Anyone know what's wrong with this little guy? (leg problems)

[RodgerT]

He's the little guy facing the camera. He can actually walk a little on his "knees" but he doesn't spread his feet and straighten his legs to stand up. It looks to me like his legs are under his body OK, he just won't straighten his legs. If he tries to swim he actually goes backwards, though he can modify his kick to go forwards a little.
I've been giving him extra brewers yeast for 5 days but I don't see too much improvement. He stays with a brother in a separate box so that I'm sure he has access to the food. (Purina Duck pellets}

https://imgur.com/a/Kj7S2KH

 

[Miss Lydia]

He needs some duck shoes to straighten out his feet for one.
here is an idea https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffsb&q=how+to+wrap+for+curled+toes+in+poultry&atb=v263-1&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GiHgrco2Yc/

Brewers yeast doesn't have near the niacin that little one needs. Can he bend his legs completely straight. like for standing? Is there swelling around the hock area? Can you post of picture of his legs so we can see them really well?

If you can get some liquid B Complex TSC carries it. And start him on it asap it will benefit all your ducklings. if this is a niacin def they can make a good turn around at the age of your duckling. But it maybe slipped tendon.

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/nutritional-yeast-vs-brewers-yeast.1393856/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...of-slipped-tendons-in-bantam-duckling.987977/ Don't know if this is what is going on with your duckling hopefully some good pictures will show if it's slipped Tendons.

 

[KaleIAm]

I'm sorry to hear about your duckling. Miss Lydia gave you some great advice about getting the liquid B complex.

Are the other ducklings walking correctly? Also, I'm just curious, is their water white?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for mentioning that @KaleIAm I meant to ask.

 

[RodgerT]

Thanks for the advice. I'm working on everything.
The water isn't white, that's the bottom of the kiddie pool. The water was just very clean being as I'd just cleaned everything. The ducks turned it grey in about 5 minutes.

 

[KaleIAm]

Thanks for the advice. I'm working on everything.
The water isn't white, that's the bottom of the kiddie pool. The water was just very clean being as I'd just cleaned everything. The ducks turned it grey in about 5 minutes.

The little sweethearts are sure messy!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please keep us updated on how the little one is doing.

 

[RodgerT]

This guy had a really rough hatch. He took a full day longer than the others. I made bandaid booties and got the Durvet High Level Vitamin B Complex as per that article on B vitamins but now I see it has:

• Thiamine Hydrochloride (B1) ..... 100 mg
• Riboflavin (B2) ..... 5 mg
• Niacinamide - 100 mg
• Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (B6) ..... 10 mg
• d-Panthenol ..... 10 mg
• Cyanocobalamin (B12) ..... 100 mcg

Is Niacinamide just as good as Niacin? I'll get something else if it's not.

I can straighten his leg to about 135 degrees before encountering resistance. That seems to be about as far as the other guys straighten when they stand tall for their practice wing-flaps. I can't be sure but it feels like the tendon is on the inside of his leg, towards his body. I may be able to tell better after he gets used to me handling him. I try to minimize handling because I'm going to release them into the wild when they're ready. But this guy is obviously going to require hands on help. The booties went on OK. I might give him swims in the bathtub because it's been rainy where we are.

Here he is:

His hocks look about the same size as his sisters and brothers

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's fine and exactly what you want, hopefully will help. If he isn't going to be able to walk as well as his siblings. It maybe a death sentence to release him. Actually, since they are dependent on you for their food and care are you sure they will make it in the wild? If you don't mind me asking how did you come by these eggs? Since there isn't any swelling or heat or redness in the hock area, maybe its a birth defect, But hopefully the B complex the water therapy and even massage will help.
How's he doing with his bandaid booties?