Bow legged ducklings

[meyerc06]

Thank you so much for the info! I will definitely start adding nutritional yeast to their food. I’m so glad that I caught this early enough to give them a chance. Today was my second day giving them a dose and it was slightly easier than yesterday now that i’ve come up with the best ways to get them to eat it. For example, if I have them within hearing distance of the other ducklings they’re more focused on peeping at each other than they are on eating the treats. Not sure if it’s in my head but legs are looking very slightly better today. I have high hopes

That’s great! The younger they are, the faster you’ll see improvements. It might not be in your head at all! They say you should continue for a couple weeks after symptoms are gone, so keep with it. I’d also keep them on the nutritional yeast at least until they’re about 10wks or so. I think some people add it to their feed in perpetuity, but at some point their niacin needs are supposed to reduce (somewhere around 10 weeks or so).

 

[meyerc06]

There is nothing wrong with B-complex supplementation but it is specifically a B3 deficiency in waterfowl that causes the leg issues.

Also, I actually was able to find a niacin powder online that I could put in their water. After one of my ducklings passed away suddenly from what looked like maybe aspiration, I stopped giving them the brewer’s yeast and switched to supplementing their water. It’s probably just in my head and the yeast probably wasn’t the problem, but it was one of the changes I made, and I found it to be easier too. Just do some research first if you decide to go this route to make sure you’re getting the right thing. There are a lot of different “niacin” types, some suitable for ducks and some not. Also you have to keep in mind that ducks don’t consume all of their drinking water, so dosage is again tricky.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Also, I actually was able to find a niacin powder online that I could put in their water. After one of my ducklings passed away suddenly from what looked like maybe aspiration, I stopped giving them the brewer’s yeast and switched to supplementing their water. It’s probably just in my head and the yeast probably wasn’t the problem, but it was one of the changes I made, and I found it to be easier too. Just do some research first if you decide to go this route to make sure you’re getting the right thing. There are a lot of different “niacin” types, some suitable for ducks and some not. Also you have to keep in mind that ducks don’t consume all of their drinking water, so dosage is again tricky.

There certainly isn't anything wrong with considering all the possibilities even if it seems like over thinking it.
I do it all the time.

 

[meyerc06]

There certainly isn't anything wrong with considering all the possibilities even if it seems like over thinking it.
I do it all the time.

Better safe than sorry! I took that little duckling’s death pretty hard, to be honest, so I really wanted to be sure there was no way I was going to miss correcting something and lose another one.

 

[meyerc06]

Also, I actually was able to find a niacin powder online that I could put in their water. After one of my ducklings passed away suddenly from what looked like maybe aspiration, I stopped giving them the brewer’s yeast and switched to supplementing their water. It’s probably just in my head and the yeast probably wasn’t the problem, but it was one of the changes I made, and I found it to be easier too. Just do some research first if you decide to go this route to make sure you’re getting the right thing. There are a lot of different “niacin” types, some suitable for ducks and some not. Also you have to keep in mind that ducks don’t consume all of their drinking water, so dosage is again tricky.

Just FYI, incase anyone’s interested, this is the one that I ended up getting

 

[Koylotomoto]

That’s great! The younger they are, the faster you’ll see improvements. It might not be in your head at all! They say you should continue for a couple weeks after symptoms are gone, so keep with it. I’d also keep them on the nutritional yeast at least until they’re about 10wks or so. I think some people add it to their feed in perpetuity, but at some point their niacin needs are supposed to reduce (somewhere around 10 weeks or so).

Today is day 5 of the b complex and I added nutritional yeast to their food 2 days ago. I was curious if you or anyone in this thread knows how long it takes to correct the leg problems? I’m worried that since my ducklings legs are still very poor it means it’s not working. But they’ve only been given 4 doses so I wanted to try to find out if it’s normal for his legs to still be bowlegged

 

[meyerc06]

It can take a bit, but if they’re only 2wks or so old, it shouldn’t take super long. I’m not an expert by any means so maybe @Isaac 0 or @Miss Lydia would be better able to answer?

Just to be sure, the b vitamin you’re using is the Durvet High Level B Complex, correct? Like this one:

 

[Koylotomoto]

It can take a bit, but if they’re only 2wks or so old, it shouldn’t take super long. I’m not an expert by any means so maybe @Isaac 0 or @Miss Lydia would be better able to answer?

Just to be sure, the b vitamin you’re using is the Durvet High Level B Complex, correct? Like this one:
View attachment 2295517

Yes that is the exact one that I am using. Thank you! I will ask Isaac or Miss Lydia

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm sorry to say that if not corrected immediately with niacin megadose it probably can't be corrected once the bones grow that way.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/blogs/N...Ducklings_and_Goslings_Need_It.cfm?article=66

I wouldn't waste their time with other B complex vitamins when niacin is all they need.

 

[Koylotomoto]

I'm sorry to say that if not corrected immediately with niacin megadose it probably can't be corrected once the bones grow that way.
https://www.metzerfarms.com/blogs/N...Ducklings_and_Goslings_Need_It.cfm?article=66

I wouldn't waste their time with other B complex vitamins when niacin is all they need.

B complex has high niacin and the nutritional yeast does as well. Would there be a difference between giving them strictly niacin vs the b complex and yeast? Isaac and Miss Lydia speak highly of the B Complex. & my ducklings are not yet 2 weeks so I don’t believe the bones have begun to form