Bah! Crooked Feet

[shane68]

I believe this is a Niacin deficiency. It happens in ducks and causes the crooked legs.

 

[astronomer]

Trying to get enough niacin in the 2 pekings isn't solving the problem. 1 of them still has crooked feet, but she can get around. The other one does have a slipped tendon. I guess nothing can be done for her. She swims fine, but she can't walk very well. I'll try some of the suggestions of taping it and see how that turns out. In the mean time, I'm keeping them all out of the pond after turtle attack. I need to find a big snapper before I let them go near the water.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Trying to get enough niacin in the 2 pekings isn't solving the problem. 1 of them still has crooked feet, but she can get around. The other one does have a slipped tendon. I guess nothing can be done for her. She swims fine, but she can't walk very well. I'll try some of the suggestions of taping it and see how that turns out. In the mean time, I'm keeping them all out of the pond after turtle attack. I need to find a big snapper before I let them go near the water.

Good idea keeping ducks out of the pond till you get all the snappers out. They are big predators of water fowl. Have you tried making shoes for your duck? here is some good info about leg and feet problems.

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/

 

[astronomer]

So my pekings are 10 weeks old, and they still have leg issues. Both have a crooked right leg and slipped tendon. I've given Flock raiser feed and 1Tbs brewers yeast per 1/2 gal of water since they were born. Is there anything else that can be done, or are they destined to hobble around forever? My other 8 ducks are doing just fine. I suspect a birth defect, but I don't know what to do for them. I tried manually moving the tendon, but it doesn't budge.

 

[Orca5094]

I think they are too old to be able to fix their leg issues. Those tendons are likely too short now to move back into their proper position. It really does sound like this is a genetic defect in those two, which is unfortunate. Honestly, I think you've done all you can for them. As long as they are able to get around, and still have a good quality of life, it will be ok. It's only when they aren't able to get up and walk on their own at all that the decision of whether or not they are suffering is called into question (this is what happened with those Redhead Ducklings with slipped tendons I mentioned on the first page).

 

[astronomer]

They hobble around and rest when they need to. The others wait patiently for the 2 pekings.