My duck can't walk or stand

[KatieNicole]

I think I've posted this before, but it's saying I didn't, so sorry if you've read my other one.
So my parents got me two ducklings about a month and a half ago and they were doing just fine then. Then about two weeks ago the oldest one (we guessed it was older cause it was alway bigger in size) starting having trouble walking. We just joked around and said that he/she was too fat and lazy.
That was until three days ago he/she was getting worse. *two days ago he/she's limp got worse, today he/she can't even walk without falling forward*
I read some other posts about people having their ducks in a similar situation and what they did seemed to work, so:
I plan on giving him/her more greens, a yeast tablet or some yeast flour stuff in the water, and buying some Arnica flour to mix with water to apply to his/her leg.
Hopefully these work and it would really help if someone gave some tips on what to do.
(Also I'm pretty sure it's just a sprain because I read that they can sprain their legs easily when they run, slip, etc. and we have wood floors that they both slip on sometimes.)
I'm praying that nothing is seriously wrong with him/her, so tips would be really useful

 

[Amiga]

@KatieNicole

Okay, you need to know that when we suggest yeast, it's not baking yeast, not winemaking yeast.

It's brewer's yeast - a nutritional supplement. And generally, people use 1 tablespoon of brewer's yeast per cup of food.

I think the duckling may have a B vitamin deficiency (and brewer's yeast can help with that). Here is a writeup about all my thoughts on treating this:

People often get confused about what to use, so please stick with me here

.

You have some options.

I would go with brewer's yeast. Forgive me for using capital letters, but for anyone else who may casually look over this thread, NOT baking yeast, NOT winemaking yeast. Brewer's yeast is a nutritional supplement and it provides niacin and a few other vitamins.

Generally, folks who supplement with brewer’s yeast use a tablespoon per cup of food.

Ducklings need about three times the niacin chicks do. And some ducklings get leg problems or seizures if they don't have enough niacin.

If you cannot find the brewer's yeast, or if you happen to have (here come the capital letters again, please forgive me) PLAIN niacin - NOT no-flush, NOT timed release, then dissolve 150 mg niacin per gallon of water for the duckling’s drinking water.

Another approach is to use B Complex capsules, and use the B3 - niacin - levels as a guide. Again, 150 mg B3 per gallon of drinking water.


Keep the little one on the supplements for about 8 weeks.

Sometimes it only takes a few days to see improvement.

You can also see how it went for Qwackers and Bentley from these threads.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/857143/treating-wry-neck-in-crested-duckling-edited-title

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help

 

[KatieNicole]

Okay, thank you so much. You have no idea how happy I am that you have suggested this. Hopefully this works (which I'm sure it will).
I'll most likely have to start giving him/her it on Sunday because I'm unable to make it to the store until then. But again, Thank you.

 

[Amiga]

Do you have dry cat kibble? Crush it up really fine and add that to the food. It has some B vitamins in it - till you can get to the store. It is really important to start a.s.a.p.

 

[KatieNicole]

No I don't, but my parent's just ran up to the store to get some plain niacin and they'll be back in about ten-twenty minutes. As soon as they get back I'll start putting it in the food.
Quick question, do I give them each their own food since I'm putting that stuff in it (is it okay for the okay duck to consume the plain niacin food?)?

 

[Amiga]

If you are using plain niacin, the recommendation from Storey's Guide is 100 to 150 mg niacin per gallon of drinking water. It's a B vitamin, water soluble, should not be a problem for the others as far as I know.

 

[duckeg]

Brewers yeast and liquid calcium would be great try it asap