Created duck off balance.

[GracePoultry]

as I’ve become more and more obsessed with waterfowl I’ve found that crested ducks carry a lethal gene due to their skull deformity and can experience neurological issues.
My crested mango I got as a baby In late February of this year along with 3 other ducks (1 Cayuga, 1 buffalo, and 1 blue Swedish. So. None of the same breeds) noticed in this past month, she seems a bit off, like it could possibly be a problem with her vision? However I can’t see anything “different” with either of her eyes, she did have an eye infection when she was little but it’s gone now.

Anyways, when I go to put my ducks to bed at night, she will try to fly into the door, and hit the side of the coop. I also notice she sometimes falls over when she’s running/speed waddling. I thought maybe it was a niacin deficiency however the feed I give them should provide a sufficient amount and none of the other ducks have this problem.

So I’m wondering this has to do with the crest

 

[cheezenkwackers]

as I’ve become more and more obsessed with waterfowl I’ve found that crested ducks carry a lethal gene due to their skull deformity and can experience neurological issues.
My crested mango I got as a baby In late February of this year along with 3 other ducks (1 Cayuga, 1 buffalo, and 1 blue Swedish. So. None of the same breeds) noticed in this past month, she seems a bit off, like it could possibly be a problem with her vision? However I can’t see anything “different” with either of her eyes, she did have an eye infection when she was little but it’s gone now.

Anyways, when I go to put my ducks to bed at night, she will try to fly into the door, and hit the side of the coop. I also notice she sometimes falls over when she’s running/speed waddling. I thought maybe it was a niacin deficiency however the feed I give them should provide a sufficient amount and none of the other ducks have this problem.

So I’m wondering this has to do with the crest

Could be, but hard to know for sure. Some ducks seem to be less intelligent. Is it the crest, maybe, but I suspect not. I did research into cresting and usually the crest does not cause a problem once they are grown. There are reported cases of bones growing from the crest into the brain but it is not common. Crested ducks have been bred for almost 100 years. In my opinion, yours could have issues from being crested or just be flighty or dumb.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I’m sorry your crested duck is having some issues. You mentioned that the Feed you give them has enough niacin what Feed is that?
It would not hurt and possibly be helpful to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to every cup of the duck feed even if it has the amount that they say that the ducks need it does not hurt to give more and it is rare that any Feed would actually really have a very good amount of niacin generally, they carry the minimum. I have seen niacin work wonders in some of my ducks over the years.
Especially the Durvet liquid b complex which has 100 mg niacinamide per 1 ml and in many cases I have given it orally by syringe carefully not to aspirate the duck. There are specific instructions on how to do it here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[OneEggToRuleThemAll]

Crested ducks are weird. I hatched a few crested runner ducklings (didn't know they would have crests, as mom+dad had no visible crests) two months ago. None of them show any signs of neurological issues. However, I also ordered some runner ducklings from Metzer and one of them came with a bald spot on her head where a crest would be. Nothing grows there--no feathers, no down, just pink skin in a circle the size of a grape. She had obvious neurological issues when she was younger...she would fall over, had trouble righting herself, would miss the water when trying to drink or completely miss the food when trying to eat...things like that. She has mostly seemed to grow out of these issues--not sure how that's possible, but she is a (mostly) normal duck now and keeps up with her flock mates just fine!

One thing to note...I have yet to find an (organic) feed that supplies enough niacin for my ducklings. My runners don't usually show signs of niacin deficiency but my muscovies start walking pigeon toed if I don't give them supplemental liquid B-complex (contains niacin). Usually it's just one or two of them, not all of them all at once. Their walk/stance/gait improves after a week or so of supplementation. So one duck's sufficient quantity of niacin may not be enough for a different duck, if that makes sense.

Also, some ducks just seem much less intelligent than others.