Duck not walking properly

[SolarDuckie]

I have a rouen duck who is about 4 months old. They are not free range but today we let them into a bigger area to run around in as well as a bigger pond. After maybe an hour she stopped walking and when she did walk, it would be weird and she'd end up falling. I was thinking maybe she was tired but I just wanna make sure.

 

[Amiga]

She may have sprained her leg. I would get her into a tub of lukewarm water to get the weight off.

An Epsom salt compress might help.

Have they been getting extra B vitamins?

 

[SolarDuckie]

I haven't been giving them extra b vitamins. If that could be part of the cause I'll pick some up tomorrow and start giving them right away.

 

[Amiga]

Some folks get brewer's yeast (not baking yeast) 1 tablespoon per cup of feed. Or you can add Super B Complex to their water, using the amount of niacin = B3 as the guide. 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water.

For background, ducklings need 3 times the niacin chicks need, according to some sources. And from what I read on the forum, some ducklings seem to be fine, and some have leg problems or even seizures from low niacin and other nutritional deficiencies.

Your little one may simply have a sprain, but the B vitamins are a fairly simple precaution you can take. When my Runners occasionally have a sprain I put a tiny dab of T-Relief on their leg at night, rub it in really well. Takes several days for a sprain to get better.