Duckling So Scared, It Faints?

[sharpiewashere]

We have two week old ducklings, two Cayuga and two Pekin, and they have acted perfectly healthy up until this morning. I reached in their tub with rubber gloves, and of course, they freaked out because they don't like the yellow hands. It scares them. My Cayuga female got so freaked out she got stuck in the feeder and acted like she could not move. I picked her up and she went dead-weight. I thought she was dying, so I took her into the bathroom and her head went back. I pushed it forward and she came back to life as if nothing happened. Is this a duckling panic attack, or possibly a seizure? They are on Dumor starter right now (only because Tractor Supply was out of their starter), and I've heard Dumor is pretty low in Niacin. Is it their feed? Freak occurrence?

 

[Kleonaptra]

Could ne panic attack/anxiety. Ducks are very fragile in that way, easily frightened. Hope its nothing more serious

 

[Amykins]

I have never heard of a duck fainting. It could very well be a seizure, but I think if you're that worried, I'd contact a vet. In the meantime, perhaps try to ditch the gloves and get them more socialized to your presence so the poor things aren't so stressed out?

You also mentioned low niacin in their feed. Does that mean you aren't supplementing it yourself? 'Cuz if not, you NEED to be. That can cause seizures in ducklings, and could even result in death. Not to mention severe bone malformations down the road.

 

[sharpiewashere]

They're used to my hands. They're not used to the yellow gloves. That was my fault. I usually remove the ducklings before I remove the bedding with gloved hands.
Right now they're getting the niacin they need. I was not aware that the feed I bought didn't have what they need, which is stupid because what kind of chick starter, which says "for chicks, ducklings, goslings, etc." doesn't have the nutrients they need? I will not be buying that crap again.
I've never had a problem with niacin deficiency in my ducks before, but then again, they were on a different brand of starter and they were eating all kinds of vegetables and protein.
Anyway, thank you for the advice.

 

[Amykins]

If it says it's for waterfowl, then check the niacin content. Chick starter doesn't contain enough niacin, but feed specific to waterfowl does. If it does not, you gotta give 'em either a crushed niacin supplement (one pill per gallon of water will do it) or add brewer's yeast to their feed.

I dunno what's happening with your poor cayuga, but I know new duck ownership is one hell of a steep learning curve and we're all here to help you through it! Ducks are awesome. That's a fact. But they can be so delicate sometimes, especially as babies. Most of us here have a very sad story to tell about losing a duckling or two 'cuz we were so green and just didn't know better. Personally, I'm thrilled you came to this site, 'cuz it's a wealth of information on how to care for your birdies, and the community here is kinder than any I've ever been to. So on behalf of all of us here in the duck forum:

 

[ButtaCup]

We have been raising Cayuga for about 5 years and I have a few who will play dead, but I don't remember them doing it as ducklings. They will chase the dog then let the dog chase them, but when they are done playing they play dead and the dog walks away.

Also, we always start our ducks on game bird feed and add other foods as they mature.

Hope the baby gets better.

 

[Amykins]

We have been raising Cayuga for about 5 years and I have a few who will play dead, but I don't remember them doing it as ducklings. They will chase the dog then let the dog chase them, but when they are done playing they play dead and the dog walks away.

Also, we always start our ducks on game bird feed and add other foods as they mature.

Hope the baby gets better.

A duck playing dead...now I HAVE seen everything...

 

[sharpiewashere]

The seizures seem to only be triggered under an extreme amount of stress. I try to keep my ducklings stress free, but of course I have an aggressive drake and an idiot dog. One jump scare is all it takes. It's been two days since the last one. I've been feeding them niacin rich food but now I'm having issues with my Pekins having trouble walking. Don't know if they're just overweight or they're getting bow-legged but they have an extreme waddle, don't like walking too far, and have to use their wings for balance. They're only 3 weeks old. Like I've said, they're on starter. I try to walk them as much as possible and give them plenty of pool time. They'd just rather sit. Not sure what to do.

 

[Amykins]

Hm. Are they jumbo pekins? Sometimes those guys just grow so big, so fast, their poor legs just can't keep up. They'll just sit, cuz walking around is too difficult! Using their wings for balance doesn't sound normal at all, though. Do you have a video of them doing that behavior?

 

[sharpiewashere]

No, I don't. They're not supposed to be jumbo. When I ordered them, I picked a male and female Pekin. Thought jumbo might be too much. The wing balancing only happens when they start to get up or trip, and only the female does it. They'll stand and walk, eat, drink, cheep and sleep. Even swim. However, they are little pigs. The female especially. When I was training them to eat out of my hand, I gave them thawed frozen peas. Could I have overdone it? Are peas like junk food to them? I've stopped treats entirely to see if it makes a difference. Could it be too much protein? They've had cooked chicken, too. Still new to Pekins and Cayugas, and I feel like I sound too stupid to own them, but the only breed I've ever raised are Rouen, and they never had problems.