blue Swedish duckling is bull legged

[17 chickens]

I have purchased these ducklings 4 blue Swedish and 4 Campbell who are 3 weeks old now and I have noticed that one of my blue Swedish is bull legged on the one side. I have been searching for in information on leg problems with this breed or just ducks in general and no such luck. I have raised many of ducks over the past 47 years but never these two breeds. Can anyone out here help me with some answers on this? I am raising them as pets and for the eggs, These ducks will get served dinner and not be dinner as I am a vegetarian.
The little duckling swims great and can walk or run when playing with the other ducks but again is just bull legged.
Many Thanks to anyone who can give me some help!

 

[alexkimoto12]

So sorry! Wish I could help! I'm still abut of a newbie as well!

 

[alexkimoto12]

But @Miss Lydia might be able to help...

 

[alexkimoto12]

Or @Amiga

 

[17 chickens]

That's Ok, I am not sure if it is caused by not adding brewers yeast or niacin to the feed or water? I have been giving them chick starter non medicated along with my chicks. I know feed changes all the time and its not like it used to be. Now days you have to add supplements ect...

 

[Ravynscroft]

That's Ok, I am not sure if it is caused by not adding brewers yeast or niacin to the feed or water? I have been giving them chick starter non medicated along with my chicks. I know feed changes all the time and its not like it used to be. Now days you have to add supplements ect...

Regular chick starter doesn't contain enough Niacin for ducklings... bow-leggedness is one of the signs of Niacin deficiency in ducklings... suggest adding either brewers yeast to their feed, Niacin to their water or switching over to Purina Flock Rasier for them... Purina Flock Raiser has higher Niacin % that's good for ducklings, and it can be given to them and chicks from hatch to lay without issue...

 

[17 chickens]

well they snap out of it when switching to different feed or giving them supplements?

 

[Ravynscroft]

well they snap out of it when switching to different feed or giving them supplements?

It will take a bit of time to recover, most likely, but if Niacin deficiency is the cause, then yes... and it will prevent it from happening to the others as well... I would actually switch feed and give the supplements also for just a few days, just to get on top of the one having bow legs already...

 

[17 chickens]

I went to our local feed store and could not find flock raiser by purina, no duck feed but was able to get a nutriena Turkey/game bird grower 21% protein and it says it can be feed to ducks along with vitamin & electrolytes with it saying it has niacin in it. I can not find Brewers yeast anywhere or any duck starter food.
Will this work? The place I had lived before about 15 years ago had duck food and duck starter food when selling ducklings!

 

[Ravynscroft]

I went to our local feed store and could not find flock raiser by purina, no duck feed but was able to get a nutriena Turkey/game bird grower 21% protein and it says it can be feed to ducks along with vitamin & electrolytes with it saying it has niacin in it. I can not find Brewers yeast anywhere or any duck starter food.
Will this work? The place I had lived before about 15 years ago had duck food and duck starter food when selling ducklings!

Some of the feeds have Niacin, but not enough for ducklings... look at the ingredients tags on both your feeds and see how high up towards the top the Niacin is listed... you can get brewers yeast here...


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...ast+animed&dpPl=1&dpID=51cmp6fslGL&ref=plSrch

Best price I have found for it...

Or Vitamin B complex tablets from a vitamin shop, Walmart, etc... regular not time release, and you can crush up enough to have 100-150mg of Niacin and dissolve in 1 gallon of drinking water for them...