Stumbling Duck

[ChunkyBirb]

I have a runner duck hen who is having issues with stumbling over her feet. She can get around, but it is clearly a struggle. She usually doesn’t leave the pond and when she does, she can hardly get out. I bought some nutritional yeast to give her as a niacin supplement. I’ve also attached a video of her stumbling behavior and her legs (in case they might be bowed). I’m hoping it’s just a minor issue that can be fixed and not a neurological/disease problem.

Note: she is young (less than 6 months old) and 3 of the 5 siblings don’t have this issue. The other sibling is doing the same, but not nearly to this extent

 

[Quatie]

It could be just a naicin deficiency, but I feel like more could be going on here. If you can, I would bring her indoors or somewhere where she can rest, stay warm and be easily watched. Is there a possibility she ate something toxic or moldy? Botulism and ingestions of something toxic could also cause similar symptoms.

If you want to treat for naicin deficiency, vitamin b complex is the best thing for treating it. You can get it at TSC, and they show it as an injectable, but you can give it orally to ducks. You would give her 1ml of it every day. This won't hurt her, even if naicin deficiency is not the issue.

I would also consider giving her some activated charcoal too just in case.

I would also consider taking her to a vet if that is an option.

@Miss Lydia @HollowOfWisps @Isaac 0 any thoughts?

 

[Miss Lydia]

That was hard to watch. How long has she been like this? I agree get the liquid B complex and get her and the other one on it. Is she able to eat and drink since she has seems to not be able to stand very well? I agree with everything @Quatie has suggested.
Explain the pond to us and is there a chance she ate something toxic? Def get the activate charcoal to treat in case of botulism.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal.700526/

 

[dishfickle]

My runners have had the same thing!!! This has been going on for a long time. Have tried supplements from the feed store. Only happens to some. Sometimes they recover, sometimes they die. We had one inside for over a week, she got better, we put her outside, then saw another down. That one died overnight. She was fine in the morning. Had a necropsy done. Inconclusive. They sent samples to pathology.

 

[ChunkyBirb]

It’s been going on for a couple weeks. I strongly doubt that it’s poisoning. I bought fortified nutritional yeast with b vitamins in it. I’ll bring them in since it’s been cold. The pond is easily accessible, in and out. I’ve never had an issue with any of the other breeds I’ve had (mallard, jumbo Pekin, standard pekin, and Swedish). It’s very interesting that you say that @dishfickle. Could it just be a breed issue? Could it be genetics?

 

[ChunkyBirb]

My runners have had the same thing!!! This has been going on for a long time. Have tried supplements from the feed store. Only happens to some. Sometimes they recover, sometimes they die. We had one inside for over a week, she got better, we put her outside, then saw another down. That one died overnight. She was fine in the morning. Had a necropsy done. Inconclusive. They sent samples to pathology.

Were the results from pathology inconclusive?

 

[dishfickle]

Were the results from pathology inconclusive?

We're still waiting. I've taken many of them to the vet. She does birds and is stumped

 

[dishfickle]

They said her ovaries were shrunken

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you willing to try the liquid b complex? I have 8 Runners and have never had this with any. When one has this type of problem the Nutritional yeast isn't going to work as well as the liquid B complex. It is def worth trying what do you have to lose but your precious duck?If you don't try.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I have 17 runners and this is not common in the breed. It's almost like the duck has been drinking which makes me wonder about some kind of toxic poisoning that the 2 of them got into.

I think separating and bringing the 2 with this issue inside where it's warm would be the best thing to do. Give B-complex

and if they aren't eating good nutridrench would be another good thing to give them. Definitely do the activated charcoal. It won't hurt at any rate. You can get it in the vitamin dept in walmart. Good to have on hand anyway for all your animals as well as people.