Duck has lost use of one leg. Please help

[Bao72079]

Hello BYC. Thanks for reading my post. We bought 2 peking ducks several weeks back. One of them is doing great. But the other has a problem with one of her legs. Just out of the blue she can't walk on it at all. We see nothing wrong as far as we can tell. Nothing wrapped around it, stuck in it, etc...We can't afford a trip to the veterinarian which I know is the best option. We have tried giving her oregano and we also tried garlic mixed with some vegetables. We desperately want to help her but have no idea what to really do. This is the first time we have owned ducks so we're not experienced. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I attached a couple of pictures hopefully it will somewhat help

 

[Ravynscroft]

What are you feeding them and how old were they when you got them?
Ducks have a Niacin deficiency and Pekins seem to need more than most other ducks... leg weekness and issues is usually a common sign of Niacin deficiency... first thing I would try for her is get Niacin tablets or Vitamin B complex tablets (no time release or flush free tablets) and crush enough to contain 100-150mg of Niacin and dissolve in 1 gal of drinking water... prepare fresh every day...

Also, hydrotherapy is always good for ducks... warm epsom salt soaks and lots of swim time might help...

 

[rjohns39]

Thanks @Ravynscroft

Hi and welcome to BYC Wish it were under better circumstances We are thrilled that you've joined us

Edited to add: When you have a sec, pop over to new member introductions and introduce yourself.

 

[Bao72079]

What are you feeding them and how old were they when you got them?
Ducks have a Niacin deficiency and Pekins seem to need more than most other ducks... leg weekness and issues is usually a common sign of Niacin deficiency... first thing I would try for her is get Niacin tablets or Vitamin B complex tablets (no time release or flush free tablets) and crush enough to contain 100-150mg of Niacin and dissolve in 1 gal of drinking water... prepare fresh every day...

Also, hydrotherapy is always good for ducks... warm epsom salt soaks and lots of swim time might help...

We are feeding them purina flock raiser which was recommended to us. They were less than a week old when we got them. I would say they are around 2 months old now. We noticed the food we feed them has niacin as a ingredient. Do you think it is not enough?

 

[Ravynscroft]

We are feeding them purina flock raiser which was recommended to us. They were less than a week old when we got them. I would say they are around 2 months old now. We noticed the food we feed them has niacin as a ingredient. Do you think it is not enough?

Purina Flock Raiser is a good feed, I use it myself for my Call ducks...

However, that being said, Pekins especially seem to need additional Niacin supplement on top of that... I would get the tablets and see how she does after increasing her Niacin...

 

[Bao72079]

Purina Flock Raiser is a good feed, I use it myself for my Call ducks...

However, that being said, Pekins especially seem to need additional Niacin supplement on top of that... I would get the tablets and see how she does after increasing her Niacin...

Ok I will pick some of those up right away then. We also try the hydrotherapy but she will not stay in there very long. Thanks so much for the information I will update as we go.

 

[Sara Ranch]

You can also feed the duckies table food that is high in niacin, like cooked eggs.

Duckies tend to have foot/leg problems when they are niacin deficient. Make sure they are getting enough absorbable protein too. (Eggs are a great source for this!)

I hope the foot/leg gets better real soon. If it's a niacin or a protein deficiency, the problem clears up very quickly with the added stuffs.

 

[rjohns39]

I've been resisting adding my two cents--but will... crushed unsalted peanuts are a great niacin rich treat.

 

[Bao72079]

You can also feed the duckies table food that is high in niacin, like cooked eggs.

Duckies tend to have foot/leg problems when they are niacin deficient. Make sure they are getting enough absorbable protein too. (Eggs are a great source for this!)

I hope the foot/leg gets better real soon. If it's a niacin or a protein deficiency, the problem clears up very quickly with the added stuffs.

Ok thank you so much. I will try the eggs also. At this point she is miserable and anything is worth a try so thanks everybody we need all the help we can get!

 

[Ravynscroft]

You can also feed the duckies table food that is high in niacin, like cooked eggs.

Duckies tend to have foot/leg problems when they are niacin deficient. Make sure they are getting enough absorbable protein too. (Eggs are a great source for this!)

I hope the foot/leg gets better real soon. If it's a niacin or a protein deficiency, the problem clears up very quickly with the added stuffs.

Flock Raiser is already 20% protein, no need for higher protein at this point, just higher Niacin...