Duckling on back like turtle- URGENT

[tofupup]

Hi,

My normal avian vet isn't in today (because it's Sunday, of course), and this morning I found one duckling (there are 2 ducklings and one grown duck) on her back. When I set her upright, she was all wobbly. The other ducks ran outside, and she tried to chase them but she isn't walking right--- she is standing extremely upright and looks like she is going to fall backwards at any moment. She' can't stretch her neck out. When they got to their pond, the other ducks started swimming and eating, and she just stood there, hunched up but extremely upright.

If I put her on her back, she just flails; she cannot flip over, like a tortoise who can't flip over. She doesn't walk willingly and is just hunched up. Right now I have her in a box, so she is just eating her lettuce and food, but ..... has anyone ever had this??

Is this a neck/back injury? I suspect one of the evil geese attacked her during the night and hurt her neck, although they are separated from each other by a wall of hay bales. I feel like a goose grabbed her neck and shook her, but I have no proof of this; it just feels like it, since the geese are always chasing the ducks.

Help!! Anyone??

 

[FluffyDucklings]

I have never heard of this before and im afraid i cant help you, but good luck with figuring out whats wrong

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi,

My normal avian vet isn't in today (because it's Sunday, of course), and this morning I found one duckling (there are 2 ducklings and one grown duck) on her back. When I set her upright, she was all wobbly. The other ducks ran outside, and she tried to chase them but she isn't walking right--- she is standing extremely upright and looks like she is going to fall backwards at any moment. She' can't stretch her neck out. When they got to their pond, the other ducks started swimming and eating, and she just stood there, hunched up but extremely upright.

If I put her on her back, she just flails; she cannot flip over, like a tortoise who can't flip over. She doesn't walk willingly and is just hunched up. Right now I have her in a box, so she is just eating her lettuce and food, but ..... has anyone ever had this??

Is this a neck/back injury? I suspect one of the evil geese attacked her during the night and hurt her neck, although they are separated from each other by a wall of hay bales. I feel like a goose grabbed her neck and shook her, but I have no proof of this; it just feels like it, since the geese are always chasing the ducks.

Help!! Anyone??

A goose may have grabbed her it's hard to know as you said, but putting her where she is comfortable and not having to try to keep up with the rest is a good thing. If you put her in water by herself can she swim at all? warm water therapy inside in a tub just enough water to float can be very beneficial but you never want to leave them alone when you suspect an injury. If you can give her some water time inside where she won't be around the others see how she does and post back. Bless her heart she is adorable.

 

[tofupup]

Well, she has gotten better progressively throughout the day, so I'm going to downgrade this from its former "urgent" status.

I gave her a few drops of metacam and put her in a box inside for a few hours, but after she leaped out and ran down the hallway, I put her outside with her friends. She is acting fairly normally, so I am going to hypothesize that maybe she fell off a hay bale and hit her head and was dazed for a while? She swam in the pool, ate her duck food and lettuce, and she tries to flap her wing stubs, but she's just not very good at all of it.She is holding her head/neck more normally now, but still isn't quite as active and flexible as her friends.

Still, if I put her on her back (just to see what will happen), she absolutely canNOT turn over again. Like, if I weren't there to flip her back over, I have a feeling she would die on her back. So strange, right?

I hope it was just a temporary injury and that she has recovered. Thanks for reading and caring.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, she has gotten better progressively throughout the day, so I'm going to downgrade this from its former "urgent" status.

I gave her a few drops of metacam and put her in a box inside for a few hours, but after she leaped out and ran down the hallway, I put her outside with her friends. She is acting fairly normally, so I am going to hypothesize that maybe she fell off a hay bale and hit her head and was dazed for a while? She swam in the pool, ate her duck food and lettuce, and she tries to flap her wing stubs, but she's just not very good at all of it.She is holding her head/neck more normally now, but still isn't quite as active and flexible as her friends.

Still, if I put her on her back (just to see what will happen), she absolutely canNOT turn over again. Like, if I weren't there to flip her back over, I have a feeling she would die on her back. So strange, right?

I hope it was just a temporary injury and that she has recovered. Thanks for reading and caring.

That's good news lets hope what ever it was she is coming out of it. I have geese so I know they can be bullies.