New duck mom? Help!

[Lingosandflamingos]

Hi!

Anyone a duck person?

Okay here goes. I rescued a set of ducks a few weeks back. Exclusively fed chicken feed they were vitamin deficient. Saw huge improvements after being on the proper feed. Last week my one duck developed suddenly what appeared to be wry neck. I started treating with 1 cc of nutridrench. Now his feet look red and irritable and he can’t take more than a few steps without falling over and then kicking nonstop unable to right himself. It doesn’t SEEM neurological but I’m unsure. I’m thinking he now has bumblefoot which I’ll be treating tomorrow when I receive my Amazon delivery of goods.

Anyway long story short, wanted to see if someone more experienced than I had any suggestions based on this info. We apparently do not have a local avian vet so I’m hoping for long term bird owners to help.

I attached photos of his feet,the way he is when toppled and how he is when I prop him. Excuse his face, we are in the middle of ducky feeding time. I’ve been hand feeding him.

 

[Quacking ducks]

Hi!

Anyone a duck person?

Okay here goes. I rescued a set of ducks a few weeks back. Exclusively fed chicken feed they were vitamin deficient. Saw huge improvements after being on the proper feed. Last week my one duck developed suddenly what appeared to be wry neck. I started treating with 1 cc of nutridrench. Now his feet look red and irritable and he can’t take more than a few steps without falling over and then kicking nonstop unable to right himself. It doesn’t SEEM neurological but I’m unsure. I’m thinking he now has bumblefoot which I’ll be treating tomorrow when I receive my Amazon delivery of goods.

Anyway long story short, wanted to see if someone more experienced than I had any suggestions based on this info. We apparently do not have a local avian vet so I’m hoping for long term bird owners to help.

I attached photos of his feet,the way he is when toppled and how he is when I prop him. Excuse his face, we are in the middle of ducky feeding time. I’ve been hand feeding him.

-Is he still eating and drinking ok?

- do you know old he is?

I haven’t dealt with this before, but I did some research and found some things that might help.

I hope you will be able to help him. I don’t know if this will help or not, like I said I haven’t dealt with this before. Keep us updated.

 

[Lingosandflamingos]

-Is he still eating and drinking ok?

- do you know old he is?

I haven’t dealt with this before, but I did some research and found some things that might help.
View attachment 2362893View attachment 2362900View attachment 2362902View attachment 2362904
I hope you will be able to help him. I don’t know if this will help or not, like I said I haven’t dealt with this before. Keep us updated.

He is eating and drinking very well! He is not lethargic in any way which I take to be a good sign. His neck seems to be improving following the above info, I used the same site to start treating! but yet he falls over constantly and can’t get back up.
Thank you for your help!

 

[LapisLazuli]

Looks like bumblefoot.
@Isaac 0

 

[Isaac 0]

Here is what I would suggest basing off what they were being fed, and the kind of symptoms their showing.

Wry neck can be caused by several things, but with young ducks it tends to be nutritionally related. The two vitamins that can cause this, are thiamine (B1) and vitamin E. That said, I would start her on supplementation for both of those vitamins. For vitamin E, pick up some human soft gel 400iu capsules, and give her one a day. For thiamine, pick up some Cattle B Complex at your feed store, and give her 1ml daily, over treats, or PO. The Cattle B complex, also contains several other B vitamins including niacin, which I'm sure she is lacking given that she was being fed a diet formulated for chickens.

On the subject of diet, what are you feeding them? Ducks that age should be eating a feed either formulated for all poultry or specifically for ducks. A few common brands, would include Purina Flock Raiser, Mazuri, Manna Pro, or All Flock feed.

Regarding the Bumble, I would start soaking the daily in Epsom salts, and start applying an antibacterial ointment, and if needed, wrap the foot to keep bedding from "infecting" the area.

Perhaps, you've moved her since, but basing off the photos, I can definitely see she's having a hard time standing up, and it appears she's slipping on the plastic. Could you put a thick layer of bedding down, so when she applies pressure to her feet, it doesn't slip?

 

[Lingosandflamingos]

Here is what I would suggest basing off what they were being fed, and the kind of symptoms their showing.

Wry neck can be caused by several things, but with young ducks it tends to be nutritionally related. The two vitamins that can cause this, are thiamine (B1) and vitamin E. That said, I would start her on supplementation for both of those vitamins. For vitamin E, pick up some human soft gel 400iu capsules, and give her one a day. For thiamine, pick up some Cattle B Complex at your feed store, and give her 1ml daily, over treats, or PO. The Cattle B complex, also contains several other B vitamins including niacin, which I'm sure she is lacking given that she was being fed a diet formulated for chickens.

On the subject of diet, what are you feeding them? Ducks that age should be eating a feed either formulated for all poultry or specifically for ducks. A few common brands, would include Purina Flock Raiser, Mazuri, Manna Pro, or All Flock feed.

Regarding the Bumble, I would start soaking the daily in Epsom salts, and start applying an antibacterial ointment, and if needed, wrap the foot to keep bedding from "infecting" the area.

Perhaps, you've moved her since, but basing off the photos, I can definitely see she's having a hard time standing up, and it appears she's slipping on the plastic. Could you put a thick layer of bedding down, so when she applies pressure to her feet, it doesn't slip?

Hi, thank you so much for replying! So a little background, when I recused them, they were being fed chicken feed. I switched them to Purina Flock Raiser + Niacin to their water. However, I fed/watered all at once so I couldn't verify how much she was getting. I'm now feeding/watering her separately so I can monitor her.

I will add the vitamins you suggested and will pick these up today! I've been soaking and spraying with poultry antiseptic. I just got vet wrap in the mail and will start using this. Do I need to try to pull off the scab?

Finally, I have her in a plastic tub with pine shavings.... when she loses her balance, she windmill kicks pushing all the bedding to the side. I added more once reading this so I hope that helps. Is there a better bedding I could use to prevent this?

Thank you thank you thank you!!

 

[KaleIAm]

Hi, thank you so much for replying! So a little background, when I recused them, they were being fed chicken feed. I switched them to Purina Flock Raiser + Niacin to their water. However, I fed/watered all at once so I couldn't verify how much she was getting. I'm now feeding/watering her separately so I can monitor her.

I will add the vitamins you suggested and will pick these up today! I've been soaking and spraying with poultry antiseptic. I just got vet wrap in the mail and will start using this. Do I need to try to pull off the scab?

Finally, I have her in a plastic tub with pine shavings.... when she loses her balance, she windmill kicks pushing all the bedding to the side. I added more once reading this so I hope that helps. Is there a better bedding I could use to prevent this?

Thank you thank you thank you!!

Hi! You are doing a great job taking care of your duck!

I used to have a lot of problems with bumblefoot, and I always took my ducks to the vet. When I finally asked my vet why my ducks were getting bumbles she told me it was partially because their feet need much softer surfaces to stand on. She told me to take out the pine shavings in my barn and replace them with at least 4 inches of softer material like hay or straw. Since you are just using a tub you could use other stuff like carefresh type bedding or a thick layer of towels. I did as recommended and I haven't had any bumblefoot for years!

I should note that the shavings were the easiest to work with, and a lot of people here like them a lot and use them with no problems. Straw molds faster and you have to change it out often - which I'm happy to do to avoid foot problems.

 

[Lingosandflamingos]

Hi! You are doing a great job taking care of your duck!

I used to have a lot of problems with bumblefoot, and I always took my ducks to the vet. When I finally asked my vet why my ducks were getting bumbles she told me it was partially because their feet need much softer surfaces to stand on. She told me to take out the pine shavings in my barn and replace them with at least 4 inches of softer material like hay or straw. Since you are just using a tub you could use other stuff like carefresh type bedding or a thick layer of towels. I did as recommended and I haven't had any bumblefoot for years!

I should note that the shavings were the easiest to work with, and a lot of people here like them a lot and use them with no problems. Straw molds faster and you have to change it out often - which I'm happy to do to avoid foot problems.

Thank you!! I have straw in my outdoor coop, I will switch to that this evening! It's amazing how I became a duck mom by accident and they completely stole my heart. I never knew how much personality ducks and chickens had before this!

 

[shineandrise]

Ducks are awesome, it is so cool that you rescued them! Hoping your baby pulls through!

 

[Isaac 0]

Hi, thank you so much for replying! So a little background, when I recused them, they were being fed chicken feed. I switched them to Purina Flock Raiser + Niacin to their water. However, I fed/watered all at once so I couldn't verify how much she was getting. I'm now feeding/watering her separately so I can monitor her.

I will add the vitamins you suggested and will pick these up today! I've been soaking and spraying with poultry antiseptic. I just got vet wrap in the mail and will start using this. Do I need to try to pull off the scab?

Finally, I have her in a plastic tub with pine shavings.... when she loses her balance, she windmill kicks pushing all the bedding to the side. I added more once reading this so I hope that helps. Is there a better bedding I could use to prevent this?

Thank you thank you thank you!!

A few more pictures of the scab would be good, but from, the current picture, it doesn't look all too bad. So you may be able to get away without pulling the scab off. I would personally try soaking the foot in warm water for a few minutes, slathering an antibacterial ointment on top, and bandaging. After a week of doing that, we can evaluate if the scab needs to come off, but it might just heal over. Here is a link on how to bandage duck feet,

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wrapping-feet.1255043/

I x2 on Kales's advice.