Duck foot folded over ? on how to help it.

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

I have one week old ducklings and one isn't using the one foot. It looks folded over and limp. Any ideas on how to help it or what it is suffering from. The rest are doing well and eating/drinking. This one is eating and drinking as well. It seems like the joint (knee) down is the problem.

 

[VioletandBodie]

maybe it had a stroke

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

A stroke at one week- doesn't that sound like something older would get.

It has hopped on one foot all day and the folded over seems to have gotten worse but he seems to be eating and drinking.

 

[Wifezilla]

Extra niacin (brewers yeast) in the drinking water. You can also make a splint and vet wrap it on.

 

[katharinad]

I had ducklings born that way. I basically gave them electrolytes with vitamins and probiotics. That mix also contains niacin. They all improved within days. They should be on this for the first 10 days. After that weekly until 12 weeks old, and after that monthly. Here is the product I use.
https://www.gqfmfg.com/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=231

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

Thank you- Poor Duckling now is stuck with the name hop-along. I had babied him in the house last night but then put him back with his friends. I am going in search of the vitamins, hopefully a store close to us carries them!

 

[katharinad]

Do the following, if you cannot find it at your feed store. Get Pedialyte without iron and niacin in the pharmacy or walmart. Do not buy the extended release niacin. You should mix 100mg niacin in 1 gallon of water or pedialyte. Add plain yogurt to their food mash, or offer it on the side. That should do it. Give it to all ducklings you have, because they may all have a deficiency and it only shows in one. This assures strong and healthy bones and birds. The foot should improve within 3 days, if it is a deficiency. It not then something else is going and you may want to see a vet.

 

[mommyofthreewithchicks]

Well Hop-along is still hopping but the foot is no longer folded over. I have put niacin in the water and added yogurt to the food. I ended up having a "duck hospital" in our bathtub and I think that all who are in there are truely enjoying the experience. The ducklings outside seem to be doing well and must have really liked the yogurt as it was all gone this morning.

Kids and Hubby are enjoying the ducks in the tub but if Hop-along looks better tonight I will be putting the hospital away and everyone will go back to the barn. I will keep adding the Niacin and the yogurt though.