Duckling troubles: wry neck or not?

[Muscovy-palooza]

Hello my duck friends. I have a little muscovy that is 6 days old.
CUTENESS ALERT:

His neck does not look like the wry neck that I have read about. In fact the trouble only comes when he eats or drinks and then that isn't all the time. The little one will hold his head back touching it to his back and turning his headside to side and goes backwards when he eats or drinks. He looks like Stevie Wonder, so that's its name, girl or boy.

The issue has gotten a good bit better however it depends on what he eats. I have been advised to give him B complex, and scrambled eggs along with his crumbles, which I make into a mash with water. His
meal of choice is worms and scrambled eggs without the crumblesI think that I may have spoiled him a little. Truthfully though he does seem to have a hard time with the crumbles no matter the consistency, soupy or mash. He will eat it if I leave it with him sometimes. When he eats it he shakes his head either because he doesn't like it or he can't make it go down. He doesn't seem to have a problem with worms or the moist scrambled eggs. Stevie is quite the cutie and has us wrapped around his little wing.

I am just wondering if there is a possible deformity or obstruction keeping him from being able to eat certain consistency foods. If so, what can I feed him to make sure that he gets what he needs?
Any ideas on what his issue is?
An injury perhaps?
Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What kind of crumbles? Chicken feed, all flock, game bird, etc.? What is the protein%?
At any rate, it wouldn't hurt to get some more niacin into it. Maybe a little selenium and vitamin E as well.
Try some brewers yeast.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-brewers-yeast.823336/

 

[DuckyDonna]

Get the B-complex from Tractor supply. That is the strongest and best stuff ever. It will be in the cattle dept. and looks like these. They are the same just a label change. give him 1 ml over something he will gobble right up like the worms.

@casportpony @Pyxis are real good with this this problem.

 

[DuckyDonna]

@staceyj @Wyorp Rock

 

[Muscovy-palooza]

What kind of crumbles? Chicken feed, all flock, game bird, etc.? What is the protein%?
At any rate, it wouldn't hurt to get some more niacin into it. Maybe a little selenium and vitamin E as well.
Try some brewers yeast.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-brewers-yeast.823336/

do I need to pick up supplements or feed him herbs or other foods to get those nutrients? Does tsc have brewers yeast?
I am giving him B complex mixed in his crumbles. He just doesn't eat the crumbles as easily as he does the live worms and scrambled eggs. Seems as though he struggles with the texture even when water and B is added.

 

[Muscovy-palooza]

Get the B-complex from Tractor supply. That is the strongest and best stuff ever. It will be in the cattle dept. and looks like these. They are the same just a label change. give him 1 ml over something he will gobble right up like the worms.

@casportpony @Pyxis are real good with this this problem.
View attachment 1790169

I did message a couple of folks and the B complex was recommended so I started that Monday p.m. The little guys isn't really wild about it. If he has his choice he will take a bite of egg without the B on it. When he figures out that is all he has to eat he will go ahead and eat it.
Particular little one. It's good that he is so blooming cute!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks for posting that. When someone says they are feeding crumbles, that simply doesn't tell us anything. I've seen crumbles that range from 12.5% protein to 30% protein. So those feeds can be formulated to feed all types of animals and each feed is definitely not appropriate for all. Each species has different nutrient requirements. I'm familiar with Purina All-Flock feed.
If you aren't feeding the all flock feed exclusively, you don't know what nutrition the duckling is getting.
It's your job as its animal husbandryman to provide the food it needs - not the food it wants.
I hope you wouldn't feed your children cake and candy because that is what they wanted. Same thing applies to animals.

 

[Muscovy-palooza]

If the little fella is getting some worms, would that do for the niacin? I read the article and it appears that meat is a good source for those extra nutrients.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Every species of animal, when consumed, contains disparate nutrient levels. If they are earthworms, then yes, they contain niacin. But that still doesn't mean the duckling is getting all the appropriate levels of the other 30+ nutrients it needs.
And what is some worms? Some could be 5% of the diet or 90% of the diet. That would determine what the total intake of nutrients would be.

 

[DuckyDonna]

I think that if he loves worms a lot put the b-complex over them and he will be good to go. It is some nasty smelling stuff, at least to me it is. I'm glad I don't have to eat it!