Need help with disabled duckling

[sandy28]

Hi I'm new here and to raising ducks. We have 4 ducklings two are 4 wks old and two are 3 wks old. One of the 4 week old ducks has difficulty walking and is very small. When it walks its feet cross and he stands on his feet. I've tried brewer's yeast and niacine and it helped some but it's from the nutrition store not a farm supply store ( none of those stores had any). The duck he came home with is very protective of him...they look like mutt and Jeff one is an aflac duck and the disabled one is a Rouen. Can anyone suggest anything that can help this little guy....the bedding gets so wet he gets soaked and shivers like crazy so I put him under his lamp to dry but the bedding is awful..we've tried shavings and pellets but it still soaks....my next try will be the wood stove pellets....sorry this is so long....any help would be appreciated

 

[Virus]

You should use fluffy bedding and take steps to keep the bedding try, I'll give you a link to a form about this very thing. My mallard drake had and still has this problem . It started with a niacin problem and I didn't catch it till it was pretty bad. I gave him straight niacin supplements that I got from I think Walmart, the kind that are full of powder and you can pull the capsules apart. I made his food a mash and mixed it in with it. It got better but never fixed, he still steps on his feet and trips from time to time but otherwise there's no pain and he can run and swim with little issue. You may want to separate him from the rest, and give him a stuffed animal to cuddle, so his bedding will be less wet and he can get the niacin he needs without the others eating all of the food before he can get any. Or you could put him with his nicest sibling and let them live together. I don't think his problem will every be completely fixed but he can still be a happy duck.

 

[Virus]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1094759/duckling-brooder-tips-please/10#post_16827225 here's that link to that form I talked about.

 

[buff goose guy]

try swimming therapy and see if that helps. also i do recommend some duck shoes or some people use tape, i think @casportpony could help if you want to do that, it is usually done best though during the first week.

 

[Amiga]

Here are some links to keep bedding drier.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641902/created-a-water-saver-for-my-duck-brooder

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/679433/water-water-everywhere/10

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/858161/feed-water-solution-for-brooder#post_12901321

http://frankiemakes.blogspot.ca/2012/06/watering-solution-for-ducks.html

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/259876/do-your-ducks-have-water-at-night/10#post_13568197

post number 8 from this
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/959603/ducklings-getting-stuck-on-their-backs#post_14939819

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/969751/help-baby-ducklings#post_15125952