ruthhope
Free Ranging
Hello friends
Some of you may know that I rescue abandoned and injurred ducks. I now have a problem I have not encountered before and would welcome experienced advice.
I received 2 yellow fluffies that had been found running around alone 15 days ago. The finder had kept them safe in her screened porch overnight (and been to Tractor Supply and bought starter crumbles and pine shavings.) They were filthy, hungry and very thirsty when found but cleaned up a treat. Tractor Supply had said the ducklings were 4 weeks old but I thought that as they had no feathers and no pins palpable, they were 2-3 weeks old.
I had them on added brewers yeast and they seemed ok but their gait was a little "stompy". On the second day with me, they collapsed with acute severe niacin deficiency. It happened within 4 hours from very vocal little eating and pooping machines, to lying listless. Tractor supply had had no Durvet, but I had ordered it from Amazon on their first day with me. It was expected on their third day. So I dashed out and bought a bottle of human Vit B Compound. They needed it all (50mls) in one day, so I put it in their water to be sure they got it. I had Rooster Booster Poultry Booster that I added to their food, and doubled the brewers yeast in their crumbles. They started to improve in 12 hours. They have been on double dose of Durvet high level Vit B since day three. They are now short of niacin or other B vitamins now
I first saw signs of imminent feathering on their third day with me, but even now on Day 15 they have very few feathers: a few on their tails, wing caps and flanks, below their wings. I think they are 4.5 weeks old now. But they are huge!! I have never seen a jumbo pekin duckling, but these 2 must be jumbo.
On day 3 with me when they started to walk, both had spraddle leg and struggled to stand and walk. I put on figure of 8 vet wrap binding: both could stand and walk in the binding after a few hours. The smaller duckling was fine after 3 days and remains straight legged with normal gait. The larger duckling who actually adapted better to the binding, was no better after 3 days. I put the binding back on but the duckling wasn't walking as well with the second binding. I took it off after a total of 5 days as I read amongst other things that once the niacin deficiency is resolved it's good to let the leg muscles strengthen and correct the gait.
I changed their bathing routine from a plastic tote to my bath filled deeply enough that the ducklings can swim. They were initially limited to 3 or 4 ten minute sessions because their down was getting waterlogged. This morning they had 40 minutes with me sitting there making sure the big one kept moving. The legs move normally in the water although the bigger one doesn't extend its legs and stand at the shallower end as the other duckling does. When the duckling is drying off on my lap, I can hold the legs extended with the duck stood upright. But once the duck realizes I am holding it's legs straight, it stops preening and fights me. I can also extend both legs straight out backwards when it is sitting on my lap. But it is not standing up straight. It is not right down on its hocks, but it nearly is and it drops on to its hocks when eating or drinking.
So please can anyone advise where I go from here. Do I bind the legs again? Do I just get it to walk more and strengthen its legs? I have moved the water to the other end of the duck house from their feed so that they have to walk 9 feet up and 9 ft back. I also can spend time with them when they are in the bath to keep them moving.
I am particularly worried as jumbo pekins are destined to leg problems from their excessive
weight. I really want this one to have a good straight leg start in life
Some of you may know that I rescue abandoned and injurred ducks. I now have a problem I have not encountered before and would welcome experienced advice.
I received 2 yellow fluffies that had been found running around alone 15 days ago. The finder had kept them safe in her screened porch overnight (and been to Tractor Supply and bought starter crumbles and pine shavings.) They were filthy, hungry and very thirsty when found but cleaned up a treat. Tractor Supply had said the ducklings were 4 weeks old but I thought that as they had no feathers and no pins palpable, they were 2-3 weeks old.
I had them on added brewers yeast and they seemed ok but their gait was a little "stompy". On the second day with me, they collapsed with acute severe niacin deficiency. It happened within 4 hours from very vocal little eating and pooping machines, to lying listless. Tractor supply had had no Durvet, but I had ordered it from Amazon on their first day with me. It was expected on their third day. So I dashed out and bought a bottle of human Vit B Compound. They needed it all (50mls) in one day, so I put it in their water to be sure they got it. I had Rooster Booster Poultry Booster that I added to their food, and doubled the brewers yeast in their crumbles. They started to improve in 12 hours. They have been on double dose of Durvet high level Vit B since day three. They are now short of niacin or other B vitamins now
I first saw signs of imminent feathering on their third day with me, but even now on Day 15 they have very few feathers: a few on their tails, wing caps and flanks, below their wings. I think they are 4.5 weeks old now. But they are huge!! I have never seen a jumbo pekin duckling, but these 2 must be jumbo.
On day 3 with me when they started to walk, both had spraddle leg and struggled to stand and walk. I put on figure of 8 vet wrap binding: both could stand and walk in the binding after a few hours. The smaller duckling was fine after 3 days and remains straight legged with normal gait. The larger duckling who actually adapted better to the binding, was no better after 3 days. I put the binding back on but the duckling wasn't walking as well with the second binding. I took it off after a total of 5 days as I read amongst other things that once the niacin deficiency is resolved it's good to let the leg muscles strengthen and correct the gait.
I changed their bathing routine from a plastic tote to my bath filled deeply enough that the ducklings can swim. They were initially limited to 3 or 4 ten minute sessions because their down was getting waterlogged. This morning they had 40 minutes with me sitting there making sure the big one kept moving. The legs move normally in the water although the bigger one doesn't extend its legs and stand at the shallower end as the other duckling does. When the duckling is drying off on my lap, I can hold the legs extended with the duck stood upright. But once the duck realizes I am holding it's legs straight, it stops preening and fights me. I can also extend both legs straight out backwards when it is sitting on my lap. But it is not standing up straight. It is not right down on its hocks, but it nearly is and it drops on to its hocks when eating or drinking.
So please can anyone advise where I go from here. Do I bind the legs again? Do I just get it to walk more and strengthen its legs? I have moved the water to the other end of the duck house from their feed so that they have to walk 9 feet up and 9 ft back. I also can spend time with them when they are in the bath to keep them moving.
I am particularly worried as jumbo pekins are destined to leg problems from their excessive
