My duck cant walk????

[Duckingawesome]

Hey guys,

I am brand new to ducks! I have six Blue Swedish ducklings that will be two weeks old tomorrow.

I changed their bedding this morning and did not notice anything out of the norm. Everyone went right back to the water as soon as I put them back in their home. They enjoy a swim in a kiddie pool while I clean their tub.

I changed their bedding just a few minutes ago, and I noticed one duck had lost a lot of feathers. It (not too sure of gender) looked worse when the duck was wet but still looks a bit bald now that it is dry dry. It seems to limp/flail and cannot walk. Each time I put the duck back in with the other 5 it runs and shoves itself under the others. They will stand and walk all over it. I have put the duck in it's own box now just incase it is a contagious illness, and it has not touched the food or water. This ducks is also smaller than the others. I did not think much of it, but now I am concerned since these other symptoms showed up today.

I have tried to do research, but nothing involves all these symptoms. The closest thing I found was Botulism when it referenced limpness, but that doesn't quite describe how this duck is acting. This duck just cant seem to coordinate its legs to walk. I looked to see if a leg was injured, but nothing noticable was out of the ordinary.

Thanks for reading, and I hope someone with more knowledge can help me keep my little duckling healthy!

 

[Pyxis]

and sorry to hear about the problem with your duckling.

What have you been feeding them? If not a duckling specific starter feed or an all flock feed, have you been supplementing niacin? A niacin deficiency is a very common cause of leg problems in ducklings.

 

[CayugaJana]

Hello! I’m sorry your little one isn’t well. What are you feeding it?

 

[CayugaJana]

and sorry to hear about the problem with your duckling.

What have you been feeding them? If not a duckling specific starter feed or an all flock feed, have you been supplementing niacin? A niacin deficiency is a very common cause of leg problems in ducklings.

 

[CayugaJana]

If you are feeding them all the same food, some people will say they all should be healthy. But it isn’t necessary true. Even if you have a good feed, you can still run into problems. Not all ducklings are born with the correct amount of nutrients and some ducklings do not absorb nutrients as efficiently. And niacin is a vitamin that is crucial to proper leg and neurological development. Try giving the duckling liquid niacin in the cattle section of your feed store. It must be a vitamin b complex (series of b vitamins). Not just b12. It normally comes in an injectable bottle but you don’t have to give injections. It should be done orally. 100 mg a day until they start acting better. After you get the vitamins come back on here and someone on here will instruct you further. The sooner the better. Secluding the duckling that was getting stepped on was the right choice.

 

[Duckingawesome]

and sorry to hear about the problem with your duckling.

What have you been feeding them? If not a duckling specific starter feed or an all flock feed, have you been supplementing niacin? A niacin deficiency is a very common cause of leg problems in ducklings.

I requested a game bird starter due to the higher protein content. It was either that or a chick starter. The gentleman loaded it into my trunk and my husband unloaded it into the food bin. I just went to see if it listed the nutritional content, and it is Wendlands livestock feed. It looks as though it is good for chickens, pigs, cows, etc. I am curious if the wrong bag was loaded into my vehicle. I'll head back tomorrow and make sure I have something duck/gamebird specific. I did not even think to check to make sure they loaded the right feed!

Also, thanks for the detailed info on the vitamins CayugaJana. Seems like I may need to start that first thing in the morning if I have not had the proper feed!

In the mean time, can I do anything about the duckling not eating?
Thank you!

 

[Pyxis]

Good thing you checked! Ducks don't really need a high protein content (and in fact too high will cause problems like angel wing) so of those two options, a game bird or a chick starter, I would go with the chick starter and just supplement niacin.

 

[CayugaJana]

Make sure it’s not the 30 percent protein. That’s a little too high for them if so. Should be around 20%. But please get the b vitamin complex (niacin is included-vitamin b3 ). It’s probably the best shot you have of getting ducklings walking.

 

[Duckingawesome]

Hey guys!

Thanks for yalls help! I have all the ducks on a chick starter, 24% protein. I also got them all started on nutri-dense for poultry. No feed store had vitamin b, but I have been giving Beyonce, my injured duckling, the nutri-dense orally and in her water. 5 of my ducklings are doing great and have really enjoyed their move outside to their coop.

Update on Beyonce (because she is a survivor!). She is still alone inside with me, but she is doing better! She is still a bit unsteady, but she will stand and slowly walk somewhere. If she tries to move quickly, her legs still do not work well.

I feel horrible that she is alone, so I took her on a swim with a few of her siblings. If I put all 5 of her siblings in there, she gets trampled. I attached a picture because she is half the size of her siblings. They all hatched the same day, but she is tiny! When I only had two ducks in there with her, she did fine. So, I am curious if she will ever be able to rejoin them. I am now thinking that is how her legs got hurt.

Thanks so much guys! I could not have done it without you.

 

[Halizabeth]

maybe put just 1 of the other duckling in with Beyonce and leave the rest of the ducklings out of that brooder. This way Beyonce will have a mate, unless you think that is still to dangeous for her. Also in the people vitamin section of the store is a liquid dropper of Spring Valley Vitamin B complex. It has been recommened on here and I had to get some 1.5 weeks ago for a Pekin duckling having trouble walking and he/she is much better now. I put a few droppers full on the food each time throughout the day and on snacks. I will continue to give to my ducklings till 10 weeks as recommended... or longer if I hear otherwise. Good luck