Help! Duckling with bowed leg?!

[thedouph]

About three weeks ago i purchased 6 pekin ducklings from TSC. I recently noticed one of the ducklings (waddles) was having trouble walking, which later led to me discovery his bowed leg. It looks horrible, and is often collapsing under him. Im so scraed for him and i dont know what to do! Hes the sweetest little thing and it would break my heart if he was in any pain. Please help me understand what the problem is and what i can do to help the little fellow.

I have images if needed

 

[Amykins]

Yes, please give us photos. What are you feeding them? It sounds like a severe niacin deficiency.

 

[thedouph]

Yes, please give us photos. What are you feeding them? It sounds like a severe niacin deficiency.

We were feeding them unmedicated chicken stared crumble until someone suggested a feed for laying ducks. We switched over to that and shortly after was when i started noticing the bowed leg.

 

[Amykins]

Ducklings need three times the amount of niacin that chick starter contains. That's why your duckling has bone issues. Adult duck feed has too much calcium, I know it sounds like it'd be good for young ducklings but it can actually be quite bad for them. At three weeks they should either be on grower pellets or still on starter crumble.

They need niacin IMMEDIATELY, and the one with the bowed legs is going to need a splint if it's ever going to be able to walk normally.

 

[tdd2]

Get some brewers yeast (nutritional yeast, NOT bakers yeast) from the store (Walmart, Wegmans, GNC, CVS, Kroger's, etc - can be found in the vitamin / supplement section of the store), or from Amazon online.

Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of brewers yeast over their feed daily until they reach 6 weeks or so.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Trexroo]

http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html?m=1


If you were feeding a duck specific feed it may not be niacin deficiency, "severe" deficiencies are usually fatal.

Read the link above, its about niacin deficiency and some treatment options.

 

[saulsberry]

I fed mine game bird starter and oats for the first 5 weeks or so, then when I switched to crumbles, I started putting ground up niacin suppliments from GNC in their water every day and giving them some cooked brown rice when I have it on hand.
The metzer blog is a great site to get more info, and use the BYC search or Google and mabey of BYC threads will come up about that topic.
I like this one
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

 

[Trexroo]

I fed mine game bird starter and oats for the first 5 weeks or so, then when I switched to crumbles, I started putting ground up niacin suppliments from GNC in their water every day and giving them some cooked brown rice when I have it on hand.
The metzer blog is a great site to get more info, and use the BYC search or Google and mabey of BYC threads will come up about that topic.
I like this one
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements

I read threw the artical at the link above...I sure can't add anything.

I can agree with the high protein diet affecting the fecal smell.
I use 60% protein glutenmeal as an additive, you definitely can smell a difference.