Duck Stumbling/Off Balance

[patrickftobin]

Hi there, I have 5 Rouen ducks, about 9 months old. They are fed Purina Flock Raiser and they have plenty of water all day.

Today I noticed one of them stumbling, like a see saw, forward and

backward. She’s eating and drinking normally and moving around a lot.

I’ve attached a video. Any ideas on what may be happening or how to treat?

Thanks!

 

[nuthatched]

Are they getting supplemental niacin?

 

[patrickftobin]

Are they getting supplemental niacin?

I do have a garlic powder supplement designed for ducks that has extra niacin, I give it to them occasionally but not often. I know there’s niacin in the flock raiser feed, and I do give them all a scoop of peas every night or so when they go to bed. Only 1 of the ducks is having this stumbling issue, the others are not and they all get the same amount of food equally at the same time.

 

[nuthatched]

I do have a garlic powder supplement designed for ducks that has extra niacin, I give it to them occasionally but not often. I know there’s niacin in the flock raiser feed, and I do give them all a scoop of peas every night or so when they go to bed. Only 1 of the ducks is having this stumbling issue, the others are not and they all get the same amount of food equally at the same time.

Some breeds and individuals need more niacin than others. They need more than that, can you get brewers yeast as sprinkle it on their food?

 

[nuthatched]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.75862/

 

[Isadora]

If it's not a niacin defficiency, I almost wonder if it's neurological. She's clearly having trouble with her balance but her legs seem strong.

 

[patrickftobin]

Some breeds and individuals need more niacin than others. They need more than that, can you get brewers yeast as sprinkle it on their food?

Actually yeah that’s what I have, brewers yeast and it has some garlic in it, I gave them some this morning when I thought about niacin, just wasn’t sure how often I need to add that, I’ll look into it thanks!

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

If it's not a niacin defficiency, I almost wonder if it's neurological. She's clearly having trouble with her balance but her legs seem strong.

I agree, I don't think this is niacin deficiency.

I had a duck like this that was young (about ~7 months old) and it ended up being a broken spine that healed incorrectly (no idea how it happened).

On another note, I would be curious if she was egg bound. Things get pretty cramped in there, and if the egg is pressing on her backside or nerves, it could be causing issues. Has she been laying or having any issues laying? Has she pooped at all?

The symptoms look really similar to my duck with the see-saw motion.

Edit:

Here's a video of her. In her case, her symptoms seemed to get worse over a week or so.

Eventually she couldn't really stand and would "sit" like this while trying to get up, and while sitting, she would keep one leg splayed out to the side. Eventually she would try to get up, but just flip herself over in the struggle, in the classic avian "death pose"

I'm not sure if any of this help, but your case definitely looks more like whatever happened to my girl, and not a niacin deficiency.

 

[patrickftobin]

I agree, I don't think this is niacin deficiency.

I had a duck like this that was young (about ~7 months old) and it ended up being a broken spine that healed incorrectly (no idea how it happened).

On another note, I would be curious if she was egg bound. Things get pretty cramped in there, and if the egg is pressing on her backside or nerves, it could be causing issues. Has she been laying or having any issues laying? Has she pooped at all?

The symptoms look really similar to my duck with the see-saw motion.

Edit:

Here's a video of her. In her case, her symptoms seemed to get worse over a week or so.

Eventually she couldn't really stand and would "sit" like this while trying to get up, and while sitting, she would keep one leg splayed out to the side. Eventually she would try to get up, but just flip herself over in the struggle, in the classic avian "death pose"

I'm not sure if any of this help, but your case definitely looks more like whatever happened to my girl, and not a niacin deficiency.

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Thanks for the info and I’m sorry to hear about your girl’s struggles! All 5 of mine are producing eggs now. They started the last week of February. It seems staggered at this point so some days we have 5 eggs, some 3, some 4. We live in Maine so it’s still winter so they may not be fully up to schedule yet.

I can’t tell who laid which eggs though unfortunately each morning when I go in their coop, and I can’t say for sure if she’s pooping bc they are always together and always going to the bathroom wherever they are.

I just went to check on her and while she is still a bit wobbly, it’s not as pronounced as it was this morning.

 

[ruthhope]

Actually yeah that’s what I have, brewers yeast and it has some garlic in it, I gave them some this morning when I thought about niacin, just wasn’t sure how often I need to add that, I’ll look into it thanks!

Add 1 tablespoon of brewer's yeast to each cupfull of pellets. Egg laying female ducks often need more niacin than in Flock Raiser.

Brewer's yeast can clump if mixed in a big tub. I find it best to sprinkle the yeast over the pellets in the feed bowl, My ducks love the yeast on the top.