duck with no balance??

[BeautyBuffs]

My sister in law brought mother in law a duck that someone no longer wanted. The poor thing has no balance. If you just put it down it will attempt to walk and fall over and spin circles on its side. If you place it in a box that is narrow and close to its side, it is able to stand just fine. It eats and drinks. I did notice the food that was brought with the duck was the medicated chick starter which they are not suppose to be eating if I read correctly. Any ideas about what we can do to help this duck? I have never raised ducks before so i am of no help to mom on this one. Any duck experts out there able to give me any ideas of things to start with?

 

[Amiga]

Start with putting 100 to 150 mg of niacin (not the time released kind) in a gallon of water to drink, and continue that for several weeks. You can get the niacin at pharmacies or even some of the big box grocery store pharmacy sections.

If you have brewer's yeast, you could sprinkle a little on the food. If the medication is amprolium, some people say that is okay.

But if you can get waterfowl starter that would be better.

Find a good poultry vitamin, preferably with electrolytes and probiotics. In the meantime, pedialyte mixed with water has been used, and a tablespoon of plain yogurt with live cultures in a cup or two of water would provide some probiotics.

And, please keep us posted. Thanks for caring so much for the duck!!

 

[BeautyBuffs]

this is how the little thing is kept from falling over. I dont see how it could be comfortable staying so stationary. It has started drinking lots of water, almost like it has a thirst it can't kill out. His poo is runny but seems to have no problem going.
Can anyone give us an idea from the picture about how old the duck is or a breed? These pictures were taken before we put hay in the bottom of the box and started the pedialite (sp?).
Thanks you for the advise Amiga, my mother in law has started the treatment as soon as I told her about it. Fingers are crossed for the little guy.

 

[BeautyBuffs]

Unfortunately even with the treatments suggested, the poor little thing did not make it. About an hour ago he died. Hubby looked the little guy over this morning and said it looked like the thing had a broke neck and damaged leg. Poor thing.

 

[un-named543]

So sorry to hear this. You went out of your way to help it. Good job for that! Poor baby!