Sickly ducklings

[Ducktown]

All indian runners.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe they are getting enough but if the duckling keeps it up I think it would be at least worth a try.
I had 2 adults limping about a month ago nothing wrong that I could find I started adding Nutritional yeast to their feed again and after about a week the limping was much better now it's completely gone. Just thought I'd mention it.

These were 1 Indian Runner female 1 Muscovy female

 

[Ducktown]

I will try that. The strangest thing is, that the small black duckling doesn't drink to get hood down. Including slugs. Strange thing is, the white one which choked on slug always washed down her food. Strangely he gasps for air and somehow gets everything down. I'm afraid at one point he will run out of luck...

... How much easier it is to have healthy ducklings you hatch yourself...

 

[Miss Lydia]

I let my females do the hatching for me much less stressful and they know exactly what temp and humidity to brood them at. lol Maybe @Ravynscroft or @WVduckchick and speak about hatching in a bator I believe she does both.

Always keep many containers of water around for your ducks my dh thinks I go over board but I know how important it is they have buckets with water for drinking and cleaning out their nares.

 

[Ducktown]

Here are two videos of the ducklings. Check the two black ducklings's feet. And one photo of my duckling's newest outfit.

 

[Ducktown]

One duckling is limping, but there seem to be no damage on any of his feet or legs. The other one (the small black one with larger white spot on his chest) is walking really strange. If you can imagine how this walking looks like when he runs... He stumbles, he falls, he is really clumsy.

Any comments on their walk? What could have caused it? Could it be niacin deficiency? They forage a lot and all 3 eat the same food. Can I do anything that would improve their walking? They swim a lot! Perhaps they will just need to strengthen their muscles.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I would add some brewers/nutritional yeast to their feed or Niacin to their water... if it's a deficiency it should improve in a few days... couldn't hurt to try...

 

[Ducktown]

I was thinking, if they were fed with medicated chick starter feed, it could also show as leg related issue. I haven't seen any twitching or spasms which are also reported as signs of narazine (and other crap like that). If that would be the case, would they fully recover or stay deformed? Even if they did receive such food, they are 'clean' now for more than a week. Anyone knows anything about coccidiosis medication recovery?

PS: Tonight, I left them outside alone in the evening, and when I went to check on them, they were already waiting inside their coop, looking out. When I changed their water, the large duckling went out to see where I'm going and hopped right back in when I returned with fresh water. Such a smart bird

 

[Ravynscroft]

Medicated chick starter isn't made with the same ingredients that used to cause issues in ducklings... a coccidistat like Amprolium shouldn't affect ducklings adversely...

 

[Ducktown]

They sell starter feed with Narazine and Nicarbazin here, that's why I asked. And it's quite a popular feed too. As far as I've red, those two will harm ducklings. It's extremely toxic to other animals, especially horses.