Help! Our duck is stunted and having trouble walking.

[blackfoot]

This is my first small backyard flock of ducks, and we got 2 Blue Swedish and 2 Welsh Harlequins. They are all now 4 weeks old but our one Welsh is much smaller than the others and seems to have trouble walking. She sits often (leading to her getting run over by her siblings) and when she does walk it seems labored, lifting each leg high, hunched over, and pigeon toed. After a quick internet search we decided to give her some niacin drop directly and have been doing so for about a week now with no signs of improvement. No worsening of her condition, but no better. She still eats and drinks, although less than the others, and will walk when needed, but after a minute you can see her getting shaky. We just switched their food to Purina Duck Grower yesterday from the chick/waterfowl starter they were on to see if that helps. Any ideas what could be causing this or potential remedies? Could it just be bad genetics?

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is my first small backyard flock of ducks, and we got 2 Blue Swedish and 2 Welsh Harlequins. They are all now 4 weeks old but our one Welsh is much smaller than the others and seems to have trouble walking. She sits often (leading to her getting run over by her siblings) and when she does walk it seems labored, lifting each leg high, hunched over, and pigeon toed. After a quick internet search we decided to give her some niacin drop directly and have been doing so for about a week now with no signs of improvement. No worsening of her condition, but no better. She still eats and drinks, although less than the others, and will walk when needed, but after a minute you can see her getting shaky. We just switched their food to Purina Duck Grower yesterday from the chick/waterfowl starter they were on to see if that helps. Any ideas what could be causing this or potential remedies? Could it just be bad genetics?

Welcome to BYC @blackfoot It's hard to say exactly what maybe going on with your duck sounds like a nutrient deficiency but it could also be genetics, but main thing is your working on trying to correct it. Has she been having trouble walking and getting around for all of her 4 weeks? I think giving her niacin is a good idea it takes longer for some to get over this than others so don't give up on her are you giving her 125mgs of niacin and is it plain not time released or flush free? And getting her on a better fed formulated for ducks is also a good move. If the other ducks are running over her maybe consider separating them into 2's so the one we're talking about has a buddy but there isn't 3 running over her. If you can keep them side by side that would help. You can also try a product called Poultry Nutri Drench and add it to their drinking water it goes straight into the blood stream doesn't have to go through the gut and can be given straight into the bill. Mine get it a couple times a week but for yours you can use it daily for a week to see if it helps. Just go by directions and always be sure not to put anything down the ducks throat always just inside the bill slowly so they swallow.

 

[lomine]

I had a very similar situation with one of my WH. Symptoms were very similar but not quite as severe. I think she was even about the same age. I also took very similar actions as you have. I was already giving them niacin (brewers yeast mixed in chick feed) but I increased it and switched to Purina Flock Raiser. I would say that after about two, two and a half weeks she was better. I think you just need to give her time. Also, swim time in warm water with help build strength.

 

[User353335]

I think this might be a duplicate posting?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...alking-even-after-adding-niacin#post_16096085

Maybe a moderator could merge them so we can follow along easier?

 

[blackfoot]

Thank you for the help! we were only giving her a few drops of poly-vi-sol which seems to be woefully short of 125mg of Niacin... closer to 2-5mg per day I'd say. We did find some nutria-drench to add to their water and we are still looking for some better Niacin options. The pills we got from the store do not disolve (time released) and crushing in over their food seems to waste most of it and we have no idea if/how much our little gal is getting. Today we tried crushing some of the time release Niacin pill and mixed in with her poly-vi-sol and water to administer by dropper so hopefully that will help till we can find a better option.

Yes, this is a duplicate post after I didn't think my first post went through. I couldn't find a way to remove the post, but if a mod can remove this one or if there is a way I can do it I'll gladly remove one.

Thank you again for all the great info!

 

[User353335]

@blackfoot , so, here's what I do, ymmv. I've had great luck going to GNC and getting the GNC branded 250 MG Niacin Tablets. I take these, cut them in half with a razor-blade, and get a cheapo pill crusher and grind them up to a find dust. Then I take a few small cubes of white bread (Before everyone freaks out, it's just a vestibule to eat the niacin, not a food source!) wet them with water, sprinkle the vitamin "dust" on, and hand feed them directly to the duck. That will give you 125 MG that you are guaranteeing the duck will get.

My duckling showed serious improvements in a matter of 24 hours.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@blackfoot , so, here's what I do, ymmv. I've had great luck going to GNC and getting the GNC branded 250 MG Niacin Tablets. I take these, cut them in half with a razor-blade, and get a cheapo pill crusher and grind them up to a find dust. Then I take a few small cubes of white bread (Before everyone freaks out, it's just a vestibule to eat the niacin, not a food source!) wet them with water, sprinkle the vitamin "dust" on, and hand feed them directly to the duck. That will give you 125 MG that you are guaranteeing the duck will get.

My duckling showed serious improvements in a matter of 24 hours.

I have an old drake who takes half a Glucosomine tab and the only way I can get him to take it is to wrap the pill in bread. I mush it in my hand so the heat from my hand makes the bread really stick good to the pill them give it Ernie he has no idea and loves bread.

@blackfoot time released and flush free should not be used. If you can't find plain niacin or don't have a GNC close see about Brewers yeast or Nutritional yeast. 1Tab to 1 cup of feed till 10 weeks old.