i can’t figure out what’s wrong with my drake, or what to do for him

[Miss Lydia]

I know it can be frustrating. Are you sure he didn't injure himself? Just keep up with the B complex and give him every chance. Are you making sure he is getting 1ml? it's important he get full dose.

 

[anonymous99]

I know it can be frustrating. Are you sure he didn't injure himself? Just keep up with the B complex and give him every chance. Are you making sure he is getting 1ml? it's important he get full dose.

If he did, I didn’t see it. Is it normal for him to be this way or for him to take a while to get comfortable sitting down? And I don’t know, but i hope he is bc I put it in his food. Just put him on the medicine today, so i hope it works soon. I think that giving him a warm bath definitely helps him to take pressure off his legs, but he’s still flipping over in the water.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I just don’t understand how this suddenly happened to him overnight when he was doing completely fine before and walking fine. I added some b complex a while ago. I hope it helps some.

It happened so suddenly because he's deficit in nician. Chick starter/grower does not have enough nician for ducks, especially Pekins who require even more nician then what's in regular duck pellets. They usually need a supplement on top of their regular duck specific feed.

Pekins are originally a meat breed and they grow quickly and use up a lot of nician. He needs to be put on duck pellets ASAP, as well as a supplement. Proper diet is extremely important with this breed.

Hope he gets better soon.

 

[Duckiiess]

Check your local feed stores for an all flock feed. They might not have duck specific feed, but all flock is just as good, and better than chicken grower. The Nutrena all flock pellets have more niacin than Purina duck feed even.

 

[GranderTheGander]

If your ducks are less than six months, this is what would be a balanced feed for them:

https://www.chewy.com/mazuri-waterfowl-starter-duckling/dp/248788

For older ducks:

https://www.chewy.com/mazuri-waterfowl-maintenance-duck/dp/248786

Shipping is a flat $5, or free if you order at least $49 of merchandise.

 

[Duckiiess]

That feed is crazy expensive! More than 2x what I pay... I get 50 lb bags of pellets for $18ish.

 

[GranderTheGander]

If money is a problem, dry cat food, such as the Purina ones, have a lot of niacin in them. But I don't know if ducks absorb the nutrients in cat food like cats do. I just know I fed dry cat food, along with other grains, to dumped domestic ducklings in a park for years, and none developed leg problems. Although maybe they were finding other niacin sources in the "wild". Of course, being in a duck park, they got lots of bread, which has niacin, but is quite unbalanced for ducks and should never be a major food source.

 

[GranderTheGander]

That feed is crazy expensive! More than 2x what I pay... I get 50 lb bags of pellets for $18ish.

Yeah, it's a specialized "zoo food". It's expensive compared to feed store poultry feed. But not all feed stores have balanced waterfowl food, not all people go to feed stores, or have one near them. In some areas, they are a thing of the past. The fact you can get free shipping or $5 shipping for a 50 pound bag of feed is amazing to me, though. In the past, many years ago, I bought that Mazuri feed at a local feed store and it was really expensive then and there. I quit buying it and used Purina cat food instead. But 50 pounds of a mid-range cat food, such as the Cat Chows, would actually cost more than a 50-pound bag of the Mazuri feed today, even buying it in a grocery store.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@anonymous99 if you just started him on the b complex today you have to give it time to work. If you feeding it over his food make sure he is eating all of the food so he is getting full dose. If I was giving it this way I'd give it over something tasty like a snack of mealworms or some chopped tomatoes just enough that he gobbles it all down that way you know he is getting full dose. He needs to be getting 1ml daily.

There is no way I could buy Mazuri I buy the Natures crest and just supplement with Nutritional yeast. I also add the liquid b complex to their drinking water while they are in the brooder. Mine are all adults and I still put Nutritional yeast over their feed its so good for them.

 

[anonymous99]

@anonymous99 if you just started him on the b complex today you have to give it time to work. If you feeding it over his food make sure he is eating all of the food so he is getting full dose. If I was giving it this way I'd give it over something tasty like a snack of mealworms or some chopped tomatoes just enough that he gobbles it all down that way you know he is getting full dose. He needs to be getting 1ml daily.

There is no way I could buy Mazuri I buy the Natures crest and just supplement with Nutritional yeast. I also add the liquid b complex to their drinking water while they are in the brooder. Mine are all adults and I still put Nutritional yeast over their feed its so good for them.

I have an update: I let him swim in warm water yesterday to help his legs. He didn’t flip over as much and he seemed to enjoy it. He also was able to stand up a few times today. I don’t know yet if he can walk, but it’s a work in progress. I think he was happy to see me today as he was bobbing his head at me. I’m continuing to give him the vitamin b liquid complex.