Call Duck Illness - Lack of Coordination - Botulism?

[Hattiegun]

yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!

 

[easttxchick]

I'm really glad you are seeing such improvement in her.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Hey, Scott - how's she doing?

I had 5 Runner ducklings growing out - today was their 8-week-birthday, and I woke up this morning and one of them had passed away overnight! They were fine yesterday, they all ate and drank normally, so I figured it was just some freak congenital thing - or that his sisters had trampled him overnight.

Anyways, a few hours later, his brothers and sisters starting showing signs of botulism - uncoordinated legs (they walk like they're drunk), they didn't have any interest in food, but they were drinking water like mad, as if they knew they had to flush it out of their systems...their necks looked strange, sort of stiff, and they were holding their wings straight out. I just opened a new bag of feed last night, so my first thought was that I had a bad batch of feed, but all the other ducks ate the same thing last night and this morning, and they're all as healthy as can be. With the heat and all the humid weather we've been having here, botulism just makes sense - especially since all the affected birds are from the same pen. They have a small, shallow container for a pond, so I suppose it can develop in there in just one hot afternoon.

I got some poly-vi-sol and sugar-water in them before hopping online (just because I was so concerned about them not eating), and epsom salts are next - they actually are looking better right now than they did this morning, a little more coordinated, their necks and wings look normal, and they're all preening themselves. They're too quiet though - it's not like them. It scares me.

Any other tips on how you pulled your Call hen through? The little drake I lost overnight was my favorite - the only 2010-hatched drake I was planning on keeping, I don't know what I'll do if I lose all his siblings too!

 

[Amiga]

Oh, Annarie,

I pray your little ones will get through. I need to hose off some of the pea gravel around the swim pans, I think.

We had a blissful break from the heat for a couple of weeks, but today and the next three will be in the mid 90s, possibly followed by some part of Hurricane Earl. So protection against botulism and a storm shelter are on the agenda for this week.

 

[Scott]

I hate to hear that, Annarie. It could be a number of conditions, but if you have very high temps its likely botulism. Its also called limberneck because the birds have difficulty holding their head and neck upright. Botulism affects the nervous system, causing semi-paralysis in the neck, wings, and legs. My hen had difficulty standing on her own and staggered when she walked, and was quick to fall over. She was able to hold her wings up (i.e. they drooped). Lots of fresh water is what they need as well as epsom salt. The epsom salt acts as a mild laxative to help get the toxins out of the system more quickly. Also, if it is botulism, make sure that the source of the poison is eliminated. It may not be an option for you, but I brought my hen inside. Other than that, it has to run its course. Once effected with a lethal doze, it only takes 24 to 48 hours for the bird to die. So, let us hope that your other ducks have not got a lethal dose.

Keep us posted! and Good luck...

 

[janastasio]

Glad to hear your duck is doing better Scott. Hopefully yours will perk up too AnnMarie. I had a call duck we hatched this spring come down with something similar about 3 weeks ago. This call duck we thought was born blind because she spun in circles. When she was old enough I put her out into our coop where she seemed to do fine with the other ducks. She learned to get around on her own. We kind of figured she was blind in only one eye because she always walked around with one side of her head tilted at an angle. 3 weeks ago my daughter found her outside on her back. When she was uprighted she could not put her head up. She had her head curved all the way down at the bottom of her check almost like she was looking through her legs. I researched it and thought she had wry neck. I figured the way she postured her head initiated the cause. We brought her in and hand fed her 3x per day or more and supplimented vitamin E, niacin and nutridrench. Last week I finally put her down after no improvement over those 3 weeks. Now I'm wondering if it could have been something else. No other ducks have shown signs of disease or distress. We have also had quite the heatwave ourselves.

 

[sonew123]

Scott,

Im glad your girl is getting better-I was just posting on my sick call-the one call I managed to hatch out! ANyhoo my baby is wobbly-breathing funny-Not gurlgy-or raspy like his nostrils are plugged and hes havng a hard time breathing in after he quacks??not drinking much and wont eat as of today-I just noticed this later today-tomorrow if he isnt better he is coming in the house to get TLC in the tub-he's my baby -Ill have to get electrolytes tomorrow-I have vitamins-I left him alot of fresh water-he cried murder when I tried to snag him tonight-he wanted to be with his buddies-he seems so weak though:-(