Duck can’t walk

[Jociadam]

Our daughter got 12 ducklings on April 21. They were around two weeks old when she got them. One duck (named Delilah) always walked a tiny bit odd from time-to-time and when she was about 6 weeks old, she all of a sudden couldn’t walk at all from one day to the next. This has been going on for three weeks now. She lays around mostly, gets up on her “ankles” sometimes to move, but usually face plants when she does. She is eating and drinking fine. I called the vet and he suggested we give her probiotics in her water and worm her. It hasn’t helped at all. She’s been on probiotics for a week now. A family friend suggested giving her brewer’s yeast for additional niacin. She can move her feet, but can’t stand on them. Has anyone had this happen to a duck? Can anyone help suggest something to get Delilah on her feet again? Literally?

 

[ruthhope]

It sounds like your duckling has niacin /Vit B3 deficiency

What are you feeding yoru ducklings? They need duck pellets not all flock or flock raiser which are designed for chickens. Ducks need more niacin than chickens. But some ducks -- particularly pekins -- need more than the regular amount of niacin found in duck food. My son's females get additional brewer's yeast -- 1 table spoon sprinked on top of each 1 cupful of duck pellets -- to prevent deficiency

For a duck that already has symptoms, it is important to get liquid Vit B Complex -- Durvet High Level Vit B complex is one brand -- available at Tractor Supply or on line. Although it says injectable on the bottle, we only give it orally to ducks.

You need to start giving High Level Vit B complex straight away and continue until your duck is walking normally. Meanwhile, start all your ducks on brewer's yeast -- 1 tablespoon sprinkled on top of each cupful of duck pellets. This is to prevent future deficiency.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Some breeds, too, are more prone to leg problems, like heavy Pekins. I also add a bag of nutritional yeast to my birds' feed whenever I buy a new 40 lb bag. I make sure to mix it up regularly so they all get the additional niacin.

It is fairly common and easily preventable with additional niacin. I'd add that lots of swimming time will help strengthen her legs and take pressure off them while she's getting her intensive vitamin b treatment.

It will take time to set her to rights. Just make sure she can access food and water to drink and dunk her head in. And be patient!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I agree with both the other posts
Sounds like niacin issues
May take a few weeks to get her up and going again

 

[Jociadam]

Some breeds, too, are more prone to leg problems, like heavy Pekins. I also add a bag of nutritional yeast to my birds' feed whenever I buy a new 40 lb bag. I make sure to mix it up regularly so they all get the additional niacin.

It is fairly common and easily preventable with additional niacin. I'd add that lots of swimming time will help strengthen her legs and take pressure off them while she's getting her intensive vitamin b treatment.

It will take time to set her to rights. Just make sure she can access food and water to drink and dunk her head in. And be patient!

She eats and drinks fine. I started adding niacin on her duck pellets. It’s from the vitamin and supplement aisle and I put the powder out of the capsule in the pellets. I looked at the Durvet High Level Vitamin B at Tractor Supply today and it says 1 ml per 100 lbs of weight for cattle. How much would I give Delilah? And would it go on her food? In her water?

 

[ruthhope]

She eats and drinks fine. I started adding niacin on her duck pellets. It’s from the vitamin and supplement aisle and I put the powder out of the capsule in the pellets. I looked at the Durvet High Level Vitamin B at Tractor Supply today and it says 1 ml per 100 lbs of weight for cattle. How much would I give Delilah? And would it go on her food? In her water?

For a duck, you give 1ml per day soaked into a treat -- such as a few dried mealworms, so that you can be sure your duck has taken the medicine.

[The dose given for cattle is for injection. We only give orally to ducks!]

 

[Jociadam]

Thank you everyone. I’m trying everything. She stays in the house with us so she won’t get trampled by the flock. Our daughter originally bought 12 ducks. A week or so before Delilah stopped walking, one of the ducks died. Nothing seemed to be visibly wrong with it at all the day prior. The other ducks got their white feathers weeks ago and of note, Delilah has very few feathers. She is still 98% yellow down. All the ducks were hatched within a day of each other.

 

[ruthhope]

Thank you everyone. I’m trying everything. She stays in the house with us so she won’t get trampled by the flock. Our daughter originally bought 12 ducks. A week or so before Delilah stopped walking, one of the ducks died. Nothing seemed to be visibly wrong with it at all the day prior. The other ducks got their white feathers weeks ago and of note, Delilah has very few feathers. She is still 98% yellow down. All the ducks were hatched within a day of each other.

Glad you are able to have Delilah safely in your house. Can you post a photograph of her and one with the other ducks as a comparison? I'm concerned about her lack of feathers when they others are feathered