HELP!!! Limping!

[Ducklebutt]

I woke up this morning to find one of my runner ducklings limping on his right leg and sat down every chance he gets! I'm worried he did something in the night or maybe slept on it wrong? I'm so unsure. I want this guy to survive as I only have four ducklings and he's such a sweetheart. When he walks his one leg is slightly turned in. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Ducklebutt are you providing any type of niacin for your ducklings. Are you feeding chick starter or duckling starter? if chick starter this feed doesn't provide the niacin water fowl need so we have to supplement. So first off start your ducklings on niacin there are a few ways to do this
You can buy over the counter niacin which has to be plain not flush free or time released or you can go to natural food store or a place like whole foods and buy Nutritional yeast or brewers yeast.

If you decide on plain niacin get one with at least 150mgs of niacin in it and empty into a gallon of water mix real well and fed this to your ducklings every day till they are at least 10 weeks old
If you decide to go with NYor BY use 1 Tab per cup of feed for same length of time this is usually what it takes to keep our lil ones from going lame and from having neurological issues . I would start asap.
Mean time give your duckling some water therapy [warm water] let it float swim and play this is a good way to help relax sore muscle or sprains and gain muscle strength. All your ducklings will benefit from this. Make sure the others aren't stepping on this one with injured leg and be sure to provide good quality feed [not scratch] and poultry vitamins along with the niacin, how old are your ducklings by the way?
Also when doing water therapy always stay right there to prevent ducklings chilling or drowning and be sure to pat dry and put straight back under heat if they are still young enough to be using heat.

 

[Ducklebutt]

maybe he had a fight with a sibling?

I doubt it him and his siblings are so close and don't fight at all. As for a picture, theres nothing visible that would indicate an injury. Just how he walks.

 

[chickens really]

If you have only started the niacin two days ago?...It will take at least a week to see improvement....And that's if it was niacin deficiency in the first place...If an injury?...It could take a month to heal.....

Best wishes.....

 

[Ducklebutt]

@Ducklebutt are you providing any type of niacin for your ducklings. Are you feeding chick starter or duckling starter? if chick starter this feed doesn't provide the niacin water fowl need so we have to supplement. So first off start your ducklings on niacin there are a few ways to do this
You can buy over the counter niacin which has to be plain not flush free or time released or you can go to natural food store or a place like whole foods and buy Nutritional yeast or brewers yeast.

If you decide on plain niacin get one with at least 150mgs of niacin in it and empty into a gallon of water mix real well and fed this to your ducklings every day till they are at least 10 weeks old
If you decide to go with NYor BY use 1 Tab per cup of feed for same length of time this is usually what it takes to keep our lil ones from going lame and from having neurological issues . I would start asap.
Mean time give your duckling some water therapy [warm water] let it float swim and play this is a good way to help relax sore muscle or sprains and gain muscle strength. All your ducklings will benefit from this. Make sure the others aren't stepping on this one with injured leg and be sure to provide good quality feed [not scratch] and poultry vitamins along with the niacin, how old are your ducklings by the way?
Also when doing water therapy always stay right there to prevent ducklings chilling or drowning and be sure to pat dry and put straight back under heat if they are still young enough to be using heat.

Thank you! They are 10 days old now and I've been making my own feed with all recommended nutrients in it including niacin but I will look into getting more into their diet to see if that helps. None of the others have this issue and I'm wondering if he slept on it wrong or something of the sort. I need to make a new batch of feed anyways so I will work in more niacin into it this time around. Again, thanks for the help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't what your using as a guide line for making your own feed but being as they are so young yet if me I'd stick to ready made formulated feed other than the niacin issue in chicken feed[starter] it really is the best to help give them the best start. Purina Makes an all flock feed called Purina flock Raiser you can get in crumble and is an excellent feed for all stages of life still if in a brooder situation they will need some extra niacin.

 

[RoosterCogburn7]

I had that happen to a hen, but she got her leg caught and was trying to free it, and made a nasty pull/strain when we found her. She was quarantined with food and water to see if she could recover or she had dislocated it and needed to be put down for the sake of ending the suffering. She eventually made a full recovery, and rejoined her flock.

 

[Ducklebutt]

It's called chick grit because it is crushed small for young poultry.
As for the niacin it can work pretty fast we have seen where a member started their duckling and in a few days they are walking better by a week completely over it. This is a niacin def. If it's an injury then the niacin can still help but rest and water therapy will help the injury heal.

I had 2 adults limping a few weeks ago no visible sign of injury so I started putting Nutritional yeast back onto their feed and both girls aren't limping any more. It took almost 2 weeks to see it help them.

So glad for the help I will have to go out somewhere and find grit for them! It's so hard to find anything in the vicinity but these cuties are worth it!

 

[Ducklebutt]

Keep up with the water therapy that is one good way of getting his muscles stronger. And can help with an injury too if that might be the problem.

Your doing niacin right? Wish you could get a video of his walking.

I could possibly get a video of him today or tomorrow and show you hes been a little anxious to use his legs but in the water hes okay

 

[Hybridchucks]

a pic?