Duckling seizure!!! Please help!!

[clkingtx]

Hello,

One of my ducklings(just under 2 weeks old, Ideal's surprise special, yellow crested duck, one of smallest) just had a seizure, I think. I went out to check on them, and change their bedding, and I think he got trampled when they stampeded. The others all ran to the other side of the enclosure, and he lay there with his head drawn back to his back, and his legs pointing straight back(he was on his side, I think) I picked him up, and he was stiff, he just kind of twitched for a while(5-10 seconds), his eyelids were twitching, too; then he snapped back to normal, and wanted down. He is a bit uncoordinated, but wanting to be back with the others. I put him back with them, but I don't know what to do for him, please help. The ducks are eating a 25% protein mixture chick starter/ gamebird starter. This is the first time any of them have had any problems. I have been opening the door(they are in our garage) for fresh air for several hours in the daytime when it is warm enough.
Thanks,


Carrie

 

[Overeasyplz]

i don't know, but here's a bump! Hopefully we will get someone to help

 

[lovesduckies]

maybe give it some electrolites and ducky vitamins

 

[nettie]

he needs some more B vitamins. Either get them a powder mix you can put in their water, or you can get some brewer's yeast and put it on their food. this will help.

He doesn't have access to anything rotting or rotting right? sometimes ducks can get botchulism (sp?) and have seizures. If that's not the problem, he's probably vitamin B deficient. If you can get him to eat/drink something with vitamins and electrolytes in it, he'll do better. Hopefully you caught it in time! I had a duckling die just this way once, but i was completely clueless at that time and didn't have BYC to ask... hopefully this helps!

Poly-v-sol without iron (baby vitamins) will do if you can't get to a feed store for other vitamins. You can also get Pedialyte (unflavored) and add some to their water. You can get brewer's yeast at walmart too. Or you can buy some niacin talets and crush them up and add it to their feed. Those are some late night on a sunday otpions so you can help him out right away

 

[clkingtx]

Thanks a lot. I have some durvet electrolyte/vitamin powder. I will get that in the water right now. They don't have access to any rotted stuff. They are on wood chips, they did get a little nasty yesterday, but I changed the bedding, and now I am using puppy training pads on top of the wood chips, and changing those several times a day.
Can a duckling get botulism from their poop? I am going to get them into bigger quarters asap also, so maybe they can stay a little cleaner. I also have their waterers in an aluminum baking pan(one of the big disposable ones), could that cause any problems? Thanks again, will put the vitamins in the water, and get to work on their new digs, and wait to hear any other suggestions.

thanks again,

Carrie

 

[MDC]

Seizures in crested birds (ducks) is common. There was a thread about this awhile back. There's really nothing medical you can do most likely as it's probably neurological. It's caused by a hole in the skull due to the crested gene. If you search for crested ducks you should find a few threads that address the issue. Sorry to hear about the little guy, sure hate to see them suffer due to something like this.

 

[clkingtx]

I was wondering about the crested issue. That was the first thing I thought about when it happened, as I had just recently read some older threads about silkies.
He seems to be doing fine now. I am moving a lot slower around them, to not spook another stampede.

Thanks,
Carrie