Rescue ducklings (Niacin/riboflavin deficiency)

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bsides2007

Songster
Jun 8, 2015
94
136
111
Upper Peninsula, MI
Hey all!

I have recently taken in some "rescue" ducklings that are approximately 3-4 weeks of age. Today is my 4th day with them. When I got them from the person who rescued them, they were already severely deformed/crippled from what looks like niacin and/or riboflavin deficiency. They were from a mass market supply and were clearly not supplemented. While in my care, they haven't declined at all, and one seems to be getting a little stronger, but I wonder if they could ever come back from this? One can't stand at all, as her legs are too bowed and her hocks are too big/swollen. She does get up and hobble around on her hocks but she can't seem to extend her legs or uncurl the toes. The other has a deformed spine, so she hobbles around but always falls over and can't get back up without help most of the time. I have ordered a liquid b complex vitamin to see if it will help, but unfortunately where I live, shipping takes forever. It should arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, I have been giving nutritional yeast (it's all I had on hand) and nutridrench, along with a little bit of ACV and probios with some egg yolk. They eat and drink well, and act normal otherwise (they preen and try to splash around in their water and digestion seems good). I have them swim every day to take stress off their little joints and help them build strength. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Can severely crippled ducklings recover if treated? And does anyone know how many cc/mL of liquid b complex I can safely give each duckling? Thank you! <3

P.S- They are Pekin ducklings and their names are Smeagol and Gollum

Also out of curiosity, does anyone have Cayugas that have extra little growths of tissue on the sides of their feet? At first I thought it was bumblefoot but it is not. There is no hard ball or swelling, and it just looks like a little cluster of warts maybe on the side of her foot. I noticed that both of my Cayugas have this. They do not favor the foot and there is no wound that I can see.
 
So sad someone would let these ducklings get this way. Even if they were raised for food treating humanely should be top priority. I am not sure just how much improvement can be expected of these lil ones. Sounds like your doing an awesome job so far letting them swim giving them the extra niacin they need with the Nutritional yeast. 1 Tab per cup of feed is rec. I haven't ever used the liquid complex but @CayugaJana has hopefully she can help you with them

Have they seen a vet at all?


Can you post some pics of their legs and feet. Maybe a video of them swimming and walking.

I wish I could say yes they will recover but it doesn't sound good but I would not give up on them. I am not sure if your set up to care for physically handicapped ducks if not hopefully someone else would be able to do step up and care for them.
@CayugaJana Jana also has Cayuga[can you guess] maybe she can help with yours feet I remember some one says when seeing this in another post about over grown scales?

Please keep us updated on these lil ones I sure wish you the best in working to give them a better life.
 
So sad someone would let these ducklings get this way. Even if they were raised for food treating humanely should be top priority. I am not sure just how much improvement can be expected of these lil ones. Sounds like your doing an awesome job so far letting them swim giving them the extra niacin they need with the Nutritional yeast. 1 Tab per cup of feed is rec. I haven't ever used the liquid complex but @CayugaJana has hopefully she can help you with them

Have they seen a vet at all?


Can you post some pics of their legs and feet. Maybe a video of them swimming and walking.

I wish I could say yes they will recover but it doesn't sound good but I would not give up on them. I am not sure if your set up to care for physically handicapped ducks if not hopefully someone else would be able to do step up and care for them.
@CayugaJana Jana also has Cayuga[can you guess] maybe she can help with yours feet I remember some one says when seeing this in another post about over grown scales?

Please keep us updated on these lil ones I sure wish you the best in working to give them a better life.
hug behind.gif
 
Hi bsides!! Thank you for rescuing them!! I doubt there is anything you can do for the spine issue. Like Miss Lydia mentioned, it will be really helpful if you can post some pictures.

You can give them 10mg of niacin although it won’t hurt them if you give them more. What kind of vitamin b complex do you have. Maybe if we can look at the label, we can do the math to see how much to give them. You could still possibly fix the bow legs. Keep it quiet and swimming like you’ve been doing.

My cayugas don’t have any extra tissue that I know of. I have Pekins also. Their feet look the same other than the color of the skin.
 
So sad someone would let these ducklings get this way. Even if they were raised for food treating humanely should be top priority. I am not sure just how much improvement can be expected of these lil ones. Sounds like your doing an awesome job so far letting them swim giving them the extra niacin they need with the Nutritional yeast. 1 Tab per cup of feed is rec. I haven't ever used the liquid complex but @CayugaJana has hopefully she can help you with them

Have they seen a vet at all?


Can you post some pics of their legs and feet. Maybe a video of them swimming and walking.

I wish I could say yes they will recover but it doesn't sound good but I would not give up on them. I am not sure if your set up to care for physically handicapped ducks if not hopefully someone else would be able to do step up and care for them.
@CayugaJana Jana also has Cayuga[can you guess] maybe she can help with yours feet I remember some one says when seeing this in another post about over grown scales?

Please keep us updated on these lil ones I sure wish you the best in working to give them a better life.

Thank you for your reply! Here is a video of the ducklings swimming a bit...


Hopefully you can see that! I will take some photos of their legs and back and post also
 
I meant to say...yeah, I am pretty disappointed that someone let the ducklings get this way. I would think large chains that sell poultry would know that ducks need niacin....I don't want to bash, but these babies were rescued from a TSC where I live. I normally love that store (not for buying poultry necessarily...my ducks were ordered from Metzer) but I am just beside myself as to how they let them get this way and did nothing about it...I realize they have a lot to look after but this is soooo preventable that it's sad. The poor things. A friend of mine bought some ducklings there and they just "threw these in for free" with the others...like they just pawned them off on him and he (being brand new to ducks) had no idea what to do.
 
Hi bsides!! Thank you for rescuing them!! I doubt there is anything you can do for the spine issue. Like Miss Lydia mentioned, it will be really helpful if you can post some pictures.

You can give them 10mg of niacin although it won’t hurt them if you give them more. What kind of vitamin b complex do you have. Maybe if we can look at the label, we can do the math to see how much to give them. You could still possibly fix the bow legs. Keep it quiet and swimming like you’ve been doing.

My cayugas don’t have any extra tissue that I know of. I have Pekins also. Their feet look the same other than the color of the skin.

This is the b complex I ordered

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076P6966T/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I will look up more about how much I can give them, but I saw a youtube video of a guy who did this for his ducklings and it worked out well. He didn't use the same kind though. I will post some pictures of their deformities so you can see. One thing I will say though, is that they are still little and should be in their growth spurt and when I gently manipulate them, the spine/legs move into place. I try to keep the legs mobile on Gollum, but they are so stiff I don't want to hurt her. I'm afraid they will be stuck that way. They do move a little though. Thanks for your reply!

Also, upon further research I think the extra skin thing might be hyperkeratosis? I have sprayed with vetericyn but I may do a little oregano oil in their water just in case it's fungal, and I'll try to spray with it also and if I can, soak and wrap the foot.
 
That is very sad I wish these stores would get out of the poultry selling business period. Most of their employees have no clue how to care for them or even what breed they have. Give bad info on feeding etc.
The one lil one looks to have it's legs sort of locked have you tried doing any type of massages maybe using coconut oil and straightening the legs bending them in normal positions etc. Swimming is so good for them they look like they enjoy it too. Bowed legs can be helped to where it should be able to walk but probably won't ever be real good at it since these ducks get so large.

Let me get you the poultry pedia link maybe you can find some info on here that will help.
 

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