Help duckling malnourished and sick!

courtjn

In the Brooder
Dec 7, 2016
13
5
14
Hayward
Okay mid October I found a 2 week duckling wandering my apartment complex. Her wings had been clipped so I knew she had been a pet before so I caught her and took her back to my place and gave her water and whatever vegetables I had at the time. She imprinted on me from the start but I couldn't keep and one of my roommates girlfriends used to have ducks so I gave her to her. However I guess in the time she has had her she has only been giving her oats. She is around 9 weeks old now and looks like she is only 4 weeks old.
The girl gave me the duck back recently and I found out how bad the poor duckling had gotten. I believe she is naicin deffecient, and malnourished. I have been crushing naicin pills and putting it in her water, and got duckling feed for her that is 20% protein. She seems to doing better but her feet will still go bowlegged if she walks for to long. However now she is starting to have labored breathing and open her mouth each time she breathes even when laying down.
I can only keep her for so long and one of my friends aunts has a farm and has ducks and will gladly take her. The thing is I do not want to give her while she is weak. I know what happens on farms when an animal is sick.
Is there anything else I can do to help her? When I first got her she could barely walk, had green diarrhea(now with the feed and naicin she doesn't anymore) and an eye infection(I sprayed them with saline solution and they got better). She does not have any secretions from her nose and no wounds on her feet.
Any ideas?
400
 
Welcome to BYC! It's great to have you.

Sounds like you are doing right by that duckling. Yes, oats are not a good diet - glad you have her on the correct feed now. The duck forum should have more advice for you.
 

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