Duck head flopping issue

[DMAT4514]

In response to the duck head tilting, I recently started raising muscovies. I hatched out 3 ducklings who were ok until they were 7 weeks old my little Dinky started flopping his head around and walking backwards every time he ate or drank. I thought he was not going to make it. I wasn't going to give up so I started grinding up food in the food processor. I make a mixture of collards, kale, mustard greens, zucchini, carrots, squash, broccoli, and other fresh greens but not spinach. I feed it to all my ducks everyday. After my little Dinky started eating the vegetables he gradually started getting better and after a month he no longer has a problem. He is now a normal duckling. If anyone has a problem like that please make the effort to do this. It is time consuming but my ducks are worth it. They all get the mixture everyday with their duck food. I add watermelon, chard and fish. Tuna is easier. I hope I have helped.

 

[Knighstar679]

My duckling Riker is a Welsh Harlequin that had similar problems did the same things too. Drank from lower keep his head from going back too far and what not. But it all started with a tilt to his head and a tiny bump on his neck. I treated for Wry neck. Even though the spasms don’t match perfectly it was close. Because I caught it so late it took a while to get rid of.

I was treating with 100mg of nician over his food, plus 400IU of vitamin E with a boiled egg mixed in for the natural selenium. I noticed a almost instantaneously decrease in those spasms. He has now been spasm free for three weeks.

Keep up the good treatment, and pulling for your little duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

In response to the duck head tilting, I recently started raising muscovies. I hatched out 3 ducklings who were ok until they were 7 weeks old my little Dinky started flopping his head around and walking backwards every time he ate or drank. I thought he was not going to make it. I wasn't going to give up so I started grinding up food in the food processor. I make a mixture of collards, kale, mustard greens, zucchini, carrots, squash, broccoli, and other fresh greens but not spinach. I feed it to all my ducks everyday. After my little Dinky started eating the vegetables he gradually started getting better and after a month he no longer has a problem. He is now a normal duckling. If anyone has a problem like that please make the effort to do this. It is time consuming but my ducks are worth it. They all get the mixture everyday with their duck food. I add watermelon, chard and fish. Tuna is easier. I hope I have helped.

 

[chickens really]

Sounds neurological?...
Possibly feed issues?

 

[Leann80]

Peep hasn't gotten worse or better, just different. She still goes into her head swinging fits randomly and it's also triggered by tilting her head up to swallow water. But she seems to be compensating for it by purposefully trying to keep her head low so she doesn't have to tilt her head back as far.

Hi I have a pekin with the same issues and I’ve been giving a booster in her feed and constantly giving molasses in her water and after a month she seems to be getting better she tilts her head when she eats and drinks and I’ve been giving her small amounts of water at a time I think when she drinks too much her neck gets heavy now I’ve noticed her neck is really big from all the twirling going on but try molasses it’s enriched in vitamins and the poultry booster works well

I've also been looking at her very closely and I'm noticing some differences between her and her sisters. First, her head appears to be smaller and flatter. And I don't think it's because her sisters heads are a little fluffier. Second, she seems to be a little googley eyed and less focus than the others. She kind of stares into the distance or appears confused. Third, her head does seem slightly tilted to the right. Which is when I thought of wry neck, but the symptoms are not the same. Her head is only slightly titled (barely noticeable) and she can walk around and hold her head up just fine. She stumbles backwards but not on her back. She only loses control of her head and swings it back and forth.

My wife also thinks her neck is more sensitive than the others, and there might be a bump on her neck. I haven't noticed this though.

Peep has always been the smallest of the 4 since birth (and brightest in color - hence she looked like a 'Peep') and she has always walked away from the others to do her own thing. We just thought she was spunky/adventurous but now I'm wondering if there are some mental/developmental issues.

I'm still finishing out the week with antibiotics and plenty of niacin to all of them.

Our other concern was a neck injury because one of the other ducks go their head stuck in the cage they are in. The other duck is perfectly fine and we have remedied the source of the problem since. And we never witnessed Peep getting stuck or having a problem with it.

My wife also called a vet and described the best she could what is happening. The vet thought it could be an ear infection and Peep would need stronger antibiotics.

On top of this, I'm in a scramble right now to get their coop/pen built. They are going on 6 weeks and are getting too messy for the basement. AND, we are leaving for vacation in 2 weeks and we are getting a sitter for the week we will be gone. I'm hoping Peep will recover by then. If not, we are considering putting her down if she is not better by then. She will have a poor quality of life if she is like this forever.