it, I don't think the wound was super bad.

I believe we only ever got layer feed for all of our birds so they were all fed layer feed their whole lives until these last four months I switched to an all flock feed, they all seem healthier on the all flock.

So anyways the reason I made this thread is because Angel for about the last four maybe five years now, has not been able to walk very well, most of the time she had to use her wings to help her walk, she would stay in one spot and only get up to eat feed or move out of the way of another duck or chicken and go into the coop at night. She has/had a hard time cleaning her feathers really well and from using her wings to walk the tips have almost no feathers. She is a little on the skinny side or she looks a little thin, I cant really weigh her.

Before I joined BYC I was thinking Angel would never get better and all the thoughts that come along with that.
I never would have thought that a simple change in diet could help her, but now I know and I am working on getting her back in good health, I love Angel very much I don't want her to be uncomfortable I want her to be able to walk around with everyone else and forage and do duckie things.

Angels current ability to walk has been improving by the day it seems, the all flock has helped her a lot but it isn't enough to get her better completely or fast enough. I got some durvet vitamin b complex today and want to give her some like right now (I would have done it a few hours ago but don't know how the lid on it works and I don't want the complex to go bad or whatever).
Angel this week has been able to walk without using her wings unless she stumbles or trips on something she even tried running a few days ago although it ended with her tripping on her own feet and not getting very far very fast.
She's been more vocal this week to and the weeks before this week but I have definitely seen a lot of changes with her in the last week or so.

And it is the time of year right now where drakes are crazy so at night and this last month during the day she and my oldest drake were being separated during the day and night eventually my two drakes stopped fighting for a while... But a couple nights ago they started fighting again so now it's back to Angel and Chiharu (the drake) being separated during the day again. Ugh, drakes are such turds sometimes I still love them though.
This whole time since the drakes started fighting and even when they weren't Angel and Chiharu were being kept inside a playpen at night except a few nights ago they stayed in the coop with everyone else at night.

I would like to know what type of treat to put the complex on in order to give it to her?

Thank you for any advice, I really want Angel to get better and I know she wants to, too!

 

[IvysAnimals]

@SilverBirds @BelovedBirds @Miss Lydia

There's a lot of things I want to say but don't have much time for....so I'll tag some people that hopefully can help with the best advice!

 

[BelovedBirds]

This is Angel, she is an 8 or 9 year old pekin duck, I don't know exactly how old she is at least to the exact date, we had her since she was maybe a week old I think that when we got her she was just starting to get her blood feathers in on her wings.View attachment 3120910View attachment 3120912
View attachment 3120907
She had bumble foot in the past I only ever soaked her feet a few times and then gave up cause I didn't really know how to treat bumble foot very well. I don't really remember how long she had it or when she got it but she doesn't seem to have any now.

About six years ago now maybe more or less, she got bit by a neighbors coon hound a little bit below her right wing kind of by her oil gland, I don't really remember how we treated it I wasn't the main caretaker of our chickens and ducks around that time but I know she never seemed to have issues from it, I don't think the wound was super bad.

I believe we only ever got layer feed for all of our birds so they were all fed layer feed their whole lives until these last four months I switched to an all flock feed, they all seem healthier on the all flock.

So anyways the reason I made this thread is because Angel for about the last four maybe five years now, has not been able to walk very well, most of the time she had to use her wings to help her walk, she would stay in one spot and only get up to eat feed or move out of the way of another duck or chicken and go into the coop at night. She has/had a hard time cleaning her feathers really well and from using her wings to walk the tips have almost no feathers. She is a little on the skinny side or she looks a little thin, I cant really weigh her.

Before I joined BYC I was thinking Angel would never get better and all the thoughts that come along with that.
I never would have thought that a simple change in diet could help her, but now I know and I am working on getting her back in good health, I love Angel very much I don't want her to be uncomfortable I want her to be able to walk around with everyone else and forage and do duckie things.

Angels current ability to walk has been improving by the day it seems, the all flock has helped her a lot but it isn't enough to get her better completely or fast enough. I got some durvet vitamin b complex today and want to give her some like right now (I would have done it a few hours ago but don't know how the lid on it works and I don't want the complex to go bad or whatever).
Angel this week has been able to walk without using her wings unless she stumbles or trips on something she even tried running a few days ago although it ended with her tripping on her own feet and not getting very far very fast.
She's been more vocal this week to and the weeks before this week but I have definitely seen a lot of changes with her in the last week or so.

And it is the time of year right now where drakes are crazy so at night and this last month during the day she and my oldest drake were being separated during the day and night eventually my two drakes stopped fighting for a while... But a couple nights ago they started fighting again so now it's back to Angel and Chiharu (the drake) being separated during the day again. Ugh, drakes are such turds sometimes I still love them though.
This whole time since the drakes started fighting and even when they weren't Angel and Chiharu were being kept inside a playpen at night except a few nights ago they stayed in the coop with everyone else at night.

I would like to know what type of treat to put the complex on in order to give it to her?

Thank you for any advice, I really want Angel to get better and I know she wants to, too!

She sounds like a very sweet girl, how long ago did she have bumble foot? If it was recent, could you attach a picture of the undersides, her feet so that we can rule that out?
A video of her walking may also help, but it does sound to me like her issues are stemming from a niacin deficiency, which could affect her mobility and of course appetite.

If you feel her tummy, does the breast bone feel prominant? Personally I would start weighing her weekly, to ensure she isnt losing weight, while working on getting her legs strong/getting her eating.
The B complex will last a long time if refrigerated, I believe. You can put it over anything she likes, if she likes banana, or grapes chop some up and put 1 ml of B complex over them, or a few peas, anything like that. As long as it's 1ml daily. You could also add it to their water, but I think the treat option would better ensure she gets the full dose.

How many drakes to hens do you have? I would definitely separate Angel, maybe with one of the other girls, while her legs get stronger so that she isn't being mated or picked on.
Once she is stronger, she may cope better in the group- How many feed stations do you have, also? It may be beneficial to add an extra to make sure she's able to get plenty, being weak, she is likely bottom of the heirachy with Chiharu, and may not be getting as much food. Being older, I think it's a wise step to make.

I'm not an expert, just figured I'd share my thoughts and send good wishes for your girlie.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Do you have any scales for humans? If so, you can weigh yourself while holding her and write this down. Then weigh yourself without holding her. Subtract this from the first number and you'll have an idea of her weight. If you don't have any other way to get her weight, this will give you an idea and you can begin tracking her like this

 

[Miss Lydia]

Try and get her weight so you can make sure she isn't losing.
Give Angel 1 ml of b complex over a tasty treat. what does she like? chopped tomatoes are a fav to some dried mealworms always are a hit here. Just make sure to not over-give the treat so she eats every bit of it and gets full does of the liquid b complex.
Sounds like you have a go9d plan started and I hope you see more and more improvements in Angel by the day.
Looking at your pics and the pond for swimming do they have an easy way in and out? Hopping down from the side of that can cause leg injurie so it is important for them to be able to get out and in safely.

 

[DuneDucks]

I got some durvet vitamin b complex today and want to give her some like right now (I would have done it a few hours ago but don't know how the lid on it works and I don't want the complex to go bad or whatever).

If it's the same bottle I have you'll want a needle/syringe to draw it out. You could just pop the rubber top off but that could get a bit messy/wasteful, especially if something got in it and it went bad as you said. As far as storage goes I just leave mine with the rest of my duck's first aid kit. I know some keep theirs in the fridge to avoid spoilage, but my fridge goes below the recommended storing temp (59-77 F). More importantly is keeping it somewhere out of light and where the temperature won't fluctuate.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

She sounds like a very sweet girl, how long ago did she have bumble foot? If it was recent, could you attach a picture of the undersides, her feet so that we can rule that out?
A video of her walking may also help, but it does sound to me like her issues are stemming from a niacin deficiency, which could affect her mobility and of course appetite.

If you feel her tummy, does the breast bone feel prominant? Personally I would start weighing her weekly, to ensure she isnt losing weight, while working on getting her legs strong/getting her eating.
The B complex will last a long time if refrigerated, I believe. You can put it over anything she likes, if she likes banana, or grapes chop some up and put 1 ml of B complex over them, or a few peas, anything like that. As long as it's 1ml daily. You could also add it to their water, but I think the treat option would better ensure she gets the full dose.

How many drakes to hens do you have? I would definitely separate Angel, maybe with one of the other girls, while her legs get stronger so that she isn't being mated or picked on.
Once she is stronger, she may cope better in the group- How many feed stations do you have, also? It may be beneficial to add an extra to make sure she's able to get plenty, being weak, she is likely bottom of the heirachy with Chiharu, and may not be getting as much food. Being older, I think it's a wise step to make.

I'm not an expert, just figured I'd share my thoughts and send good wishes for your girlie.

Thank you!
Chiharu is too focused on the other half the time to worry about getting on her most of the time.
I think she's been gaining weight she was a little thinner seeming before I started the all flock but before I started the all flock I didn't feed them in a food/water dish like I do now so there is less wasted feed and less wild birds and so Rose a blue swedish of mine that has messed up bill can eat slower and not worry too much about not getting all of her food before the other eat it.
I try to give as many spots for them to eat as possible but at the moment they really only have one water dish that I can use as a feeder.
Since I started the all flock I've been getting their feed wet on most days so they will have some wet feed once everyday for the most part I've still been figuring out how to give to all of the chickens and ducks and some days they eat all of it up faster but I am working on all of that.
I think one reason why her feathers are so bad is because our younger drake Haru would and does pull on some of her feathers especially if she is swimming he will grab the feathers around her crop and rip them out or the ones behind her legs, he doesnt really take a whole lot at one time but I know she doesn't like it and it's not good for her when she is recovering from something else already. I do my best to stop him sometimes I do other things outside while I let Angel get her "swim therapy" done so he has chances to pull her feathers but most of the time I catch him before he pulls her feathers lately.
I remember attempting to treat it about 5 maybe 6 years ago, around then it was just Chiharu, of course Angel and then Totoro they were the only ducks we had around that time.
I have only recently really started paying attention to their feet and other things so don't really know much about the state of some of them past 4 or 5 years ago.
I have been letting Angel swim for almost as long as she wants as much as possible, she usually only swims once a day but that seems to help her get better. Before I started the all flock and letting her swim as often as possible she had a hard time controlling where she went in the water and lots of times seemed very unsteady in the water she would paddle really fast and act like she couldn't stay a float very well, I don't let her swim in super deep water unless I know her feathers are waterproofed enough.

I make sure Angel is able to get plenty of food everyday, I even bring her little grass clippings sometimes. I will post photos of her feet, I didn't in the first post cause I felt it was already really long and I had to do things with my chickens and ducks after making it.

This is her left foot from about a week or two ago.

This is her right foot.

Do you have any scales for humans? If so, you can weigh yourself while holding her and write this down. Then weigh yourself without holding her. Subtract this from the first number and you'll have an idea of her weight. If you don't have any other way to get her weight, this will give you an idea and you can begin tracking her like this

I have one, I just haven't used it to try weighing her yet I've thought about it many times but I will see if it's possible to weigh her every week or however much.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

I have 7 hens and 2 drakes.
My ducks and chickens all free range till the chickens put themselves to bed, the time they get let out and locked up can vary a lot but I try to close them up an hour after the sun goes behind the mountain which is around 8 or 9 pm. I usually let them out around 8:00am or 7:00am I try to let them out earlier than that but I don't always wake up and get out there around the times I would like to let them out at.

If it's the same bottle I have you'll want a needle/syringe to draw it out. You could just pop the rubber top off but that could get a bit messy/wasteful, especially if something got in it and it went bad as you said. As far as storage goes I just leave mine with the rest of my duck's first aid kit. I know some keep theirs in the fridge to avoid spoilage, but my fridge goes below the recommended storing temp (59-77 F). More importantly is keeping it somewhere out of light and where the temperature won't fluctuate.

Would just the syringe work or will I have to get a needle to fill the syringe with the b complex?
I have it with my first aid too, my room gets pretty cold at night so it should be almost like a refrigerator albeit not as cold but sometimes it gets to be 58 degrees in my room if it's winter.

I put everything in this box yesterday.

Most of it is stuff to treat A Angelina's bumble foot. I have nutri-drench and vetrx as well but those wouldn't be able to go into the first aid box that I have currently I will get something bigger eventually.

For about a year and half or more then that the ratio was actually 8 hens and 2 drakes but Maria was drowned almost two years ago when I wasn't home and no one else was either ever since then I don't fill their tire pond thing, cause we also had a chicken drown the same week Maria did.
I have to go let them all out now.

 

[DuneDucks]

Would just the syringe work or will I have to get a needle to fill the syringe with the b complex?

You'll need a needle on the syringe to pierce the rubber stopper if you don't remove it. Tractor Supply sells disposable needles if you have one nearby. I imagine wherever you bought the b complex from sells them too, but your experience may vary there. The Murdoch's I bought it from were out of disposable needles at the time.

Your first aid kit looks pretty good so far! I'm at the point where I need a bigger box for mine too.

For about a year and half or more then that the ratio was actually 8 hens and 2 drakes but Maria was drowned almost two years ago when I wasn't home and no one else was either ever since then I don't fill their tire pond thing, cause we also had a chicken drown the same week Maria did.

I'm sorry to hear that. I've recently figured out my 10 are a 6 (male) to 4 (female) split. Fortunately mine are still young enough that aggression hasn't been much of an issue yet. Although one of the boys is definitely starting to show out as a bully. In the process of figuring out who gets to stay with the girls and what to do with the rest.

 

[AngelinaThePekin8]

I'm sorry to hear that. I've recently figured out my 10 are a 6 (male) to 4 (female) split. Fortunately mine are still young enough that aggression hasn't been much of an issue yet. Although one of the boys is definitely starting to show out as a bully. In the process of figuring out who gets to stay with the girls and what to do with the rest.

Maria was Chiharu and Totoro's daughter and Chiharu and her brother Haru I am pretty sure drowned her as they were most likely both on her inside their tire pond, if I ever use that pond again I am going to make a ramp thing for them so they can hop out easier and make sure it's not full or open to them when no one is home.

The drakes don't seem to want to fight today although I am still going to separate Chiharu and Angel, they are not separated right now but in a few hours or if I see the drakes fighting I will put them in the chicken wire cage.

Try and get her weight so you can make sure she isn't losing.
Give Angel 1 ml of b complex over a tasty treat. what does she like? chopped tomatoes are a fav to some dried mealworms always are a hit here. Just make sure to not over-give the treat so she eats every bit of it and gets full does of the liquid b complex.
Sounds like you have a go9d plan started and I hope you see more and more improvements in Angel by the day.
Looking at your pics and the pond for swimming do they have an easy way in and out? Hopping down from the side of that can cause leg injurie so it is important for them to be able to get out and in safely.

I take Angel out so she won't hurt herself and the pond doesn't have anything like that but eventually I want to have something for them to help them get out better.
She will eat bread I try to not give any bread anymore now, would lettuce be good to put it on? I don't have bananas at the moment but I will ask my mom to get some the next time she goes into town or if I go in to get the needles for the syringe to get the b complex out of the bottle with I will see to it that we get some bananas I assume shed eat a banana I don't think I've ever tried giving her one before though.


Unfortunately I can't do videos I don't have a YouTube channel and I am pretty sure I won't be allowed to make one and I really don't want to make one too, I would love to post a video but the ways of doing so don't really allow that for me right now. I will get pictures of her as she walks, the next time I get a chance.
She was standing a lot when I was out feeding them, she even walked quit a bit and got her fill of wet feed.

You'll need a needle on the syringe to pierce the rubber stopper if you don't remove it. Tractor Supply sells disposable needles if you have one nearby. I imagine wherever you bought the b complex from sells them too, but your experience may vary there. The Murdoch's I bought it from were out of disposable needles at the time.

I had to order the b complex, as none of the stores here seem to carry it or at least don't have it in stock very often.
I will see if we can get some needles from murdochs though.
There always seems to be something to delay me from giving sick birds or healthy birds their medicine and things like that, eventually I will have everything all together and figured out then I won't have these issues as much it's all a process that will take some time.

Angel hasn't laid any eggs in the last couple days it's also been colder these last few days so I think the weather is probably the reason for her not laying eggs everyday. I have oyster shells but they don't eat them and their eggs all seem strong so I only put oyster shells out every now and then to see if they want any.
I think that if I put the oyster shells in my hands they might think that it's something they can eat and should eat if they need to.
How do you get your ducks to eat oyster shells if they won't eat them when they probably need it?