Pekin duck cannot walk

[laura21]

Hello, I have a 2 month old pekin female ducck and she was walking fine yesterday,they all came up to me and she was completely fine.This morning she layed in the nest the other duck made for her eggs and is just kind of crawling. I checked her legs and they are fine,she has a few very minor cuts that are healed almost completely because her and her 2 sisters used to escape in a search for snails. She is the smallest of her three sisters and I am really worried. Is there any way I could determine the cause of this without going to the vet?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello, I have a 2 month old pekin female ducck and she was walking fine yesterday,they all came up to me and she was completely fine.This morning she layed in the nest the other duck made for her eggs and is just kind of crawling. I checked her legs and they are fine,she has a few very minor cuts that are healed almost completely because her and her 2 sisters used to escape in a search for snails. She is the smallest of her three sisters and I am really worried. Is there any way I could determine the cause of this without going to the vet?

It maybe a niacin deficiency happens quite a bit in ducklings if fed chick starter since it doesn't have adequate amounts of niacin for water fowl. Most of us haven't a choice in feeds so we use Brewers yeast to supplement the niacin, and not all ducklings will have this problem but it doesn't hurt to give it to them all.

They can also get bumble which is an infection so make sure to treat all cut and scraps with neosporin or triple antibiotic but nothing with pain relief in it.

I'm thinking this is a niacin issue though so get Brewers yeast [most health food stores carry it or Whole foods] or nutritional yeast but not baking yeast. put 1 Tablespoon per cup of feed daily till 12 weeks of age. Usually if it's a def.
they make a quick turn around usually before the week is up but very important they start getting the BY right away.

You can also use plain niacin 150 mgs mixed into a gallon of water it has to be plain though not time released or no flush. and mixed real well.

While she is recovering though try and keep her from over extending and just resting till the niacin starts to work. Sometimes a small area with a buddy helps. Please let us know how she is doing. oh and no pool time unless your there to help her in and out. Pool time is great therapy but being safe is very important if she isn't able to walk right now.