duckling keeps falling over backwards??

[sunket77]

One of our little one week old call ducklings keeps falling backwards. He tries to stand strait and seems to stand to tall and falls on his back. In comparison to it's hatchmate looks like it's back and tail are not as long as the other one, like he kinda has a short body. He seems to get around pretty well as long as he is not trying to stand strait up. He swims fine when he has his swim time, but sometimes if he climbs out of the water onto my hand for a break he falls back in. On land, he gets going, and if he tries to stand up strait or run fast he ends up on his back flailing his little feet!

 

[Big Dreamer]

I think its called star gazing? Someone else help out but i think thats what it iss..

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have never raised call ducks- but I have read often about them falling over. Sometimes it can just be because of the shape of their bodies- so rounded in comparison to other breeds- but as Big Dreamer has pointed out- there is another problem that can cause this. Thiamine deficiency can cause ducklings to " flip " over ( rather than falling over ) it is much more pronounced than just falling over. They duckling will flip very quickly even when standing still - but especially when drinking. Either way- you could try giving some vitamin supplements to see if it will help the situation at all.

 

[sunket77]

they are on "chick-saver" vitamins for chickens and ducks....he drinks just fine. He's not flipping, just falling, like loosing his balance backwards.....kind of like a weeble-wobble but he does fall down...

He teeters back and forth and then falls back, it's not all the time, he hatched a day later than the other one, and had a lot of trouble hatching, and was pretty weak by the time he was finally out. I am hoping he is just behind getting his bearings! Ducklings are still so new to us, we are used to little chicks that are up and running a few hours after they hatch