Niacin Deficient Ducklings

[CoriM]

Totally agree with MasterofClucker. If you can put it on treats, or even syringe it straight into their mouths, you'll be assured they're getting enough. It was easy for me to add it to fermented feed, I was doing that and water multiple times a day. Whatever works best in your situation, just make sure your ducks are getting enough. It will work wonders.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just always remember anything liquid has to be done slowly if given orally. They can aspirate very easily.
@CoriM they look great!

 

[DuckyDonna]

If you syringe it into their mouth make sure you put in on the DUCK'S RIGHT side so it doesn't aspirate!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-give-pills-to-ducks.1246505/

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[Arkhamqueen]

@CoriM and @MasterOfClucker, thank you both so very much! I appreciate it. So very much.

@Miss Lydia and @DuckyDonna, fantastic info on how to orally dose and not accidentally make things way worse.

I couldn't get a good video of them today. Good news though! The swelling is way down. Their poor hocks were grapes yesterday. Today, they are much smaller. I was worried about them not getting up at all today. (I have their food and water next to each other so they can just do everything lying down.) Now I’m thinking some of their previous pain has been replaced by laziness. When they heard me turn on the bath water, they both stood up and loudly demanded they are joining in. One even tried to jump up out of the bin, twice, lol. Today’s bathtimes were cheerful as always, but they had their first diving and hyper happy today too. Our Potato Twins might be more coop potatoes than patients soon.

I know bread isn’t a good treat, but I had no luck with anything I tried to give them their meds to eat with today. Apparently, these two are feeling plucky enough to be picky. They even refused bread with it. I pulled their food out for a little bit to give them the sense of urgency and the tubby babies the foreign feeling of hunger. They were on to me and not pleased by my attempt. The soggy bread ball got slung onto the wall and I got cursed out. I’m going to keep doing the water since water is the only thing they love. If they halt progress, I’m going to earn the next cursing by just putting it in their mouths.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wish you'd videoed that episode. I am so happy to hear they are doing so much better. Just let them recover at their own pace. Warm water therapy and gentle exercise. No running. And continue with the liquid B complex how ever you can get those little potatoes to take it. As long as it's working!!

 

[DuckyDonna]

I don't blame them for not liking the taste. I think it smells awful and probably tastes the same although everything tastes good on mealworms!

 

[CoriM]

Here is a video of my duckling walking with her hobbles last summer:

 

[Arkhamqueen]

Sad update. They were slowly getting better. Was treating their water with 2-4ml a day of the B complex and swimming in warm water for up to an hour 3x a day. One was walking well and acting good. Other was slower to get better. Yesterday was a standstill, to make a pun. Today, Mr. Potato has regressed a good bit. He stands and cries for us— that scream cry. He sits on his hocks and fights lying down. He hobbled and stumbles to get to the food and water when he is together with his flock mates drying.

I checked out his legs. No slipped tendon. His hocks are hot as can be and still swollen. Huge vein over the top like some roided wrestler from 1991. We are thinking the Potato twins may be some Jumbo Pekin mix since they are twice as big and don’t even eat twice as much. Maybe our diarrhea skinny other ducklings are just too skinny. I don’t know. I looked to put a hobble on them, but their legs seem to be TOO under them instead of splayed outwards.

We’re kind of at a loss for how to help him. I’m not so worried about “Potahto”, since he doesn’t seem too bothered by the turned inward legs. His sister/brother is the one we are so upset about. I don’t know if I should make some sling thing to hold him up and keep him off his legs completely for a few days (and somehow rig food and water to be with him). I’m sort of at a loss of how to help him more. I’m hoping he just had a bad day and slept wrong or something. Keeping weight on him isn’t a problem since they are both lard balls. I don’t know if some is just him being a dramatic baby wanting attention and hoping for some treats (just weeds from outside).

 

[Miss Lydia]

So sorry for the set back any chance you can get a vet to have a look? Sounds like it hurts to walk especially with swollen and hot to touch legs. Poor baby. A sling would work for a while. Just make sure where ever you place him he has access to food and water.