Duck not walking!

[invisibledoctor]

Thanks guys! Not much is open for the bank holiday but we managed to find some nutritional yeast that we've mashed with some normal feed/water. I'm hoping this will work until I can get some Liquid B and find a source to add permanently. I hope this works and is the problem as I'm very attached!

 

[CoriM]

Yes niacin deficiency comes on quickly as it is a water soluble vitamin that the body cannot store. My son has pekin females that are laying -- he was feeding them organic layer pellets designed for chickens, in the belief that adult pekins don't need extra niacin. One of his girls got confused overnight and could not find her way out of the coop -- not even following the others that periodically came to get her in response to her frantic calls. I started them all on brewer's yeast and within 5 days she was back to normal. My son then failed to repurchase brewer's yeast and within a couple of weeks that little duck was confused again. I now buy the brewer's yeast and make sure they all get it everyday!!

problems with gait -- incoordination of the legs, falling, aand being unable to walk are common symptoms of niacin deficiency. Other neurological issues [such as confusion!] occur too.

Others have given you advice on providing niacin now -- both urgently in the form of VIt B liquid or capsules. But you also need to start your pekins on Brewer's yeast [check the lable to make sure the brand you buy contains Niacin/Vit B3] and feed your ducks 1 tablspoon brewers yeast sprinkled on each cupful of duck food. They will need this for life!

That's helpful to know that they may need supplemental niacin it for life. I have wondered whether extra was just needed when they were young and growing so fast. One of my pekins walks fine but she rests a lot. I periodically give her the vitamin B complex but not a regular schedule. I just started adding brewer's yeast, but a lot of it seems to cake onto the bottom of the food bowl when they get their feed damp. I'm going to make sure I give it regularly to see if it helps my girl have more strength.

 

[invisibledoctor]

I have managed to obtain some nutritional yeast. Will it work like the liquid complex if I dissolve it up with some food or will it not be fast enough in this situation? Struggling as it's a Bank Holiday

 

[Miss Lydia]

Get her on the nutritional yeast asap while you are looking for the liquid B complex.
It will get the niacin into her then the liquid B complex will be the booster.
The nutritional yeast dose is 1 Tablespoon to each cup of feed you offer
Liquid B Complex dose is 1ml daily over a special treat or mixed into her food but you want to only give a small amount of treat or feed so you know she gets the full dose.

 

[invisibledoctor]

Thank you! I managed to find some and gave it to her this morning. I started her on the nutritional yeast yesterday and she's already showing signs of improvement she's managed to start standing again by herself which she couldn't do yesterday at all. It was just so sudden!

 

[CoriM]

Oh wow, that sounds really fast. If it were my duck I'd keep her on the vitamin B for a few weeks and then taper that if she was back to normal, but keep up the yeast with her daily food.

 

[invisibledoctor]

Both sides have been fast which is why I wasn't sure what was wrong. In the morning yesterday she ran out of the coop with her sister, round around their pen and ate heartily, but at lunch time she was suddenly unable to stand or walk. After the yeast, the improvements were just as fast but I didn't realise it could be so quick either way

 

[ruthhope]

That's helpful to know that they may need supplemental niacin it for life. I have wondered whether extra was just needed when they were young and growing so fast. One of my pekins walks fine but she rests a lot. I periodically give her the vitamin B complex but not a regular schedule. I just started adding brewer's yeast, but a lot of it seems to cake onto the bottom of the food bowl when they get their feed damp. I'm going to make sure I give it regularly to see if it helps my girl have more strength.

@CoriM I had the caking problem when I first used brewer's yeast. So I changed the way I add food and the yeast. I now add pellets at the bottom some mealworms on top [I should say a few mealworms but the girls love them so much, and I am a sucker for happy ducks, they get half a cup on top of their pellets] and I then sprinkle the brewer's yeast ontop of the meal worms. They are so eager to chomp down the mealworms, the yeast goes down with it and bingo! No caking!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That’s fantastic to hear she is already showing improvement!!

 

[CoriM]

Both sides have been fast which is why I wasn't sure what was wrong. In the morning yesterday she ran out of the coop with her sister, round around their pen and ate heartily, but at lunch time she was suddenly unable to stand or walk. After the yeast, the improvements were just as fast but I didn't realise it could be so quick either way

Well it's hard to say - maybe that wasn't really the issue, but either way, the niacin is important and will be good for them!