Duck with leg problems

[Kathy W12]

Hello All - I have both chickens & ducks. A few weeks ago I was asked if I would mind taking on a couple ducklings that a grandmother had bought for her grandkids, and it didn't work out that they could keep them. Since I already had a few ducks of my own, I took them in. I have NO idea what they had been fed previously (I received them at about 5 weeks old). I gave them duck starter crumbles and also for a short time a little chick starter crumbles (non-medicated), making sure to add brewer's yeast to each feeding (with both the duck and chicken crumbles). Early on I noticed one duck was a little more uncoordinated. I increased the brewer's yeast, and added some hand-crumbled duck treats that included dried shrimp, etc. As the ducks grew and gained weight, the one duck's walking worsened. (The other duck has grown and remained fine, by the way). Around 8 weeks of age I figured the extra niacin wasn't working, so I took the lame duck to the vet. Blood tests for zinc or lead poisoning were done (since we didn't really know their early environment, and what they may have consumed). At the time the vet said the problems appeared to be neurological, that the duck doesn't seem to know where his feet are. So we waited for the results of the tests, which eventually came back negative. So it was deemed that it was probably a neurological problem he was born with, and he would just learn how to live with it. I do trust my vet to know that it is a neurological issue, but I was disappointed to hear that there pretty much wasn't any hope....so just believing that MAYBE a little more niacin would help, every morning for 2 weeks I separated him out and gave him a can of tuna mixed with some brewer's yeast and peas. After 2 weeks I was not noticing any difference. so I figured niacin must not be the problem I guess... Anyhow, a few weeks later my poor duck has gained more weight (probably at/near adult weight), and now he just hobbles around. As he has grown, his legs seem to grow a little more swollen than normal, probably due to him not walking around on his feet .... I was just wondering if anyone has any suggestions/ideas to help make his life a little easier. Thank you in advance!

 

[ruthhope]

When a duck has gait problems brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast alone will not work. they need high dose of Vitamin B. You can use Durvet High level Vit B complex from Tractor Supply. it says IV, but for ducks we give it orally. For little ducklings we give 1 ml a day soaked into a treat so that you can watch and be sure it is eaten. The dose for bigger ducks is 0.2ml per lb weight twice a day. Still give it soaked into a treat and watch the duck eat it.

Although the vet says it is neurological -- niacin deficiency causes neurological problems, that is how the gait is affected. Please start your duckling now on high dose Vit B. You may still be able to help it to improve its gait and maybe even cure its problem

 

[Kathy W12]

When a duck has gait problems brewer's yeast or nutritional yeast alone will not work. they need high dose of Vitamin B. You can use Durvet High level Vit B complex from Tractor Supply. it says IV, but for ducks we give it orally. For little ducklings we give 1 ml a day soaked into a treat so that you can watch and be sure it is eaten. The dose for bigger ducks is 0.2ml per lb weight twice a day. Still give it soaked into a treat and watch the duck eat it.

Although the vet says it is neurological -- niacin deficiency causes neurological problems, that is how the gait is affected. Please start your duckling now on high dose Vit B. You may still be able to help it to improve its gait and maybe even cure its problem

Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much!!! And I'm so glad this is something I should be able to get easily at Tractor Supply. Let me try that, I sure hope it's not too late for him!! Do you know how long before I might expect to see some improvement?

 

[ruthhope]

Oh my gosh!! Thank you so much!!! And I'm so glad this is something I should be able to get easily at Tractor Supply. Let me try that, I sure hope it's not too late for him!! Do you know how long before I should expect to see some improvement?

I would give high dose Vit B for a week and continue it another week if you are seeing improvement by then. You will need to introduce brewer's yeast/nutritional yeast back into the diet when you are going to stop giving the high dose. So with improvement, give for 2 weeks [or 3 weeks if still improving but not yet back to normal.] Then give one dose a day for a week and give brewer's yeast/nutriitonal yeast sprinkled over their food at the same time.

My son has a laying pekin that gets very confused when she is not given brewer's yeast on her food. She and her coopmates are all now 15 or 16 months old, but they all continue to get brewer's yeast because of the one who gets confused! Many ducks do not need extra niacin once they are fully grown, but egg-laying makes nutritional demands on the ducks and pekins seem more susceptible to niacin deficiency than other ducks.

 

[Kathy W12]

I would give high dose Vit B for a week and continue it another week if you are seeing improvement by then. You will need to introduce brewer's yeast/nutritional yeast back into the diet when you are going to stop giving the high dose. So with improvement, give for 2 weeks [or 3 weeks if still improving but not yet back to normal.] Then give one dose a day for a week and give brewer's yeast/nutriitonal yeast sprinkled over their food at the same time.

My son has a laying pekin that gets very confused when she is not given brewer's yeast on her food. She and her coopmates are all now 15 or 16 months old, but they all continue to get brewer's yeast because of the one who gets confused! Many ducks do not need extra niacin once they are fully grown, but egg-laying makes nutritional demands on the ducks and pekins seem more susceptible to niacin deficiency than other ducks.

Thank you so much for the information, I have to admit I felt a little 'left on my own' when I was told the duck would just 'learn to live with it'. I know I have to be realistic, but at the same time, if there is any hope, I want to give my duck that hope <3

 

[Quatie]

I would try deep water swim therapy. If it is naicin deficiency or something else, it can potentially help with both. It will help strengthen legs without putting stress on them. You put them in water where they can touch the ground and are forced to swim. You may need to encourage the duck to move around.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I just want to add that at 8 weeks of age I wouldn’t be giving starter feed at all
I would do grower now
I switch my ducklings from starter to grower at 2 weeks of 1/4-3/4 1/2-/1/2 then 3/4-1/2 every 2 days u switch by 3 weeks they are fully on it
I do nutritional yeast 1 tbs to 1 cup of feed up to 10-12 weeks and as adults I sprinkle it on the feed
The starter feeds have higher protein and this will cause the ducks to grow much faster and can also cause the issues
I agree with the vitamin B complex it should help but may not see results right away
Some ducks do fine without the extra B and others show leg issues even though they are from the same batch of eggs
It’s great that you took these little ones on

 

[Quatie]

@Kathy W12 how is your duck doing? Is it still having issues getting around?