Disabled duckling

[hwyaden ty]

I hatched 3 welsh harlequin ducklings 11-12 days ago. One of the eggs was 1.5 days behind the other 2 and I had to assist the hatch due to her appearing to be stuck. The assisted hatch was successful and initially although little Rebeccah looked smaller than the others and appeared a little weak on her legs she looked fine. She has been eating and drinking well, she is growing nicely although still alightly smaller than the others. My concern is that she cannot appear to walk well. She can't walk far without having to sit down and she has a peculiar waddle like she doesn't have a full range of movement in her legs. I just wondered if there was anything I could do to help build her up, but I guess if it is a deformity rather than weakness then all I can do is provide her with a safe environment and easy access to her food and water. I guess it's early days and she may well improve with time. I just wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience and what the outcome was?

 

[Amiga]

Sometimes it seems the ones that have trouble hatching have B vitamin deficiency. I wrote this a while back.

@hwyaden ty

People often get confused about what to use, so please stick with me here

You have some options.

I would go with brewer's yeast. Forgive me for using capital letters, but for anyone else who may casually look over this thread, NOT baking yeast, NOT winemaking yeast. Brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and it provides niacin and a few other vitamins.

Ducklings need about three times the niacin chicks do. And some ducklings get leg problems or seizures if they don't have enough niacin.

If you cannot find the brewer's yeast, or if you happen to have (here come the capital letters again, please forgive me) PLAIN niacin - NOT no-flush, NOT timed release, then dissolve 150 mg niacin per gallon of water for the duckling’s drinking water.

Another approach is to use B Complex capsules, and use the B3 - niacin - levels as a guide. Again, 150 mg B3 per gallon of drinking water.


Keep the little one on the supplements for about 8 weeks.

Sometimes it only takes a few days to see improvement.

You can also see how it went for Qwackers and Bentley from these threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857143/treating-wry-neck-in-crested-duckling-edited-title

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help

 

[hwyaden ty]

Oh my goodness I didn't know this and really hope I haven't caused her any lasting damage.
I can get some brewers yeast in capsule form, 50mg. What quantity would you add to their water? Will it cause any probs for the other 2?

 

[hwyaden ty]

Sometimes it seems the ones that have trouble hatching have B vitamin deficiency.  I wrote this a while back.

@hwyaden ty


People often get confused about what to use, so please stick with me here 

You have some options.

I would go with brewer's yeast.  Forgive me for using capital letters, but for anyone else who may casually look over this thread, NOT baking yeast, NOT winemaking yeast.  Brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and it provides niacin and a few other vitamins.

Ducklings need about three times the niacin chicks do.  And some ducklings get leg problems or seizures if they don't have enough niacin.

If you cannot find the brewer's yeast, or if you happen to have (here come the capital letters again, please forgive me) PLAIN niacin - NOT no-flush, NOT timed release, then dissolve 150 mg niacin per gallon of water for the duckling’s drinking water.

[COLOR=262626]Another approach is to use B Complex capsules, and use the B3 - niacin - levels as a guide.  Again,  150 mg B3 per gallon of drinking water.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=262626] [/COLOR]

Keep the little one on the supplements for about 8 weeks.  

Sometimes it only takes a few days to see improvement.

You can also see how it went for Qwackers and Bentley from these threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857143/treating-wry-neck-in-crested-duckling-edited-title

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help

Sorry they are in tablet form. Does this matter? Do they dissolve or should I crush them?

 

[Amiga]

Hmmm, I see I omitted how much brewer's yeast to use. Many who have used it put a tablespoon of powdered brewer's yeast per cup of food. Does the label on the tablets tell you how many mg of B3 are in each tablet?

 

[hwyaden ty]

Sometimes it seems the ones that have trouble hatching have B vitamin deficiency.  I wrote this a while back.

@hwyaden ty


People often get confused about what to use, so please stick with me here 

You have some options.

I would go with brewer's yeast.  Forgive me for using capital letters, but for anyone else who may casually look over this thread, NOT baking yeast, NOT winemaking yeast.  Brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and it provides niacin and a few other vitamins.

Ducklings need about three times the niacin chicks do.  And some ducklings get leg problems or seizures if they don't have enough niacin.

If you cannot find the brewer's yeast, or if you happen to have (here come the capital letters again, please forgive me) PLAIN niacin - NOT no-flush, NOT timed release, then dissolve 150 mg niacin per gallon of water for the duckling’s drinking water.

[COLOR=262626]Another approach is to use B Complex capsules, and use the B3 - niacin - levels as a guide.  Again,  150 mg B3 per gallon of drinking water.[/COLOR]
[COLOR=262626] [/COLOR]

Keep the little one on the supplements for about 8 weeks.  

Sometimes it only takes a few days to see improvement.

You can also see how it went for Qwackers and Bentley from these threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857143/treating-wry-neck-in-crested-duckling-edited-title

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help

Sorry, let me start again as I'm not making sense.
I can get Brewers yeast tablets - 500mg and Brewers years powder. If you think this is the better supplement how much so I add to their water?
I can also get plain niacin tablets 100mg.
Which of these is best?

 

[Amiga]

I would lean toward the brewer's yeast, a tablespoon per cup of food.

Stoney's Guide to Raising Ducks recommends plain niacin, 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water.

For either, it is generally recommended to keep up with the supplementation for 8 weeks or so.

 

[hwyaden ty]

I would lean toward the brewer's yeast, a tablespoon per cup of food.

Stoney's Guide to Raising Ducks recommends plain niacin, 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water.

For either, it is generally recommended to keep up with the supplementation for 8 weeks or so.

Thank you so so much! I will start them on the Brewers yeast today! Fingers crossed it will help my little rebeccah!

 

[hwyaden ty]

I would lean toward the brewer's yeast, a tablespoon per cup of food.

Stoney's Guide to Raising Ducks recommends plain niacin, 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water.

For either, it is generally recommended to keep up with the supplementation for 8 weeks or so.

I just wanted to say a big thank you. After a week of the Brewers yeast and some swimming therapy rebeccah is doing much better. She is still slightly weak on her legs in comparison to the others but no where near as disabled. I've been taking them out in the garden each day for a forage and she is keeping up with the others well as really enjoying herself. I will keep up with the brewers yeast for the 8 weeks as you suffered. Just wanted to share the success of your recommendation. Thanks again!

 

[Amiga]