Lameness in ducks legs

[EvanSS]

This duck is almost 2 years old. Hes an amazing and nice duck. Over the past year his legs have become worse and worse. They started off normal but he seemed to be pretty heavy. I did not raise this duck. I got him as an adult duck. Over the course of the past year his legs have seemed to give up in a way. One is twisting inward and the other one lays straight. Does anyone know what could be wrong and how to fix this?

 

[Isaac 0]

The inward angulation you're seeing in the legs is indicative of a niacin deficiency; with a bird who has been suffering from a niacin deficiency for a few years, it's unlikely any therapy will correct the angulation you're seeing. Supportive care, such as ensuring the duck gets in water daily, adding B vitamins to his diet, keeping him on soft grounds to reduce the chance of pressure sores can help improve life, but won't correct the angulation.

 

[EvanSS]

The inward angulation you're seeing in the legs is indicative of a niacin deficiency; with a bird who has been suffering from a niacin deficiency for a few years, it's unlikely any therapy will correct the angulation you're seeing. Supportive care, such as ensuring the duck gets in water daily, adding B vitamins to his diet, keeping him on soft grounds to reduce the chance of pressure sores can help improve life, but won't correct the angulation.

Thank you! Thats exactly what ive been doing, ive been giving him niacin and making sure he gets food and water everyday. He stays in his pen on dry straw. My mom and me think that he wasn't given niacin as a duckling and thats why he is the way he is.

 

[Isaac 0]

Thank you! Thats exactly what ive been doing, ive been giving him niacin and making sure he gets food and water everyday. He stays in his pen on dry straw. My mom and me think that he wasn't given niacin as a duckling and thats why he is the way he is.

Being meat birds, Pekins require more niacin compared to other commonly kept breeds, so it is not uncommon for them to develop these deficiencies. Niacin deficiencies only tend to occur when the duck is under ten weeks of age where niacin requirements are the higest.