Bow Legged Duck - HELP!

[Nicole_Hutchison]

Hello!

My poor 4 week old Pekin Duckling is bow legged (both legs) and it is getting worse on one side. One side I can tell is harder to walk on and the toes on one leg are starting to be close together versus farther apart. At first I thought it was a Niacin deficiency, but after getting our duckling niacin for over 1 week without any signs of improvement, I am getting worried. Bad leg is not getting more bow legged, but it is getting harder for my duck to walk on. Still eating and drinking a ton...but I am wondering what I can do to help my poor duckling. ANY advise would be appreciated!

 

[casportpony]

What sort of niacin are you giving?

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

I am adding a powder supplement that contains a little niacin as well as a niacin 500 mg. that I am opening up and adding part of the powder from the pill to the water (I do not add the powder from the entire 500 mg pill to the water. In addition, every other night I have also mixed a little niacin powder from the capsule with a little water in a separate tiny bowl and had the bow legged duckling drink from it.

 

[casportpony]

Can you weigh your duck and let us know that it weighs?

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

Yes, I can do that tonight.

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

Not the best pictures, but here is my duck at 1 week and 4 days old...then another pic at 4 weeks old

 

[casportpony]

I think you might want to consider trying a different niacin supplement and giving it orally instead of in the food and water. Currently, there are a few of us discussing how much we can give ducklings. I hope that @Miss Lydia and @CayugaJana will come along and offer some advice.

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

Something else I forgot to mention. I touched the right foot (that leg that is bowlegged) and the duck was squirming in my arms. I touched the left foot (bowlegged as well) that is getting worse and the duck did not move much at all and I felt like he or she did not even feel me touching the left leg. Could the ducks left foot be numb because of being bowlegged?

 

[Nicole_Hutchison]

The left foot is also the foot where the toes are starting to get close to each other versus further apart.

 

[casportpony]

With your fingernail, like a toe on each foot and see if it flinches more on one foot that the other.