Duckling hunched over, lethargic. Advice please

[Sarahf95]

My crested duckling (About 4 weeks old) has been hunched and lethargic since yesterday. He’s been living in the house because he hatched a lot later than his siblings and was a bit weak in the beginning - but ever since he’s done really well.
He’s still drinking but not eating lots. He’s sleeping a lot and when I lift him out of his enclosure he stands a bit hunched and just isn’t his lively self. His stools are very watery (I’m guessing because he’s still drinking but not eating much). he’s living in a large wooden box lined with newspaper and wood shavings changed 3/4 times a day. I’ve been feeding him chick crumbs, peas, corn and small amounts of meal worms and oats. His tummy seems to be making some grumbling sounds. I’ve seen lots of advice on probiotics and electrolytes but I can’t find any on amazon that will deliver to the uk - I’ve seen some on pets at home but they’re not specific for ducklings (more for hamsters rabbits etc.) or I’ve seen some supplements for chickens.

what should I do has anyone got any advice?

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Hi @Sarahf95,

first of all welcome to BYC.
and congratulations on your hatch!

regarding to your poor crested one,
- Are you able to upload a picture of his poop? What color is it?
- if you give it food, does it eat it by itself?
- Please note that duck needs different food than chickens. And when you give them chicken food, you have to supplement with vitamins, especially with niacin. I also see you give them other food besides pellets, ducks, like chicken, need grit to be able to digest the food properly. do you have that available for them?
- did you check for mites and lice? (this is a question just in case, not completely related to your current question)

 

[Sarahf95]

Hi @Sarahf95,

first of all welcome to BYC.
and congratulations on your hatch!

regarding to your poor crested one,
- Are you able to upload a picture of his poop? What color is it?
- if you give it food, does it eat it by itself?
- Please note that duck needs different food than chickens. And when you give them chicken food, you have to supplement with vitamins, especially with niacin. I also see you give them other food besides pellets, ducks, like chicken, need grit to be able to digest the food properly. do you have that available for them?
- did you check for mites and lice? (this is a question just in case, not completely related to your current question)

It’s quite dark - the only thing I can think is we let him outside yesterday and he was digging through some soil/moss and if he’s not used to outside germs it might have upset his tummy? My concern is that he will be going back out with the others ones he’s bigger so I’m wondering how I help him acclimatise to this.

Yes he’s eating by himself just less than usual. What vitamins would you recommend? The crumbs I got were for ducklings (I read that the ones for chickens can be harmful to ducks)

I’ve had a hold of him to inspect and his fluff and feathers look perfectly healthy, free from lice and mites etc.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Are all poops like this since feeling unwell?
@casportpony maybe has tips here


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
@Isaac 0 wrote a story about the importance of vitamin B3 (niacin)

 

[Sarahf95]

Are all poops like this since feeling unwell?
@casportpony maybe has tips here


https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
@Isaac 0 wrote a story about the importance of vitamin B3 (niacin)

Yeah only since he’s been poorly, before that they looked what I would consider normal.

I have vitamin b complex in my cupboard - would this be suitable for him? They’re tablets so I’d have to crush it and add to his water. if not I can probably get hold of some from the vets tomorrow.

Also thanks for your help and quick replies

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Yeah only since he’s been poorly, before that they looked what I would consider normal.

I have vitamin b complex in my cupboard - would this be suitable for him? They’re tablets so I’d have to crush it and add to his water. if not I can probably get hold of some from the vets tomorrow.

Also thanks for your help and quick replies

I don’t know if humans also have other supplements in their vit b tablets that are potentially not ok for ducks so I ask the one who knows all about vitamins.
‘In the mean time can you post a picture of the ingredient list of your tablets?

@isaac, can you crush vit B tablets and than serve it to your duck?

 

[Sarahf95]

I don’t know if humans also have other supplements in their vit b tablets that are potentially not ok for ducks so I ask the one who knows all about vitamins.
‘In the mean time can you post a picture of the ingredient list of your tablets?

@isaac, can you crush vit B tablets and than serve it to your duck?

He seems to have perked up in the last hour - looks less uncomfortable and is walking around more. Still want to make sure he’s getting everything he needs though! This is the ingredients

 

[blameames]

I would recommend grit—we use crushed oyster shells for our Muscovies—as it sounds like that’s missing from his diet. Ducks don’t have teeth, so they must consume grit to do the work of grinding up the food in their bellies. Without that gut process a bird cannot access the nutrition available in the foods they eat.

We had a drake in poor condition and were scratching our heads for weeks. After having the vet out, we realised that our clay-heavy soil doesn’t offer enough naturally-occurring grit large enough to do what his system needed. After providing the crushed oyster shells he visibly improved in mere days.

 

[Sarahf95]

I would recommend grit—we use crushed oyster shells for our Muscovies—as it sounds like that’s missing from his diet. Ducks don’t have teeth, so they must consume grit to do the work of grinding up the food in their bellies. Without that gut process a bird cannot access the nutrition available in the foods they eat.

We had a drake in poor condition and were scratching our heads for weeks. After having the vet out, we realised that our clay-heavy soil doesn’t offer enough naturally-occurring grit large enough to do what his system needed. After providing the crushed oyster shells he visibly improved in mere days.

Thank you! Will definitely give this a try, going to pick some up tomorrow.

 

[Sarahf95]

I don’t know if humans also have other supplements in their vit b tablets that are potentially not ok for ducks so I ask the one who knows all about vitamins.
‘In the mean time can you post a picture of the ingredient list of your tablets?

@isaac, can you crush vit B tablets and than serve it to your duck?

So I checked with my vet and she said to crush up one of the tablets I had into his water. I did that yesterday and he seemed to drink enough of it, I’ve also given him some grit. He’s going through spells of being lively to being very sluggish and quiet. I guess I just have to wait and see now? Is there anything else I can do for him? I found him some bugs to eat last night and his appetite for those was fine he ate loads! How long until he would react to the niacin? The vet advised I crush up another tomorrow for him