Duck neck spasms...

[Sara Ranch]

I don't have any pics or video because this seems to symptom appears randomly and usually when I don't have my phone anywhere close to me!

My Pekin duck has a neck twitch that is concerning to me. Think a video recording when they replay the same move over and over and over again. That is what the neck twitch looks like.

He's reaching over to take a bite, then not quite reaching the ground, he pulls back as though he changed his mind because he's walking. Repeat. Repeat.

The motion happens 2-6x in a sequence (of reaching to the ground and then changing their mind.) Usually happens just once, but rarely it will happen twice in a row.

It usually happens when duckie is waddling quickly from one location to another. Very seldom happens when duckie is laying down.

Eats, drinks, and plays well. Free ranges outside most days, plays/swims in a pool, has a good life. Eats what is outside. I often supplement with high protein/high niacin foods (like cooked eggs). Loves fresh fruit and veggies. Eats starter food in the evenings if hungry. Space is cleaned daily.

No discharge from eyes or nose. No gaping like trying to clear throat. Poop is like the other 3 ducks and is consistent with what they eat. Appears to sleep well. No attitude changes. The other duckies seem fine. Normally growing stuffs in their quest for independence.

This has been going on for a month or so. It's random. Duckie is 14 weeks old.

Three very healthy chickens swing by and visit and drink from the pool. The chickens free range all day.

******

On another note, the last few days all four ducks have been resistant to going into their clubhouse right away. They have been extending their free range time to be almost all day. Kinda expected since the duckies are great forages and are getting older.

Every once in a while one (it varies) duckie will separate from the pack and lay down alone. They rejoin everyone within an hour or so.

******

Any ideas or suggestions? I need to do right by my duckies.

 

[Sara Ranch]

PS - I don't spray anything. So there's no poison that I know of on the grass, garden, trees... I don't use chemicals in the house either. So it's unlikely that it's a man made chemical that is causing problems.

Feed is organic.

 

[chickens really]

Is it quacking as it's doing the motion?....That sounds normal to me...Sounds like head bobbing...Its more of a greeting if its what I think is happening....

 

[Sara Ranch]

Not sure about the talking. It's almost like he looks down, sees some yummy grass he wants to eat, but his feet won't stop as his head goes down to take a bit. So he tries again. And again.

Think of a scratch on a record or a CD - it keeps repeating the same words again. This action is repeated 2-6x per occasion.

It's not the bobbing the head either. My khaki does that. Very different. This head/neck motion is almost always when they are waddling up from the side yard to the front yard, with me beside them or behind them. Sometimes happens when they are in their Clubhouse. Sometimes happens in the backyard or in their room. No rhyme or reason that I can figure out.

For the second day in a row, one of the Pekins is outside the Clubhouse fence, but is laying near the other three ducks in the shade. Don't know if they don't have enough shade to lay together anymore. They've all grown so much lately! The shade in the Clubhouse varies. It's provided by sheets and a calf house. I may need to refigure out how to provide a larger shade space on both ends of the Clubhouse.

So back to neck spasms...since it's not the bobbing of the head...what could cause it? Is it a mating thing? An infection? (No eye or nasal discharge, no coughing. Occasional sneeze - but they all do that sometimes. No weight loss - visual inspection only. Duckies do not like to be picked up.) A virus? I haven't found any matches from the internet searches, but I realize I am only reaching a fraction of the knowledge out there.

Hope someone here has more information!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have you tried giving some poultry vitamins just to see if he could have a nutrient deficiency? even some Nutritional yeast wouldn't hurt. But I rec Poultry Nutri Drench try something like that for a week to see if you notice any change for the better.

 

[Diana1313]

I don't have any pics or video because this seems to symptom appears randomly and usually when I don't have my phone anywhere close to me!

My Pekin duck has a neck twitch that is concerning to me. Think a video recording when they replay the same move over and over and over again. That is what the neck twitch looks like.

He's reaching over to take a bite, then not quite reaching the ground, he pulls back as though he changed his mind because he's walking. Repeat. Repeat.

The motion happens 2-6x in a sequence (of reaching to the ground and then changing their mind.) Usually happens just once, but rarely it will happen twice in a row.

It usually happens when duckie is waddling quickly from one location to another. Very seldom happens when duckie is laying down.

Eats, drinks, and plays well. Free ranges outside most days, plays/swims in a pool, has a good life. Eats what is outside. I often supplement with high protein/high niacin foods (like cooked eggs). Loves fresh fruit and veggies. Eats starter food in the evenings if hungry. Space is cleaned daily.

No discharge from eyes or nose. No gaping like trying to clear throat. Poop is like the other 3 ducks and is consistent with what they eat. Appears to sleep well. No attitude changes. The other duckies seem fine. Normally growing stuffs in their quest for independence.

This has been going on for a month or so. It's random. Duckie is 14 weeks old.

Three very healthy chickens swing by and visit and drink from the pool. The chickens free range all day.

******

On another note, the last few days all four ducks have been resistant to going into their clubhouse right away. They have been extending their free range time to be almost all day. Kinda expected since the duckies are great forages and are getting older.

Every once in a while one (it varies) duckie will separate from the pack and lay down alone. They rejoin everyone within an hour or so.

******

Any ideas or suggestions? I need to do right by my duckies.

Hi! I know this question was asked a long time ago but I was wondering if you ever received an answer. We have six ducks and three have suddenly began to do the head bobbing you describe. Not sure what the issue could be. Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

How old are your ducks? and what sex?

Head bobbing comes naturally to females once they get around 4 months old, it's a come hither to the drakes they are ready for mating. Females do it to females too.

 

[Diana1313]

How old are your ducks? and what sex?

Head bobbing comes naturally to females once they get around 4 months old, it's a come hither to the drakes they are ready for mating. Females do it to females too.

Hi...They are all males and are 15 weeks old. The movement is more like a spasm to the left with their head motioning toward the ground repeatedly 5 or 6 times in a row. It seems to only happen when they are running. I will try and get a video and upload. Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

That would be great, plus info on what you feed them to along with any supplements, thanks

 

[Ascholten]

Ducks with Turret's ? Quack Quack, give me my food %$%^ human, quack!!

I used to raise bearded dragons, and occasionally they'd have similar issues to what you were describing. Anyone I asked the replies were less than helpful. I had one vet tell me it was stargazer's syndrome, although sounding like wow, that's IT it was not really. After months of research and closely watching them and doing some research, I figured out it was a bacterial infection from water. Any time I let them play in water, a water dish etc, clean or dirty it did not matter, it's like as soon as it got on their head into their ears the next day, they'd start to act this way, but when I took the dish out and they could not submerse anymore, the symptoms went away after a week or so.

This absolutely may NOT apply to ducks, I honestly don't know, but something to look at. Might not be the water exactly ie your duck pond is diseased, but once the water gets in to where ever, the issue blossoms out. Balance is controlled in the ears, if something is bubbling around, gurgling or percolating in that region, it can cause random issues like this... just saying. NOT pretending to be any voice of authority, just sharing some personal past experiences, in hopes they may help find / fix the issue. Maybe some antibiotics might help? Not sure they'd hurt TBH.
Good Luck with the Duck

Aaron