Taping ducklings legs

[smh6933]

Everyone around here uses cedar bedding and they have been doing fine with it.

 

[smh6933]

And it seems that my question still isn't being addressed......is there taping that I can do to their knees so they don't keep getting scraped up?????? If I switch their niacin are they going to just start walking again???? The reason I don't think its a niacin issue is because the other two are fine. So I'm just asking about taping them up so they don't damage their knees anymore.

 

[The Duck ABC's]

What makes cedar so aromatic is attacking their lungs and therefore weakens them. Get pine shavings instead. Just because two ducklings are doing fine does not mean they are not niacin deficient. I don't think they all have actual leg injuries. That is just against the odds. Ducklings need niacin supplement in their drinking water for their first 10 days of their life, after that weekly until 3 months, and after that monthly. Don't rely on the little bit that is in their feed. If it is niacin then they will improve fast. The only issue is that they have been having issues for so long now and you wonder how much will be permanent. They are still young so I think you still have a chance of fixing it. Don't wait. I would also add vitamin A. A good way of giving them the essential vitamins for now is to get a poultry supplement or give them Polyvisol without Iron for infants drops. One drop into the mouth 3 times daily for two weeks. Plus the niacin, which I would mix 200mg per gallon at this point also for 2 weeks. 100mg per gallon is normal dose, but they do have issues so I would double it. Don't worry this will not overdose them, since it is a water soluble vitamin. To avoid more raw spots try to get something you would use to cushion your feet with to avoid calluses from the pharmacy. Switch your feed on the suspicion they is may have mold spores in it. Mold will also cause leg issues. Do not feet them medicated fed at this point, if you are doing it. I think this is the best advise I can give you right now. It does not hurt to apply it and see, because what you have been doing so far does not seem to work so you have to take more action.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Quote:
To answer your question - yes you could put some dressings on the hocks to avoid them getting worse wounds. But that will do nothing to fix the problem if the tendons are slipped. The tendons need to be put back into place and the legs tapped rigid to ensure the duckling cannot keep bending the hock otr they will continue to slip. It may already be too late to right the condition if the tendons have shrunk due to not being stratched over the hock in the right position. I have only tried to fix the tendons on jut hatched ducklings- not ones that are a few weeks old already. If the tendons are slipped- by now - taking them to a vet may be your only course of action to fix the problem- and even then there is a good chance nothing can be done
Giving them more niacin with no other treatment will not make them be able to walk again. If the tendons are not slipped they will also need some kind of therapy to help them learn to walk properly.