Duck suddenly cant walk please help

[Giannab12]

hi I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on my issue. I suspected that my duck has metal toxicity because I have had a problem with that in the past, but the ducks that had that issue had different symptoms than the one I am dealing with now. My duck was fine, then suddlenly was unable to walk. She has no injury to her legs, it’s more of a balance thing. She just can’t seem to hold herself up. She also has been having green poop. She is eating mealworms(that’s about all she will eat) and drinking water, but it has been about 6 days now and she seems to be the same, if not getting a little bit weaker. The first two days I have activated charcoal, I was also giving electrolytes and probiotics . I didn’t want to strip her of all her nutrients since she isn’t eating enough, so I stopped that. The past two days I have been giving milk thistle, I have also been giving fish mox in case it was anything bacterial. I’m going to purchase nutridrench tmr to help to give some nutrients and vitamins back into her system. The thing is, I went out to check on her tonight and my other female duck, who was completely fine earlier today; is showing the same symptoms and can’t stand or walk! I don’t know what this could be, if it is from metal poisoning or something else. I cant do vet bills right now, so if anyone has any advice or suggestions that would be extremely helpful. Thank you!

 

[SilverBirds]

Age and breeds? It sounds like they have a niacin deficiency. I'd get some liquid B complex, preferably the Durvet brand if you can, given over a small treat daily. You can purchase it at your local feed store or online. I would also get some nutritional or brewers yeast to go over their regular feed.

You really shouldn't be giving them meal worms daily and it should absolutely not be the main food source. Meal worms are meant to be a treat, no more than 10% of their diet as they are high in protein and fat and don't provide other vital nutrition. Stop feeding them meal worms and other treats (for now at least) and get them on a proper pelleted feed.

 

[nuthatched]

What's their diet? Age?
Antibiotics should not be given unless you can confirm an infection.

 

[Giannab12]

Age and breeds? It sounds like they have a niacin deficiency. I'd get some liquid B complex, preferably the Durvet brand if you can, given over a small treat daily. You can purchase it at your local feed store or online. I would also get some nutritional or brewers yeast to go over their regular feed.

You really shouldn't be giving them meal worms daily and it should absolutely not be the main food source. Meal worms are meant to be a treat, no more than 10% of their diet as they are high in protein and fat and don't provide other vital nutrition. Stop feeding them meal worms and other treats (for now at least) and get them on a proper pelleted feed.
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One is an appleyard and the other is khaki Campbell. Honestly not really sure on age would say maybe close to two years. I only have been given mealworms daily because that’s all she will really eat. I have offered other foods and she isn’t interested. I have mixed the feed in with her water though. The regular food that they eat is the purina duck.

 

[Giannab12]

What's their diet? Age?
Antibiotics should not be given unless you can confirm an infection.

They eat purina duck and typically occasional mealworms as a treat

 

[Giannab12]

They eat purina duck and typically occasional mealworms as a treat

Unsure about age exactly but I would say close to two years

 

[SilverBirds]

One is an appleyard and the other is khaki Campbell. Honestly not really sure on age would say maybe close to two years. I only have been given mealworms daily because that’s all she will really eat. I have offered other foods and she isn’t interested. I have mixed the feed in with her water though. The regular food that they eat is the purina duck.

How long has she been refusing to eat the regular feed? I would stop feeding her the meal worms until she starts eating her regular food again. She's not going to starve herself. If you are mixing the feed with water, make sure you are removing the uneaten food at the end of the day so it doesn't spoil.

 

[Giannab12]

About 5 or 6 days now that I have noticed that’s why I have been offering the mealworms because atleast she was eating something rather than nothing. But I will continue to mix the food in with her water because that seems to be doing the trick. I will also try to find the vitamin B complex tmr. The reason I don’t believe it’s niacin deficiency is because it’s not really her legs that aren’t working.. it’s more like she can’t hold her balance.