Seems a bit small for his age.

[OhNos]

I'll post a picture when I can, but my muscovey duckling (of 2 months of age now) is kinda... tiny still. I mean, definitely has grown since we first adopted him, but looking at pictures of other muscovies his age, they are giant. Anyway, I was wondering if this may be related to a niacin deficiency? I gave him a crushed up brewer's yeast tablet today, mixed in with some food. His favorite food too, but I think he could tell and was really picky about eating it.

Any ideas? I have taken a look at his legs and they do seem a little outwards.

 

[Going Quackers]

Pictures would definitely be of help, hard to say.. i admit i have never had any dealings with deficiencies, there should be several posts on it if you search though. I do know they can vary in size, i see it in my own however legs turning out is a bit of a concern, hopefully others will chime and share their experiences.

 

[OhNos]

So these are the only two pictures that I could really get of him right now.




Oh, and I have kid sized hands. =/ I'll get one of him standing later tonight though, for his legs.

 

[Amiga]

Do you have poultry vitamins? I would start him on those at least a couple of times a week, and if you haven't been, see if you can get him into a tub of water deep enough to float in so he can paddle around and build strength in his legs without weight on them.

Some ducks just lag behind. Elfie was a couple of weeks behind her peers until they were six months old or so.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

When my Call drake needed some niacin, I got some good water (water we drink), added an egg yolk, brewers yeast and someother vitamin stuff I had and it cleared up in about 1-2 days.

~ Aspen

 

[OhNos]

When my Call drake needed some niacin, I got some good water (water we drink), added an egg yolk, brewers yeast and someother vitamin stuff I had and it cleared up in about 1-2 days.

~ Aspen

I have not tried adding the egg yolk, but I did try adding the brewer's yeast to the water. He seems to go through it faster than the pure water I'd give him.

Do you have poultry vitamins? I would start him on those at least a couple of times a week, and if you haven't been, see if you can get him into a tub of water deep enough to float in so he can paddle around and build strength in his legs without weight on them.

Some ducks just lag behind. Elfie was a couple of weeks behind her peers until they were six months old or so.

I do not have the money for poultry vitamins. I'm unemployed and am able to get the household food once a month. =[ I tried looking for the vitamins that would be in it, though, but couldn't really find much on it. What's in it, exactly? I might be able to whip something up in the kitchen. as for the baths, I try too often, but he doesn't really swim... he just floats.

UPDATE:
Well, it's day two of the brewer's yeast. He has grown a little, and I thought his leg was looking a bit better, until I took him out for a bit. I put him down in the kitchen (linoleum) and he had a really hard time standing up. So I grabbed his towel and laid it on the ground. I then picked him up and went to put him down and he started to FREAK OUT.

He tried running away but kept slipping everywhere. I picked him up again and then he would just cuddle up against me. Every time I attempted to put him down, he'd freak out running away (from me or whatever else that was in his way.) So I picked him up again and just held him for a bit. Finally, I was able to put him down again. After that though, I noticed he is breathing by opening and closing his mouth and his eyes are extremely dialated.

We took him outside for a bit and I recorded a video of him to show the breathing and the new limp he has. The breathing is more visible than the limp.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have not tried adding the egg yolk, but I did try adding the brewer's yeast to the water. He seems to go through it faster than the pure water I'd give him.


I do not have the money for poultry vitamins. I'm unemployed and am able to get the household food once a month. =[ I tried looking for the vitamins that would be in it, though, but couldn't really find much on it. What's in it, exactly? I might be able to whip something up in the kitchen. as for the baths, I try too often, but he doesn't really swim... he just floats.

UPDATE:
Well, it's day two of the brewer's yeast. He has grown a little, and I thought his leg was looking a bit better, until I took him out for a bit. I put him down in the kitchen (linoleum) and he had a really hard time standing up. So I grabbed his towel and laid it on the ground. I then picked him up and went to put him down and he started to FREAK OUT.

He tried running away but kept slipping everywhere. I picked him up again and then he would just cuddle up against me. Every time I attempted to put him down, he'd freak out running away (from me or whatever else that was in his way.) So I picked him up again and just held him for a bit. Finally, I was able to put him down again. After that though, I noticed he is breathing by opening and closing his mouth and his eyes are extremely dialated.

We took him outside for a bit and I recorded a video of him to show the breathing and the new limp he has. The breathing is more visible than the limp.

I am wondering if the stress of not being able to run or walk on the slick floor was what got the breathing started. He looks like he is not doing to bad. Make sure to keep him off of slippery floors, that can really mess up a ducks legs. keep giving him the brewers yeast way past when you start to see improvement. He is at the age where they are scared of alot of things especially anything bigger than them. Make sure he is getting as good a quality of feed that you can get and add the egg yolk to his feed just a small amount at a time though so the feed doesn't start to mold. you can buy poultry vitamins for not much cash at the feed store. or save a chick at TSC for about 1.99 a packet. Are you keeping food and fresh water with him constantly? such a cutie

 

[OhNos]

I am. I feed him and give him water before we go to bed. Then he'll usually wake me up with peeps to let me know he is done. After that, I generally feed/water him again, go do some basic things around the house, and when it starts to get cooler our, I take him out and let him walk around, or outside, or sometimes swimming first.

Good to know that he doesn't look bad. Just the breathing weirded me out. He is still doing it, too. I just gave him a bath, so I'll find out if it was a build up of something in a bit.

 

[Amiga]

Bugs are a source of niacin, that you probably can get ahold of. A damp rolled up piece of newspaper on the ground can make a nice attractant.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am. I feed him and give him water before we go to bed. Then he'll usually wake me up with peeps to let me know he is done. After that, I generally feed/water him again, go do some basic things around the house, and when it starts to get cooler our, I take him out and let him walk around, or outside, or sometimes swimming first.

Good to know that he doesn't look bad. Just the breathing weirded me out. He is still doing it, too. I just gave him a bath, so I'll find out if it was a build up of something in a bit.

Maybe I am reading this wrong but sounds like you aren't giving your duckling access to water and food 24/7? they need to be able to eat and drink all they want at the age of your duckling.