does my duck have a vitamin deficiency????

[lilduckling]

my pekin duck since yesterday hasn't been able to walk and sits where it falls down. his legs are really warm and i'm not sure if he has a niacin deficiency. i feed it brewer's yeast with all of his food (veggies/leaves, lettuce, greens) is it a growth spurt? this happened before several weeks ago when he couldn't walk but the next day he was just fine. he's about 2 1/2 months old and he's getting really big. his starting to lose his yellow fluff.

 

[seashoreduck]

*sigh* While Brewer's yeast is a favorite I really consider it second best by far. Mostly because it covers niacin only.

Here's the SeaShoreDuck method of rehabing a vidiaman deficient duck.

1) Buy this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042LA2PG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00 It may be available from your local feed store. This makes 142 gallons so as per below you'll need 2 or 3 for a week of rehab

2) Buy Save a Chick electrolite and Save a Chick probiotic from Tractor Supply store w/drink containers

3) buy/get one of those 20 gallon storage containers


In the morning fill the bucket, add about a tablespoon of the first mix and let the duck swim/float while you're getting ready for work or for a 1/2 hour so. Leave duck with food (plenty of greens) and one of the two TS drinks with some water on the side. When you get home from work do another "bath" of the first mix with vegs for another half hour or so. Remove duck, feed and water with the other TS drink. They do keep in the fridge. Then before bed another 30 min vita bath and swim.

Do this for a week and your duck, if it's a vitaman problem should be good to go.

 

[jducour]

Just because you didn't mention it, I am curious what you are feeding him along with the veggies? Do you have him on a poultry or duck feed as well?

 

[lilduckling]

Just because you didn't mention it, I am curious what you are feeding him along with the veggies? Do you have him on a poultry or duck feed as well?

ever since i got him i have never put him on duck feed.

 

[Amiga]

I would say you need to change the diet.

By the way, from what I have read, brewer's yeast includes:

Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, iron, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and selenium. So it's more than niacin. And I agree that as wide a range of nutrients as possible is the best idea.

Starting with a good basic waterfowl or even poultry starter feed would be good. At this point, I would add a vitamin-electrolyte-probiotic mix to the water once a week for the next several weeks. That can be found at most feed stores.

Some tub time to get the weight off the legs might be helpful in addition to good nutrition.

And please keep us posted.

 

[jducour]

ever since i got him i have never put him on duck feed.

Oh wow. Please get some tomorrow! Do you have a store near you that sells poultry food? My Pekin ate almost a pound of pellets a day at that age, they are growing so fast and need so many calories. Veggies have nutrients, but not enough calories. If all you can find is unmedicated chick crumbles, start with that until you can find duck food. Try giving him some more calorie dense treats right away, boiled eggs still in the shell and chopped up, boiled potatoes, mashed or chopped. Please get him some other food as soon as possible! Do you have any recent photos of him? how is he developing?

 

[lilduckling]

I would say you need to change the diet.

By the way, from what I have read, brewer's yeast includes:

Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, iron, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, and selenium. So it's more than niacin. And I agree that as wide a range of nutrients as possible is the best idea.

Starting with a good basic waterfowl or even poultry starter feed would be good. At this point, I would add a vitamin-electrolyte-probiotic mix to the water once a week for the next several weeks. That can be found at most feed stores.

Some tub time to get the weight off the legs might be helpful in addition to good nutrition.

And please keep us posted.

can you recommend a starter feed that i should buy or would any starter feed would work

 

[Amiga]

What you can find will vary depending on where you are. A waterfowl starter would be ideal. I used a turkey-waterfowl starter, and added one part chopped rolled oats (not instant) to four parts starter to get the protein percentage to recommended levels (Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks). I also gave poultry vitamins in their water every two weeks or so.

If you cannot find those starters, a non-medicated chick starter, with a tablespoon of brewer's yeast per cup of starter should work well.

Or, and this is up to you, medicated chick starter if there is nothing else. There are folks who feel there is nothing wrong with medicated chick starter for ducklings. Others don't like giving medicated feed when it is not really indicated for ducklings. If you use chick instead of waterfowl, then supplement with the brewer's yeast. Not baking yeast, not winemaking yeast - brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast.

 

[lilduckling]

Oh wow. Please get some tomorrow! Do you have a store near you that sells poultry food? My Pekin ate almost a pound of pellets a day at that age, they are growing so fast and need so many calories. Veggies have nutrients, but not enough calories. If all you can find is unmedicated chick crumbles, start with that until you can find duck food. Try giving him some more calorie dense treats right away, boiled eggs still in the shell and chopped up, boiled potatoes, mashed or chopped. Please get him some other food as soon as possible! Do you have any recent photos of him? how is he developing?

i live in southern california so i usually have to order all of my stuff from out of town/state. he's growing fine, and there isn't anything abnormal about his wings or legs. his legs aren't turning bow shaped or wide apart. i have tried taking photos of him but he's scared of the camera lense and just runs away.

 

[Amiga]

Even though he looks okay, not being able to walk is not normal and healthy. He needs good nutrition right away. Ducks can hide illness and injury and malnutrition for a long time, till it's too late or almost too late to help them.

jducour made some good suggestions, such as hard boiling an egg, mashing it up and letting it cool, and giving that to the duckling. I would be surprised if there are no feed stores in southern California. But even so, the little one depends on you for everything, and needs good food.