Duckling not standing right what do I do help!! :(

[WVduckchick]

Maybe @RavynFallen has seen anything something like this???

 

[Ravynscroft]

Nope, I'm sorry, I have never seen anything quite like that... I have a couple Calls that are *almost* pigeon toed cuz their legs are so short, but nothing that severe...

 

[Cred]

As I was looking at the photos of your ducklings, it seemed to me that the Muscovy you're concerned about didn't have legs spread too far apart so much as she looked pigeon toed. Compared to your other duckling, the leg spacing at hips looks similar but cuddles feet turn in (looking as though she may step on her own feet) perhaps making the spacing look too wide at the hips.
I googled pigeon toed duckling and low and behold, the first two hits were from BYC. The first was from 2011, a question about their pigeon toed 5-month old ducking. Several people chimed in saying they had the same problem but not offering a cause/solution that worked. (Although, one did say niacin made an improvement)
One commenter seemed to know right away, and said it was a breeding defect, that could be corrected with a hobble. And that niacin couldn't hurt but felt that it wasn't the cause. Hopefully someone on here, who's experienced this and treated it, can chime in with a more definitive solution. In the meantime, niacin sounds like a good start and you could try searching for pigeon toed duckling on here and see if the description sounds like Cuddle's situation.

Best of luck

 

[kat79]

As I was looking at the photos of your ducklings, it seemed to me that the Muscovy you're concerned about didn't have legs spread too far apart so much as she looked pigeon toed. Compared to your other duckling, the leg spacing at hips looks similar but cuddles feet turn in (looking as though she may step on her own feet) perhaps making the spacing look too wide at the hips.
I googled pigeon toed duckling and low and behold, the first two hits were from BYC. The first was from 2011, a question about their pigeon toed 5-month old ducking. Several people chimed in saying they had the same problem but not offering a cause/solution that worked. (Although, one did say niacin made an improvement)
One commenter seemed to know right away, and said it was a breeding defect, that could be corrected with a hobble. And that niacin couldn't hurt but felt that it wasn't the cause. Hopefully someone on here, who's experienced this and treated it, can chime in with a more definitive solution. In the meantime, niacin sounds like a good start and you could try searching for pigeon toed duckling on here and see if the description sounds like Cuddle's situation.

Best of luck

Thank you cred. Yeah sounds exaclty like cuddles. Going shopping tomorrow so I will get some more niacin and try that. Hopefully she will alright.

 

[Sarkchick]

Ducklings can get spraddle leg.  Often leg problems are because some individual ducklings have a higher need for B vitamins, especially B3 (niacin).

I may not be on long enough to get your reply, so here are my thoughts.

Start B vitamin supplements a.s.a.p.  If you have plain - plain - plain - not no-flush, not slow release, but plain niacin capsules, you can add 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water.  I repeat myself because we can lose track of that important detail when worried about ducklings.  I don't doubt your sanity or ability to read, I have just seen too many nervous duck parents lose track of that detail.

Another option is brewer's yeast.  Not baking yeast, not wine-making or beer-making yeast, but brewer's yeast (also the very similar nutritional yeast is okay).  Many duck folks use a tablespoon of brewer's yeast per cup of food.

Another option is B Complex capsules.  Using the amount of B3/niacin as a guide, put 100 to 150 mg of B3 per gallon of drinking water.

If the problem is niacin or B vitamin deficiency, improvement is often seen within days.

Since the legs are already splaying, I suggest you use a hobble.  Stoney's Guide to Raising Ducks has instructions, and I believe you can also find instructions on the poultrypedia podiatry page.

https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

.....

Okay, now I have sent that first part, perhaps you can write about what kind of food they are getting, what kind of bedding they are on.  She may need something more grippy, or it may just be she has a tendency to have this problem.  

What breed is Cuddles?  She's a cutie!

Does she get tub time?  Always need to supervise ducklings in the water, of course.  But tub time in water the same temperature as the brooder (have you read the Sticky on Raising Ducklings yet?) may help the leg problem.  Water depth should be just up to her tummy.  She won't be able to float for long, but any water exercise she can get will likely strengthen her legs.  Constant supervision is needed, and they need to come out of the tub before they get too tired, then right back into the warm brooder.

Amiga, thank you for the information. I am going thru a ducktastrophy also. I will pick up some nick an today. Had a lot of help from caesargirl an WVduck yesterday.

Kat79, good luck with your Cuddles. These people on BYC are awsome. Please let us know how it is going