Suspected vitamin deficiency in Muscovy - too far gone to help?

[Chibichabo]

I’ll preface this by saying I know next to nothing about ducks. I know chooks, and I know they can’t eat the same food as them. Also I’m referring to this duck as a girl, but please correct me if I’m wrong.

My friend asked me to take this duck for dog food because she can’t walk.

Apparently her legs have never been great, but she stopped being able to walk properly in the last few days. Firstly, is she too far gone to help? I have no problem with her going in the freezer, but if her condition is reversible, I’d like to give her a chance.


Background:

I went and saw the whole flock and from what I can ascertain:

• The birds are owned by my friend’s dad. He’s very old school, doesn’t believe in vets, and doesn’t know he’s doing harm. But if he is told what to do, he will do it.
• They got a young pair of muscovies about a year ago, we’ll call them mum and dad.
• Mum hatched a clutch sometime last year and only 3 survived to adulthood.
• This girl(?) is one of the three, but in the worst condition.
• The other two have bowed legs, but are still able to walk. They also carry their wings a lot lower than they should.
• Mum has recently hatched another clutch. They still have down but are starting to feather up, at a guess I’d say about 6 weeks old
• There were 15 ducklings that hatched. They have found 4 dead over the past 2 weeks. They don’t look healthy, bare skin showing where pin feathers haven’t started to come through.
• All ducks are fed chicken layer pellets regardless of age.

I’m suspecting they have a niacin deficiency, and probably hypercalcaemia.

I have injectable niacin on hand, which I have already given this girl as well as meloxicam. I will be going back in a few days to give all their flock niacin injections too.

I have been unable to find a duck specific feed that is cheap enough for them to use (money is an big issue). I am trying to find an easy and cheap way to get these ducks the nutrients they need, a water or feed additive would be best. The only b-complex powder I can find has calcium in it. Would niacin pills from the chemist and brewers yeast be enough? I’m a little out of my depth here.

 

[KathiQuacks]

Poor babies. Chicken feed can be fine for ducks IF you supplement with niacin. 1 tbsp of nutritional yeast per 1 cup of feed is what’s recommended. It’s very unfortunate that this could’ve been prevented.
I doubt it being a layer feed helps, either.

Purina and DuMOR duck feeds are decent and on the cheaper side.

Niacin pills and brewers yeast is a good start. For severe cases like this, liquid niacin is recommended - more specifically Durvet’s liquid Vitamin B complex - but something similar would work, too. It’s faster acting than other niacin sources.
I would give her some water therapy, too, so she can move around without putting too much pressure on her legs. Having a few swims should help improve the condition of her feathers as well.

Thank you for trying to help.