TOO MUCH CALCIUM...?

[RebinNH]

Hi all,
I am concerned that perhaps too much calcium may be a culprit in my (2) duck issues. They get a lot of the direct well water that is very high in calcium (so hard it was destroying my appliances) and I had to have a softener put on. For them I mostly give them the water that is not softened out of the outside spigot. Additionally they both have shaky ankles even though for some time (basically since birth - they are now 9 weeks old) I have made certain they are getting lots of extra niacin. The shaking started with one about 3 weeks ago and the second followed a week or so later. They also (one more than the other) click their ankle/s back and forth.
They are both very strong but I think one has nervous system issues (and is very emotional and attacks me regularly, despite my discipline as advised by Ms Lydia), as well and is molting A LOT! I know molting is normal - especially for drakes (as I now believe they are) this time of year but I can't help wonder if I am seeing a down word trend.
Does anyone know what too mach calcium may do to ducks?
Thanks!

 

[KaleIAm]

Hypercalcemia is the medical term for too much calcium. When I googled, "avian hypercalcemia I found very little." My cat has it - and it makes him aggressive (only with other cats/dogs), reduced pain tolerance, ataxia (wobbly), and has compromised his kidneys.

We also have well water with very high calcium. However, my ducks have none of these symptoms and get blood tests done regularly at an avian vet. Mine are female though - so maybe egg shells are using some calcium.

Can you take your ducks the softened water? Can you take them to a vet?

 

[Quatie]

Same here. Mine don't have issues with well water. I usually have issues with too little calcium if anything. But if you haven't tested your well water recently, you may want to have it tested. It should be tested once a year for bacteria and such.

What kind of feed are they on? Also what are giving them for extra niacin?

 

[RebinNH]

The well water will be tested for bacteria very soon. They get plenty of niacin. That is not the issue. They are drakes and so do not need extra calcium for eggs. I do bring (fill all their waterers) softened water with 1 T ACV per gallon but they drink a lot from their pools (a kiddy size and a large wash basin) and those I fill directly from the hose. I'm starting to think the water is the culprit. I guess I'll need to bring them to the vet for blood testing.
I have had them on Scratch and Peck organic grower but have ordered Mazuri waterfowl and will start them on that soon.
The one aggressive duck drew blood today. He is so big and strong, I have trouble holding him down unless I get my body weight involved. I had him down as Miss Lydia suggested but he manages to wiggle out and push his way up. I don't want to hurt him (with my body weight). Today he did so when he wasn't ready and got his leg/nail involved. I'm wondering if I should cover him with a towel when I do this holding but that will mean having one with me all of the time. Although, he does seem the most likely to attack me when I am feeding him his seed.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

The well water will be tested for bacteria very soon. They get plenty of niacin. That is not the issue. They are drakes and so do not need extra calcium for eggs. I do bring (fill all their waterers) softened water with 1 T ACV per gallon but they drink a lot from their pools (a kiddy size and a large wash basin) and those I fill directly from the hose. I'm starting to think the water is the culprit. I guess I'll need to bring them to the vet for blood testing.
I have had them on Scratch and Peck organic grower but have ordered Mazuri waterfowl and will start them on that soon.
The one aggressive duck drew blood today. He is so big and strong, I have trouble holding him down unless I get my body weight involved. I had him down as Miss Lydia suggested but he manages to wiggle out and push his way up. I don't want to hurt him (with my body weight). Today he did so when he wasn't ready and got his leg/nail involved. I'm wondering if I should cover him with a towel when I do this holding but that will mean having one with me all of the time. Although, he does seem the most likely to attack me when I am feeding him his seed.

Are you supplementing with extra niacin? Scratch and Peck despite their claims that their grower is good for ducklings does not have nearly enough niacin to maintain niacin levels for a normal duckling let alone ducklings that may be more prone to niacin issues. Scratch and Peck has only 25mg of niacin per pound of feed when the bare minimum of niacin for a duckling feed should be 55mg per pound of feed.

 

[RebinNH]

Yes as I said I am giving them ACV in their drinking water (1 T per gallon), 1.5 T of brewers yeast in each cup of feed, 25 mg. of niacin each (they each get their own dish) in their dinner which consists (in addition to their seed formula) of about 1/4 cup of peas each with other sprouts, and veggies and some form (small amount of mealy worms, sardines or egg) of protein. They literally gobble it all down. They eat about 1.5 cups of feed a day. I am bringing them to a vet next week, they will get weighed then but I can tell you they are very healthy and STRONG. They have really well developed wings and flap them a lot, sometimes when they run - sometimes when in pool. I expect them to take off any moment!