Anybody else have a duck that swims backwards?

[Miss Lydia]

The vet just suggested keeping her locked up is a coop or run at all times for protection and making sure she eats.

Sometimes a buddy will help them to navigate too does she have a buddy she can hang with. someone mentioned a bell or whistle to help her find food and water, I know when i want mine in I whistle and they come running because they know they are going to get treats. so maybe you can devise some kind of noise that will help teach her where she needs to be for food and water. Wish you the best with her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Poor girl. I had a blind gander, name was Magoo. I was not locking them Up at night and something got him. Since he could not tell day from night, he apparently left the safety of the water and came up to the house in the middle of the night.

That's too bad sorry for your loss, I hope now they are protected from preds at night.

 

[Lee Wright]

We have a reversing (or backpedaling) mallard duckling at the Broads Wildlife Centre today. I didn't know it was a trendy thing till I saw your post. I can honestly say we've never seen such behaviour before, or know why it happens. If it survives, it would be interesting to know if it ever grows out of it. If we see a backpedaling adult then we'll know it didn't. If it does survive and grow out of it then we'll likely never know. Thanks for your post!

I uploaded a Youtube video to record and prove the unusual behaviour . . .

 

[BelovedBirds]

When my Sprightly was a couple weeks old, she developed a fairly bad niacin deficiency which caused her feet to turn inwards and her legs began to bow

Due to this, she began struggling in water, she'd go backwards, often times, seeming to panic.
I'd supervise very closely of course.
Eventually, with treatment, the deficiency was corrected, and she is now able to walk and swim normally

 

[zskhaled]

10 years later, I have been following Ducks for sometime and today I found 1 duck out of 5 siblings swimming backward. She is a normal duck though. I took a video of her swimming backwards. Very interesting how she swims forward and then backwards.