SHAKY LEGS and a bit of aggressive behavior. Anyone help with those issues in my muscovies?

[RebinNH]

I give them both 25 mg. of niacin daily with a good amount of peas and their duck good (high quality organic) has some too. I also (of late) split a vitamin b complex every other day in their food. One started to have shaky legs and then the other a couple weeks later. The second to start also does this thing of clicking it's knee back and forth (front to back) while standing. What might I be doing wrong?!
The other issue I wonder if related. If the duck's nervous systems or the leg shaking is causing them to be uncomfortable, I wonder if that is why only lately (at 8 weeks) one (the larger and seeming to be boss) gets angry with me if I try to scoot him/her along into where I want it or take something away that it should not have (it's only happened a couple of times). It actually will try to bite me and seems like it is attempting to exert dominance over Momma duck. Do they naturally attempt to do that at some point?

 

[RebinNH]

I forgot to mention that I also put brewers yeast (1 T to 1 cup food) each time I feed twice a day. I also put a dash (1 T?) to each gallon of water, though they prefer to drink from their swimming pool. Btw, my well water has high mineral content (calcium). Could that be an issue? I soften my house water but not theirs outside.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Doesn't sound like your doing anything wrong. Only thing I'd do with shaky leg is get this one on 1 ml of liquid B complex daily until you don't see the shaky leg any longer then continue until duckling is at least 10-12 weeks old
The one that has popping in the knee sounds like it could use a vet examine wonder if the knee is pooping in an out of socket? Is there swelling around the knee area?

As for the one who is trying to use dominance on mama duck. Well, you just have to show the I'm too big for my feathers duckling that your in charge. You can use your dominance like another duck would exert dominance over another duck that is where you put the duck down on its belly hold the duck behind the head at neck level and other hand down at the base of the back where tail meets the body and hold it there till it stops fighting. Be sure the duck is facing away from you once the fighting to get up stops let it go if he comes back for more do the dominance again. This is not an overnight cure but one you may have to use often. I have a Muscovy drake who is 11 yrs old and he still has to be shown he can't get away with biting me.

 

[RebinNH]

Thanks Lydia. What brand do you use on ducks? I have been giving them each a human powdered version of B complex (Pure Encapsulations) but am not sure of the dosing. Also I started that when the smaller duck started to get black dots along the front of his otherwise yellow leg. It is less pronounced on that duck, though the knee clicking is his alone. The shaking on his legs actually started after I was administering that B for a week or so. Is there something ducks like to eat that has B? Perhaps eggs? I eat meat and know I get plenty from that but will not give these guys meat. I do give them sardines and eggs and of course (sometimes) mealy worms. Perhaps I'm giving too much protein? Again, I don't have a clue how much of anything to feed. At 8 weeks the two are getting about a cup and a half of feed but I haven't compared that with the weight that is recommended on the package or in Storey's. I need to weigh it. I also feed a fair amount of melon and cukes in the AM. Sometimes other fruit but they actually only seem to like pear and I figure they may not need that much sugar. I was hoping they would free range a lot but so far there are not many bugs for them and they have refused worms. They did each catch and eat good sized frogs but left the orange lizard alone. Kind of particular, perhaps.
I think next spring there will be much more for them and they will be able to fly down into my brook by then and have a ton of fun getting totally messy catching all sorts of things down there!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm going to give you this link since it has the picture of the B complex we have used with very good results. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...deficiency-to-clear-up.1544352/#post-26069118
So you aren't leaving feed down during the day?
"Green leafy vegetables are one of the most nutrient-rich dense vegetables you can eat," Hartley said. "Essentially, green leafy vegetables have more vitamins and minerals per bite than other foods — and that goes for B vitamins as well.

The best way I know of to make sure they are getting a good amount of niacin and all the other B's is to supplement.
I haven't ever used Brewers yeast I know many do but I have always used Nutritional yeast from the time I have new hatches or get a new duckling another way.
I used the liquid B complex when I notice one with shaky legs it works fast and is easy to use.
While your working on getting the shaky legs under control I'd cut out everything except their feed and a treat to get the liquid B complex into them. And that should be just a small amount of treat so you know they are getting full does of liquid B complex.
I can't help you on the dose of the human B complex. But I do know the liquid version of b complex for humans isn't as powerful and the animal one and has to be given 2x as much
Eggs are a good source of selenium and has some B vitamins in them. My ducks won't eat eggs only my chickens. except when they are tiny ducklings they love scrambled egg then.

 

[RebinNH]

Actually they are not getting unlimited feed, no. I leave what they don't eat in the feeder all day and when they go to bed at night I take it away and then add to it the next day, as it's pretty dry and clean. It's in a metal feeder with a lid and roof over the area they dip their bills in. Oh, they are certainly gettin enough. Fat guys for sure. And plenty of energy.
Thanks for all of that info, Lydia! Mine still love scrambled or cut up hard boiled egg.
I'll try what you suggest with the no treat (except to get the B) with them but they will balk for certain. They LOVE their breakfast and dinner. I'll also need to increase the seed (feed) to make up for missing the other food. I think the dinner mix I make (with a variety of veggies - always peas, sprouts, and some protein is very healthy and they fight over it. Especially the smaller one.
Btw I named them Dafne and Jupiter. I think I'll have the change Dafne's name at the least. And the slower and larger baby duckling has done a complete turn around. Now Dash would be better for him!
Oh and I've been meaning to buy Nutritional yeast instead of Brewers next time as well.
They snack on my cukes and pole beans growing on my Teepee. I had to draw the line on that, as they started to attempt to pull down the vines to get to the higher ones.

 

[RebinNH]

Lydia,
How much do you use of the animal B complex? Is there a guide for ducks on the label?

 

[Miss Lydia]

No guide since it’s for cattle but the dose is 1ml daily for each duck. Once you pull the foil off and take by out the rubber stopper use a 1 ml syringe to get what you need then refrigerate the rest.

 

[RebinNH]

Thanks so much, Lydia! You've been SO helpful! A mentor, really. How many ducks/ducklings do you have now?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have 14 ducks 1 goose and 16 chickens.