We have a saxony duck that we hatched this spring. She seemed healthy as the other birds until a few months ago when she started to limp. We thought it might have been because the goose was trying to mate with her:/ We separated her from the rest of the flock so she could mend her hurt leg. We didn't notice any swelling or unusual heat coming from her leg. After about a week she seemed to be doing better then the goose started in again. Again we separated them.... Same thing as the last time we put her back with the flock but this time the goose stopped bugging her. Unfortunately she's still limping and I think it may be getting worse. We've grown very attached to her. She's very sweet and doesn't mind us handling her that much anymore, I just wish there was something we could do for her. I've researched on the internet and can not find anything that sounds similar to her condition. I guess I was hoping she would get better on her own or I could find some home remedy for her. If there's anyone that has any advice about this please let me know. We live in a farming community so I'm hoping the vet will have some experience with this. I plan on calling tomorrow about her.
Good Evening, I can't say for certain what your duck is experiencing but I can tell you what I have noticed in ducks of this age. I work for a wildlife rehab centre and each year raise about 70 orphaned ducklings that are eventually released back into the wild. I must say that I have only noticed this phenomenon in Mallards. They start with a very minor limp....one where you say to someone "does that duck look like it is limping to you?" A few days go by and the duck is definitely limping for no apparent reason. These ducks are raised on grass/sand/soft pine shavings for bedding and are contained within a pen so are not exposed to any other animal that may injure them. The leg is never warm, swollen, red or otherwise remarkable. There is no open injury. The only thing that I can think of is a Niacin deficiency and I plan on using Brewer's yeast next year as a supplement. I have 4 ducks of my own and have noticed a marked improvement in the motor ability of my very fragile Albino duck. She could barely walk at times but seems quite a bit stronger after a couple of weeks of this vitamin. Apparently, Brewer's yeast is very safe to use. I have been adding a tablet to their water each day. Good luck with your ducky. Carolyn
The niacin certainly won't hurt, and it may help considerably. Also check with your vet, of course! Brewer's yeast is an excellent, safe remedy that won't hurt the other birds even if they're getting enough niacin. If you don't have or can't find brewer's yeast (try your local health food store and/or brewing store if you have one), you can also use pharmaceutical niacin, like you buy at any old pharmacy. It's a little less safe (be careful of dosage), but quite effective. Buy the sort that is *NOT* flush-free (because it contains extra chemicals), and I find that gel caps are easiest to use. The dosage is *up to* 500 mg per gallon of water. I use 250, because too much niacin can be toxic, so I keep the dosage low. Just open the capsule into the water and mix to dissolve. The slow-release niacin does not dissolve well, so try to get the ordinary powdered sort. If you only have waterfowl in the pen together, they can all drink out of this water without harm. I would be careful about letting other animals drink from it, though. Good luck!
