Lame duck

[MisfitRanch3]

I have a duck not quite a year old and for the past month or two she’s been a little under the weather. First she could t walk at all and I figured it was a vitamin deficiency so I gave her vitamins and kept her away from the others. She seemed to be getting a lil better (eating and drinking a lot more) but one leg doesn’t seem to be getting stronger and she seemed to have some breathing issues like stopped up nostril and I don’t know why or what to do!

I brought her inside so she can have the temperature steady bc I live in NC and the weather day to day is never close to the same but also have been putting her in the tip to swim around for a couple hours a day but nothing seems to help.

Her spirits are better and I’ve been giving her DuMor Chick Grit and some Crack Corn.

TIA and any advice is appreciated!

 

[Jenbirdee]

I’m sorry your duck is lame. I have some questions that will help me to help you and your duck.
You said she eats grit and crack corn. No duck feed? Grit is not food, it’s simply something they just need a tiny bit of to help them digest any food they eat besides their regular feed.
Cracked corn is not nutritious enough to be a feed. It should only be a snack in tiny amounts.
Are you feeding her anything else? Ducks need a duck feed or an all flock feed.
Also question, what vitamins did you give her when you gave her vitamins? For leg strength Ducks need extra niacin.
The supplement that has the best amount of niacin in it for ducks is called liquid B complex ( see picture above)

Also ducks need to have their drinking water in buckets or bowls that are deep enough for them to dunk their entire head into that’s how they keep their nostrils and their eyes clean and clear. Are you using a deep enough water?

 

[Jenbirdee]

I have more questions
Do you have drakes in your flock? How many drakes and how many hens?
She might have been over mated if you don’t have enough girls for each boy ( one Drake needs 4-5 girls)
And how old is your duck? Has she been laying eggs and she probably needs calcium supplement if she has been laying eggs. I give a dish of crushed oyster shell on the side of their feed bowl and they take as much as they want. It helps them build strong eggshells. If they don’t have enough calcium, their body takes it out of their own bones to make the egg shells.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Oh sorry I just noticed you said she’s almost a year old

 

[nuthatched]

Does she get duck feed and niacin supplements?

 

[MisfitRanch3]

View attachment 4041881I’m sorry your duck is lame. I have some questions that will help me to help you and your duck.
You said she eats grit and crack corn. No duck feed? Grit is not food, it’s simply something they just need a tiny bit of to help them digest any food they eat besides their regular feed.
Cracked corn is not nutritious enough to be a feed. It should only be a snack in tiny amounts.
Are you feeding her anything else? Ducks need a duck feed or an all flock feed.
Also question, what vitamins did you give her when you gave her vitamins? For leg strength Ducks need extra niacin.
The supplement that has the best amount of niacin in it for ducks is called liquid B complex ( see picture above)

Also ducks need to have their drinking water in buckets or bowls that are deep enough for them to dunk their entire head into that’s how they keep their nostrils and their eyes clean and clear. Are you using a deep enough water?

Yes her drinking water is a standard duck watered and I have it mixed with Poultry Cell vitamins. Also she has scratch grains

 

[MisfitRanch3]

Yes her drinking water is a standard duck watered and I have it mixed with Poultry Cell vitamins. Also she has scratch grains

 

[MisfitRanch3]

Yes her drinking water is a standard duck watered and I have it mixed with Poultry Cell vitamins. Also she has scratch grains

Also she seem a lot weaker today than yesterday. Could this be from to much grit? I really hope I didn’t hurt her with that

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Also she seem a lot weaker today than yesterday. Could this be from to much grit? I really hope I didn’t hurt her with that

You did not hurt her with the grit. Generally, they will not eat it unless they need it to grind up their food. Since they have no teeth, grit grinds their food.
A bigger concern is that she might have a severe niacin deficiency. The manufactures of the food aren’t always right when they say it is good for water fowl. You really want them on a food made just for them with a high amount. The vitamins you have been giving her are the right ones for this. How much have you been giving and how often? If she has a deficiency she may need even more. Hang in there. We know you are doing your best.

 

[MisfitRanch3]

You did not hurt her with the grit. Generally, they will not eat it unless they need it to grind up their food. Since they have no teeth, grit grinds their food.
A bigger concern is that she might have a severe niacin deficiency. The manufactures of the food aren’t always right when they say it is good for water fowl. You really want them on a food made just for them with a high amount. The vitamins you have been giving her are the right ones for this. How much have you been giving and how often? If she has a deficiency she may need even more. Hang in there. We know you are doing your best.

Thank you! Is there something I can give her with niacin. I will get her duck specific tomorrow