How to help my stubborn drake heal

[arrowti]

My ducks have always been on Blue Seal laying pellets (well, except when they were chicks). But, looking at the product details... https://blueseal.com/files/feeding-and-mgmt/equine/home-fresh-extra-egg.pdf ... I don't see any mention of 'how' much niacin is in the feed. Only that there is niacin in the ingredients. I am not entirely interested in duck eggs, they're more pets than layers at this point for me, so switching them to another feed is definitely possible once this bag is done. And the ducks do eat oyster shell and other calcium sources I've given them.

They don't eat a lot of feed. I'll give them a quarter of a 3-quart scoop at night and it's never completely eaten by morning. They do a lot of foraging and snacking at the chicken food (same stuff, just crumble).

The drake eats noticeably less feed than the hens. He's not thin, but he's not fat. The hens have always been fat, with hanging bellies. He's always been big but average. In my immediate area I have access to Blue Seal and Poulin Grain feed.

 

[casportpony]

My ducks have always been on Blue Seal laying pellets (well, except when they were chicks).

One of the things I was going to suggest as a possibility is gout, which is somewhat common in male birds fed laying pellets. You're laying pellets probably have 3-4% calcium, which is too much for non-laying birds. May I suggest that you start feeding him something with less calcium?
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gout

 

[casportpony]

Post-pool time: the visible leg is the leg with problems

So originally it was the left leg? Was the swelling similar to this time?

 

[arrowti]

Yeah the feed they're on has 3.3% min.

There's a "Grow and Show" pellets with a maximum of 1.2% calcium. 15% protein, is that enough? I can get it the next time I get feed for them.

The initial injury appeared (to me) to be a strain, that never healed. There was swelling in the joint, but the main issue was that his lower leg was not straight with the knee. Occasionally it does swell, on and off again.

Is decreasing the calcium in his feed going to help him, or at least, prevent things from getting worse? Tomorrow he's going back in his crate so he can't run around and trip over stuff while I'm at work. I'm guessing the damage is already done, though.

I'm reading about roosters having the same problem on high calcium. They eat the seem feed as my laying hens, so I might look into putting the entire flock on a different feed and only offering excess calcium on the side.

 

[chickens really]

Grower/ Finisher feed for all Birds...
16%..

 

[casportpony]

Yeah the feed they're on has 3.3% min.

Yeah, too much. Many people feed it for years and never have any problems. Not saying this is the problem, just that it could be.

There's a "Grow and Show" pellets with a maximum of 1.2% calcium. 15% protein, is that enough? I can get it the next time I get feed for them.

Is that Blue Seal? That looks like it might be a good choice for him.

The initial injury appeared (to me) to be a strain, that never healed. There was swelling in the joint, but the main issue was that his lower leg was not straight with the knee. Occasionally it does swell, on and off again.

Maybe it was an injury, maybe it's been gout all along. Almost impossible to know without a work up by a vet.

Is decreasing the calcium in his feed going to help him, or at least, prevent things from getting worse?

I don't know, but I will research that.

Tomorrow he's going back in his crate so he can't run around and trip over stuff while I'm at work.

Keeping him still is probably best.

I'm guessing the damage is already done, though.

It might not be. I'd like to think there is a chance he can recover.

I'm reading about roosters having the same problem on high calcium. They eat the seem feed as my laying hens, so I might look into putting the entire flock on a different feed and only offering excess calcium on the side.

That is what a lot of people with hens and rooster do, so I think it's a good idea.

Oh, and the 15% protein is fine according to this book:
https://www.nap.edu/read/2114/chapter/7

 

[casportpony]

In other news, he keeps getting discharge from his eyes. It's clear and his eyes aren't inflamed but I think it's from him not drinking frequently.

Did this clear up? I ask because mycoplasma can also cause lameness and swelling of the legs joints.

 

[arrowti]

It's Blue Seal!

I'll be picking some up after work tomorrow. I think the sooner he and the rooster can get on it the better. Even if it wasn't causing the problems to begin with it surely can't be helping anything. The Finisher of the same brand has 18% protein which is quite a lot. I saw the treatment options were low calcium and low protein.

I wish I had seen this before. I never thought anything of feeding males the same as females.

 

[casportpony]

It's Blue Seal!

I'll be picking some up after work tomorrow. I think the sooner he and the rooster can get on it the better. Even if it wasn't causing the problems to begin with it surely can't be helping anything. The Finisher of the same brand has 18% protein which is quite a lot. I saw the treatment options were low calcium and low protein.

I wish I had seen this before. I never thought anything of feeding males the same as females.

Switching feed sure isn't gonna hurt him, so I think that's a good conservative place to start.

 

[arrowti]

Did this clear up? I ask because mycoplasma can also cause lameness and swelling of the legs joints.

It was cleared up for the past few weeks. He has a little discharge once again as of today. I made sure he was head dunking in the pool. I believe it's related to the swelling. The more pain he's in, the more trouble he has managing to stand up and drink.