Duckling gets Twisted neck and seems to have fever... I don't know what to do

[DuckyMaam]

Ok. So I adopted a small duckling I think he is around 5-7 weeks. He was fine th first weeks but two days ago he had some sort of seizure. He would go really tense and his neck twisted and his legs stretched. I thought he was dying. I just took him and soothed his neck and legs and gave him water and warmth. He seemed to get better but he couldn't walk. He would seem dizzy. But a few hours later he was fine again. About 30 minutes ago I went for him in his small house, a box with a small bed of fabric,, water, food, and he was having it again. But now he seems to feel hot, is shaking and really dizzy. He can't walk and his neck is twisting towards his left. Not crooked but it's like he just can't stop twisting his head left. I'm outside with him hoping that maybe he just need a bit of sunshine and water. What do I do? I don't count with money for a vet, so I can't really take him. Farm vets are very abusive here and I don't count with the finance.... Please help. My daughter and me just want him to be ok

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Farm vets are very abusive here

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Where is this? Please consider adding your general location to your profile as it will help folks make the best suggestions possible at a glance.

I adopted a small duckling I think he is around 5-7 weeks.

Where from? Does it have other duckling friends?

Most importantly what is being fed on a regular basis including treats and supplements?

Are you able to post a photo or video of this duckling? Does it normally go outside? Does it quack?

Poultry have a much higher body temp than we do.. and young birds usually need some assistance maintaining it.. though it should be getting close to that age if your assessment is accurate.

Sounds like nutrient deficit as a possibility, but any more answers or clues might be helpful. Sorry you guys are facing this, and hang in there!

 

[Isaac 0]

Hi, there, welcome to BackYard Chickens. So sorry to hear about your duckling, we'll try out best to help, but we'll need some more information.

What are they being fed? What is the expiration date on the bag? What kind of water, and feed dish is being used? What are they being kept in? Where did you acquire the ducklings? Is she eating and drinking? Could you post a few pictures of her poop?

Seizures, convulsions, and spasms in ducklings can be caused by a numerous amount of things, ranging from ingesting toxins, vitamin E or Thiamine deficiency, trauma to the head or neck area, neoplasms, metabolic diseases, and viral or bacterial diseases.

Ideally, and what I would do here, is start off by physically examing the duckling, from head to toe for anything alarming, then taking an anamnesis of the bird, and use that information to understand what condition would be more likely, e.g. "are more then one bird affected" if only one bird is affected this would make it less likely for it to be a viral or toxin-related condition.

I've had birds like this as well, and after I've done a physical examination, and past history check, I start off by checking their blood glucose levels using a blood meter to test if the bird is lacking sugars (this is often a prevalent problem with shipped ducklings (Hypoglycemia). I'd smear their blood on a slide, and stain it with a Romanowsky type stain, and look at their WBC and RBC morphology for any abnormalities, that might point towards toxicosis. I would additionally take some cultures from their feces and mouth to check and see if there might be a bacterial infection going on (premature ducklings where their abdominal area is still exposed can develop this problem). Of course, you probably don't have the supplies to do these diagnostic tests so you will have to treat by elimination.

If I were to suggest anything, I'd first suggest that you start this duckling on vitamins, specifically thiamine and vitamin E, for thiamine you can drip a few drops of Cattle B complex along her bill, and for the vitamin E you can give her one 400iu soft gel once daily. These nutritional problems (wry neck) are common in ducklings, and we can start by off by eliminating one of the more common causes of seizures. If we don't see any improvement, we can consider something else.

Additionally, it’d be a good idea, to offer her scrambled eggs which will boost vitamin E absorption, and provide her with other needed minerals. Keeping her warm, and in a stressful free area is also important to her health.

 

[drumstick diva]

Hoping your duckling will have the best possible outcome.

 

[DuckyMaam]

Hi there, welcome to BYC!

Where is this? Please consider adding your general location to your profile as it will help folks make the best suggestions possible at a glance.


Where from? Does it have other duckling friends?

Most importantly what is being fed on a regular basis including treats and supplements?

Are you able to post a photo or video of this duckling? Does it normally go outside? Does it quack?

Poultry have a much higher body temp than we do.. and young birds usually need some assistance maintaining it.. though it should be getting close to that age if your assessment is accurate.

Sounds like nutrient deficit as a possibility, but any more answers or clues might be helpful. Sorry you guys are facing this, and hang in there!

Hi, there, welcome to BackYard Chickens. So sorry to hear about your duckling, we'll try out best to help, but we'll need some more information.

What are they being fed? What is the expiration date on the bag? What kind of water, and feed dish is being used? What are they being kept in? Where did you acquire the ducklings? Is she eating and drinking? Could you post a few pictures of her poop?

Seizures, convulsions, and spasms in ducklings can be caused by a numerous amount of things, ranging from ingesting toxins, vitamin E or Thiamine deficiency, trauma to the head or neck area, neoplasms, metabolic diseases, and viral or bacterial diseases.

Ideally, and what I would do here, is start off by physically examing the duckling, from head to toe for anything alarming, then taking an anamnesis of the bird, and use that information to understand what condition would be more likely, e.g. "are more then one bird affected" if only one bird is affected this would make it less likely for it to be a viral or toxin-related condition.

I've had birds like this as well, and after I've done a physical examination, and past history check, I start off by checking their blood glucose levels using a blood meter to test if the bird is lacking sugars (this is often a prevalent problem with shipped ducklings (Hypoglycemia). I'd smear their blood on a slide, and stain it with a Romanowsky type stain, and look at their WBC and RBC morphology for any abnormalities, that might point towards toxicosis. I would additionally take some cultures from their feces and mouth to check and see if there might be a bacterial infection going on (premature ducklings where their abdominal area is still exposed can develop this problem). Of course, you probably don't have the supplies to do these diagnostic tests so you will have to treat by elimination.

If I were to suggest anything, I'd first suggest that you start this duckling on vitamins, specifically thiamine and vitamin E, for thiamine you can drip a few drops of Cattle B complex along her bill, and for the vitamin E you can give her one 400iu soft gel once daily. These nutritional problems (wry neck) are common in ducklings, and we can start by off by eliminating one of the more common causes of seizures. If we don't see any improvement, we can consider something else.

Additionally, it’d be a good idea, to offer her scrambled eggs which will boost vitamin E absorption, and provide her with other needed minerals. Keeping her warm, and in a stressful free area is also important to her health.

Hi! Tha k you for answering. So as to respond your questions. The duckling is in a plastic box about a meter for 50, completely covered with cotton fabric so he doesn't get cold. Place, we are in Mexico on hills, nearest city is like 2.5 hours by car and there is only 1 vet I know here. Cuack (His name) has been having duckling food. Supposedly specially for ducks. It's very common for people to come around the houses here offering ducklings that their momma duck just had, we bought him with one off these people. This ducky food is sold by pound on local stores because ducks are a thing here. I also give him oatmeal and chia? Seeds as I read that it's a good snack of course including a small bowl with water. The containers are plastic, the kind that are made for microwave safe. As for his poo... He poo's a lot. Barely a week back he started with watery, 'explosive' for lack of better word, poo. He eats and drinks normally. I can't keep him outside since there are A LOT of cats around, curiously enough they are all wild cats and they come often searching for food around the houses, so he gets some 15 - 25 min of sunshine daily. The water is drinking water, like water for us humans. Every other day we set up a time pond, we put a big bin fill it with water and we let him go swimming so he can rinse his head and just generally clean, when we take him out we towel him so he doesn't stay wet and gets a cold or something... Important thing. I found a wild duck once. He came from the hill and I got him to feed him, had him for a week before I gave him to a farmer who had more ducks... This duck had a runny nose, so when I bought the duckling a few weeks ago (6 months after giving the other duck) I saw he had a runny nose... Maybe this is some sign?

I'm trying to get a hold of the vet and see if we can get to a compromise so he can at least check my baby, I will post again if he agrees. Thank you for taking the time to read