Please help! 2-day-old Mallard Duckling

[Roa]

Hello, I really need help with this duckling I got from an abandoned egg. This might be a long post so I'm sorry about that.
When I found the egg, the mom and the other ducklings have already left, and the nest still had 2 eggs in it. One was infertile and the other was alive so I took care of it. It hatched early morning yesterday (April 14th). I ended up helping it, a bit early because there was still a tiny bit of yolk left to absorb.
At first, it had a really weak neck (which I found out is called wry neck) but it got a bit better. Not as good as I think it should be though. When it drinks, it tilts its neck back so far that it flips backwards and I have to help it keep itself steady. I read in another post that ducklings like mine need more niacin. I went to TSC to find some but they were out. The posts I've read said plain niacin will work but has to be NOT flush free and NOT timed release? It would really help me if someone could link a product :'( Meanwhile, I try to help it eat/drink and keep its neck propped when I can.
It also had pretty weak legs because it still can't walk. I mean, it "walks" around with its legs still squatted. I think this is also because of niacin deficiency? Another post I read here said ducklings born weak take longer to stand up fully and walk?
I try to get it to eat and drink as much as I can, but sometimes it doesn't want to eat/drink. It poops and I think it's normal poop? Posts here have said what the ducks eat=the poop. Yesterday I fed it boiled egg yolk mixed with water. Today I got duckling feed so I mixed that with the left over egg mash and some water. Will the niacin in the feed be enough or should I get extra niacin from the store? And to be honest, I don't know if its eating/drinking enough because it only eats/drinks when it wants to.
Other than all this, it does its best to walk around and stand up. It also sleeps a lot. It seems lively. It squeaks, fluffs its feather, and jumps(?). Am I thinking too far ahead because to be honest I realized it's only 2 days old as I began writing this. I have so many more questions (like if a duckling's wings are supposed to be THAT small) but since it's already so long I'll cut it here. I'm so sorry it got so long

 

[BigBlueHen53]

It's late so I'm not sure who might be available to help you right now, but some of our best duck people are:
@WVduckchick, @HuffleClaw, @MissLydia, @casportpony and @DuckyDonna. Hopefully someone will be by to assist you shortly. Good luck!

 

[Roa]

It's late so I'm not sure who might be available to help you right now, but some of our best duck people are:
@WVduckchick, @HuffleClaw, @MissLydia, @casportpony and @DuckyDonna. Hopefully someone will be by to assist you shortly. Good luck!

Thank you! I realized it's really late I'll be staying by it all night in case anything happens, so hopefully everything will be ok until I get help

 

[WVduckchick]

What kind of duck feed did you get? Usually Purina Flock Raiser or Purina duck feed does have enough niacin. And that’s a beautiful little mallard, which usually don’t require any extra.

What your duckling needs is Vitamin E for the star gazing / wry neck. One of the other folks tagged (or @Miss Lydia) [BBH’s tag didn’t work for her lol] might have the type and dosage. I forget what has seemed to work best.
I use Poultry Nutridrench, if you can find some, it’s about 5 or 6 bucks at TSC. I wipe some off the dropper in the bottle onto my finger, then wipe it onto the ducks bill. (It’s kinda thick and messy) Follow with some drops of clear water. Repeat every couple hours or so, to start with. It can also be added to the water, but I prefer a straight drop or two, to make sure it’s actually getting some. You can also try massaging the neck. Hopefully it will straighten up in a day or so.
Congrats on the save, and kudos for taking the baby in. Best of luck to you and her!

 

[Roa]

What kind of duck feed did you get? Usually Purina Flock Raiser or Purina duck feed does have enough niacin. And that’s a beautiful little mallard, which usually don’t require any extra.

What your duckling needs is Vitamin E for the star gazing / wry neck. One of the other folks tagged (or @Miss Lydia) [BBH’s tag didn’t work for her lol] might have the type and dosage. I forget what has seemed to work best.
I use Poultry Nutridrench, if you can find some, it’s about 5 or 6 bucks at TSC. I wipe some off the dropper in the bottle onto my finger, then wipe it onto the ducks bill. (It’s kinda thick and messy) Follow with some drops of clear water. Repeat every couple hours or so, to start with. It can also be added to the water, but I prefer a straight drop or two, to make sure it’s actually getting some. You can also try massaging the neck. Hopefully it will straighten up in a day or so.
Congrats on the save, and kudos for taking the baby in. Best of luck to you and her!
View attachment 2092002

I got the Purina one, so I'm glad it's getting enough niacin! I'll try to get the Poultry Nutridrench as soon as possible. Would it also help with its legs? Thank you so much for the help and I hope its neck gets better soon too!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Get the Vitamin E in the liquid capsule then just nip one end and squeeze right inside the bill at the front of the bill don't shoot it down the throat. Do it slowly 400IE. That along with liquid B complex from TSC Durvet is the name give the duckling tiny drop it has thiamine in it which is very important for ducklings with wry neck. The poultry nutri drench is another good product to have but it doesn't contain the niacin and thiamine that your duckling needs. Bless you for saving this little one. How's the navel looking? Sure is a precious little one

 

[Isaac 0]

I agree it does look like star gazing / Wry neck, you'll get better results with straight human vitamin E liquid capsules and B complex containing thiamine. Vitamin E capsules can be found at most health stores and grocery stores, you will want to go 400iu a day, which is typically whats in a capsule. You can either cut the tip of the capsule with a pair of scissors and slowly squeeze the fluids into her mouth or you can prick the capsule with a sharp needle and do it that way. She doesn't need Niacin she needs Thiamine, your pills should have some on the back, but if it doesn't I would suggest a B complex Liquid that does.

You'll want to make sure she is eating and drinking, so often you should offer her food and water, scrambled eggs and the poultry vitamins will be good in the meantime until you get the E and if needed B. Since she is so young it shouldn't take her too long to recover.

 

[Roa]

Get the Vitamin E in the liquid capsule then just nip one end and squeeze right inside the bill at the front of the bill don't shoot it down the throat. Do it slowly 400IE. That along with liquid B complex from TSC Durvet is the name give the duckling tiny drop it has thiamine in it which is very important for ducklings with wry neck. The poultry nutri drench is another good product to have but it doesn't contain the niacin and thiamine that your duckling needs. Bless you for saving this little one. How's the navel looking? Sure is a precious little one

Thank you! I'll go buy the vitamin E and B complex today. This morning when it was drinking water, I didn't help so I can see how it is. It still flipped backwards once or twice, but it still drank on its own! I really hope that after I do all this it will get better!

 

[Roa]

I agree it does look like star gazing / Wry neck, you'll get better results with straight human vitamin E liquid capsules and B complex containing thiamine. Vitamin E capsules can be found at most health stores and grocery stores, you will want to go 400iu a day, which is typically whats in a capsule. You can either cut the tip of the capsule with a pair of scissors and slowly squeeze the fluids into her mouth or you can prick the capsule with a sharp needle and do it that way. She doesn't need Niacin she needs Thiamine, your pills should have some on the back, but if it doesn't I would suggest a B complex Liquid that does.

You'll want to make sure she is eating and drinking, so often you should offer her food and water, scrambled eggs and the poultry vitamins will be good in the meantime until you get the E and if needed B. Since she is so young it shouldn't take her too long to recover.

Thank you! I'm happy to hear that it may not take too long for it to recover! I'll buy the vitamin E and B complex today!

 

[Isaac 0]

Thank you! I'm happy to hear that it may not take too long for it to recover! I'll buy the vitamin E and B complex today!

Great! Make sure to buy the liquid capsules with around 400iu in each pill.

You may want to read this before you administer fluids orally-

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