Duck with a broken leg? Help!!

[rburrows]

Hi. We have 4 ducklings that we picked up from our local TSC about 3 weeks ago. We have had them together in a 2x5 (?) bin. Tonight, we saw that one of them was limping. After watching him/her, it wasn't really able to walk but would rather limp and go around in circles as if it could only use the one leg. We separated him/her out into its own 2x5 bin with clean shavings, fresh food, and fresh water. It doesn't seem to be able to settle down. It sounds like it keeps circling in its bin. I am listening at the door so as not to cause any excitement. What can we do? Does it sound like a broken leg? Will it be ok until the morning?

 

[Ravynscroft]

What are you feeding the ducklings? I ask because ducks have a Niacin deficiency and regular chick starter is not formulated with enough to keep ducklings healthy and strong... one of first signs of deficiency is difficulty walking...

 

[rburrows]

We are using a chick started that is for both ducks and chicks. The other ducks are not having any trouble. This one can't seem to stay comfortable. It sounds like she has settled down a bit but I can still hear her circling. When we set her on the floor, she could only use one leg. The other leg stood still so she was just going around in circles.

 

[Ravynscroft]

What brand starter is it? Most are labeled for use of both, but again, they are not formulated correctly for ducks...

 

[rburrows]

I want to say it's Dumor...that bag is in the garage and I don't want to wake the duck if she is able to sleep. It took her a while to settle and she's still not fully quiet. We used that same brand for our new chicks last year but for chicks only. This year we got the duck/chick starter. Not sure how much of a difference there is.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I can tell you from experience duMor is not correct for ducklings... if your local store carries Purina Flock Raiser (green bag with chick and duckling on it), that contains higher Niacin and can be given from hatch to lay... just compare the ingredients tags, you'll notice Niacin is closer to the top in the Flock Raiser than in the duMor...

At the least, get brewers yeast or nutritional yeast (not baking yeast) to sprinkle in their feed... 1 tblspn per cup of feed... or Vitamin Bcomplex tablets, crush enough to get 125mg Niacin and dissolve in 1 gal of their drinking water...

I would do the Vit B complex right away for the one at least, if not for all of them just to head off additional issues...

 

[rburrows]

Ok. We'll make a food change for the ducks. Thanks for your advice!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Very welcome! Sorry, it does happen a lot... hope the duckling makes a full recovery!

 

[rburrows]

Once we implement these changes, how long before we would see results if it is the niacin?

 

[Ravynscroft]

*I think* improvement should be seen within a couple days, especially if you go with adding it into their water asap...