Duck "Wobbly"

[moms Tree]

I'm sure this question has been answered before... if so, my apologies. I have 9 Pekin ducks... They are 4 mos old... the other day, when I let them out to swim, I noticed one is real wobbly... walks around, like she's drunk. She also has a "ring" of no feathers around her eyes. I have a call into the vet... he will call me Monday... in the meantime... does anyone know what this might be?

 

[Amiga]

If it is botulism (the drunk walk made me think of this), you need to help her sooner than Monday - it is a form of poisoning.

Could she have gotten into anything yucky? Dead animal or plant material? Something rotten?

If that is the case, you could try a flush - induce diarrhea - and food grade activated charcoal. It is a supplement and can be found at many drugstores. If you have a wood stove and only use clean hardwood for fuel, you could grind up the charcoal very fine and use it, but you must be sure you only use clean hardwood fuel.

Here are the instructions for flush and for charcoal.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

She needs lots of fresh water, too. And a safe, quiet place.

 

[desertdarlene]

Is she having problems controlling her head and neck? Usually, that's a sign of botulism and can be caught if she ate or drank something with the bacteria in it.

However, the loss of feathers around the eye usually indicate that she is scratching or rubbing her eyes for some reason. It could be mites or it could be some kind of drainage that could be illness related.

 

[Amiga]

Desertdarlene, I suppose it could be a combination.

 

[Speceider]

Generally botulism is associated with warm, stagnant water that results in the snarinic conditions that result in the toxins being produced. Given recent temps, I would tend to doubt botulism. There are other toxins.. ..heavy metals, or insecticides. The eyes sound like the possibility of overbreeding.
Clint

 

[Amiga]

moms Tree, are you in the northern or southern hemisphere? What is the weather like where you are?

 

[moms Tree]

I am in Kansas... It's been a brutal winter, but, starting to warm up into the 60's this last week.

 

[Amiga]

How is the patient?

 

[moms Tree]

Other than the wobbling... she seems fine. It's been this way for at least, a week. She has been in the same house, with the same food and water as all the other ducks, and she has had that ring around her eyes since she was born. Ducks were from a very reputable national duck company.

 

[moms Tree]

Might have been this way much longer than a week... kept them in their house over the winter... noticed it on the first warm day, when they came out to swim.