Duckling help please

[ZooNana]

We have 2, one week old ducklings. (I'm pretty sure they're white pekins) and the larger of the two has started leaning back on his legs and is laying down more. He'll walk a little, then lean back on his "knees" and give up and lay down. He doesn't seem to have any injury, although he seems to be acting careful when he walks (if that makes sense) other than that he seems happy and healthy. He'll move over to the waterer and back to the feeder and lay down at each one to and eat and drink. He'll hop up on his legs to greet me when I come to look in the brooder, then he'll lay back on his "knees" or lay down again to continue our visit.

They are in the brooder, on a thin layer of compacted hay with paper towels over the top (I removed the towels just a minute ago to see if he would walk on it better. I had to switch to hay because they kept digging the towels up to pull wood chips from underneath) I'm confident the hay is packed flat enough to provide a safe surface and that the towels weren't slippery. I can switch back to wood shavings if anyone thinks it'll be better, I'm just concerned with them eating them. (suggestions welcome about that)

 

[dot n'dave]

I'm not an expert, but when we had duckings in a brooder box we kept them on wood shavings from the time they were that age. Yes they will pick at it, but they wont eat a lot. For the first two weeks, I suggest they have feed at all times, and if they have that they wont go looking for wood to eat. Also we were getting bedding that didnt have tiny tiny pieces. We get it from our feed store and its pretty good sized compared to the junk I saw at TSC. The brand we use is Obec's. Don't worry, those ducks are very smart. I don't think you need the paper towels either. Maybe that's the issue.

I'm not too sure about the duckling not wanting to stand. Maybe he's not comfortable with the hay situation.
Like I always tell duck people, I dont know what i'd do without my Dave Holderread Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks book.

Good Luck, I hope more members respond and give you an idea of what may be wrong.

 

[ZooNana]

Thank you for your post. He's not standing outside the brooder either, that's how I noticed the problem this morning, when we had them out to socialize with us. I have feed in there at all times.

I have the largest cut wood chips I can find, it's what I prefer for our horse stalls. Unfortunately it's not a very large cut, it's just a bit better than that which is sold for rabbits. I can't find large cut anywhere, for some reason everyone around here stopped carrying it.

I took the hay out and just covered the bottom with towels for now. I'll put litter in the bottom without the towels tomorrow.

We let them swim a bit tonight and he seemed to move his legs well in the water. Guess we'll be letting him swim a bit more for exercise until I can get some answers about what might be wrong.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

What are you feeding them?

 

[ZooNana]

Meat bird chick feed, 21% protein.

 

[dot n'dave]

Maybe its a niacin deficiency.
Most chick starters don't have enough niacin that ducklings need. Not getting enough can effect their legs.
You can buy it in tablet form, I read you can add 100 mg per gallon of drinkin water from hatching (I actually typed from birth and realized that didnt make sense!) to 8 weeks of age for duklings being feed chick starter/grower. I got that from Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks.
I think I saw them at Walmart in the dog first aid section.