Feathers on wings

[angiemray]

Anyone ever seen anything like this on a Pekin about 7-8 weeks old?

 

[casportpony]

Is another duckling nibbling on his wings?

 

[Isaac 0]

Looks to me like something is plucking the feathers off, it's not the normal balding that you see around that age before they develop their adult feathers. I also see a few pin feathers that appear to have some blood around it.

More info about your setup would be great, are they being housed with chickens, other ducks? Etc.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sure looks like someone is chewing or plucking.

 

[angiemray]

He is housed with a Khaki Campbell only. We got them together and they have been housed together ever since we got them at 1 week old. The Pekin I posted about is struggling with what the vet told us is a Niacin deficiency so we have been heavily supplementing for that. He is pretty lethargic and can’t lift his head very well. I guess our other duck could be picking at him? This is all new to us and we are so worried about him

 

[Isaac 0]

Please further describe her symptoms.

 

[angiemray]

Symptoms started about 2 weeks ago. All of a sudden lethargic, legs very shakey and would plop down. Almost seizure like. We’ve taken him to two different vets who said Niacin deficiency. Can’t hold up his head for very long, lays it flat on the ground then the wings concern just started yesterday.

 

[Isaac 0]

I don't really agree with them that the sole cause is a niacin deficiency, paralysis of the neck is not caused by a niacin deficiency, but more of a thiamine (B1) deficiency which can cause paralysis of the anterior neck muscles and legs, seizures, retarded growth, lethargy, eventually death if not treated. It's hard to diagnosis a thiamine deficiency, but if improvement is shown a few hours or day's after oral thiamine(B complex) administration that itself can be considered a diagnosis that the bird was obviously malnourished.

Now a few more questions, has she been having seizures/convulsions, if so please describe them to more detail, what is she being fed, any treats if so what, what kind of niacin supplement have you been giving, at what dose, for how long, and how are you administering it?

 

[angiemray]

Well... they started off on the wrong food I guess. My husband started them on chick starter food rather than something specific for ducklings. We started on something specific for ducklings after we went to the vet a few weeks ago. We also have been adding powdered vitamins to water to help with anything else. Also adding brewers yeast to food. Treats we’ve given are peas and scrambled eggs at times which they go crazy for!

seizures look like shaking of legs, head sort of moving up and down and then plops to the ground.

 

[Isaac 0]

Ok, that would have contributed to the problem. What I really want to know is the brand you are using, and how much you are giving, and for how long.