Lame ducklings :'(

[BelleInBoots3]

Hey guys, I need your advice bad. I was an idiot and let my kids talk me into grabbing two ducklings at the flee market a couple weeks ago. I was in a hurry and didnt pay much attention to my instincts and when i got them home it eas quit clear that they were very sick. Lathargic, discolored beaks, one clogged with mucus, bloody stools, hyperventalating and srayed weak legs. I dewormed them and got them good food and water while trying to track down appropriate antibiotics. Finally found them and have had them on them for about a week now. They are gaining weight, eating, stools are normal, mucus beaks are cleared and they have stopped hyperventalating. But their beaks are still off color and now, they seem to be even more lame than they were. Im pretty sure its because they finally started gaining weight. Im at a loss and completely unsure what to do now. I have raised chickens for years and have no issue putting birds in the freezer, but these are just babies. :'( i cant afford to take them to the vet, even if that did make sense for $3 ducklings. But Im not sure how long I can just watch them suffer either. Please share your thoughts.

Christie

 

[TLWR]

What are you feeding?
Are you adding any additional niacin to either their food or water (niacin capsules or brewers yeast)?

Ducks need more niacin than chicks and if these guys had a rough start, they probably weren't getting enough to meet their needs.

 

[tmorgan46]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VH3ZYU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've scoured the stores near and or around us and never have much luck finding brewers yeast. I've ordered this a couple of times and always seems to do the trick.

 

[BelleInBoots3]

No i havent been. Was just feeding a regular flock raiser.. could this really be the whole reason theyca no longer walk at all?

 

[tmorgan46]

The niacin is a ducks best friend when they're young and starting out. I haven't had any ducklings with problems, but I never take any chances either and always put a teaspoon on each cup of food. We've got 18 healthy Muscovies and 2 geese that were all raised since day one (or two or three). You'll see just about every thread here pertaining to ducklings always suggest niacin supplement. This is just the easiest for me to obtain and use.

 

[BelleInBoots3]

Any idea how long it would take for a recovery and or if a complete recovery is possible? I have started giving them "nutritional yeast" and they have definately made some improvement. One more noticible than the other. Still struggles to walk, but i have seen it standing which wasnt happening before and the other seems to be a smidge better not not as much...

 

[Miss Lydia]

Any idea how long it would take for a recovery and or if a complete recovery is possible? I have started giving them "nutritional yeast" and they have definately made some improvement. One more noticible than the other. Still struggles to walk, but i have seen it standing which wasnt happening before and the other seems to be a smidge better not not as much...

Sometimes as quick as a week but maybe longer with yours since they have had such a poor start before you brought them home. Honestly it is amazing what they can recover from if given a chance and sounds like your 2 on on the road to recovery with what you have done so far. Flock raiser is great feed make sure when they are tiny they get crumble unless you crush the pellets it seems to be harder to eat for ducklings. Nutritional yeast is great and it needs to actually be 1 Tab
per cup of feed. till 10-12 weeks old. Please post pics. Do you know the breed?

And Welcome to BYC @BelleInBoots3