Duckling with deformed leg

[kcopela]

We've had these ducklings a week and have noticed this ones leg is getting more and more deformed every day. It looks broken. But she is acting fine. Struggles to walk but manages. Any ideas?

 

[Pyxis]

@Amiga I think I've got another one for you! Can you help out with a possibly deficient duckling?

 

[Virus]

Try giving her niacin supplements or brewers yeast in their food. Niacin is always the first thing I try when my ducklings have leg problems.

 

[Amiga]

My usual first thought is B vitamin deficiency, so I have a writeup I have been sharing. Niacin is often cited, but some things I have read make me think thiamine may also be lacking, so.....

People often get confused about what to use, so please stick with me here

.

You have some options.

I would go with brewer's yeast. Forgive me for using capital letters, but for anyone else who may casually look over this thread, NOT baking yeast, NOT winemaking yeast. Brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and it provides niacin and a few other vitamins.

Generally, folks who supplement with brewer’s yeast use a tablespoon per cup of food.

Ducklings need about three times the niacin chicks do. And some ducklings get leg problems or seizures if they don't have enough niacin.

Another approach is to use B Complex capsules, and use the B3 - niacin - levels as a guide. Again, 150 mg B3 per gallon of drinking water.

Keep the little one on the supplements for about 8 weeks.

Sometimes it only takes a few days to see improvement.

You can also see how it went for Qwackers and Bentley from these threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857143/treating-wry-neck-in-crested-duckling-edited-title

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help