Duckling with a crooked neck.... *Pic added*

[ritzzy]

One of my ducklings hatched yesterday, two days later than the others, and he came out with a sort of bent neck. He's in the brooder now with the others and seems fine. But that neck worries me. Will he grow out of it?

 

[mylilchickadees]

We had a runner duck that hatched late and his neck was bent, had a hard time eating, walking and drinking. We had to help him eat and drink and looked up what it could be. Sounds like wry neck, very common in silkies, not so much in ducks from what I read.
I took the advice of other BYCers and bought vitamin E capsules, cut a hole in one end and gave it to him everyday, also gave him Naicin capsules. I have heard of Brewers Yeast too, you would sprinkle these on his foods.
The first few days we gave him Enfamil infant vitamins Poly Vi Sol. All these you can get at the drug store or Walmart.
Now 2 wks later, you can't even tell except he's slightly smaller than his brother, but no problems. I have been told it could come back, but if so, just to start the vitamins back up.
It's a vitamin defiancy.
I hope this helps, it was hard to watch him, but awesome to see him get better!

 

[duckyfromoz]

It could just be bent lookig from being all curled up in that egg for to long- But I would also recommend some multi vitamins for this little one just to help give it a bit of a boost and to regain some strength - I often find that some of the later hatching ones need a little longer to rest after hatching before they perk up and are running around the brooder.

 

[ritzzy]

Thank you so much! I will go get him some vitamins today. I agree, I think it is because of being in the egg too long.... I feel bad because I had to help him hatch, and if I would have hatched him a day earlier, maybe he would have been fine?
So, exactly how do I GIVE him all these vitamins? Do they come in a liquid form or what?

 

[mylilchickadees]

Yes they do come in liquid form for the infant drops. Make sure the Poly Vi sol infant vitamins are without iron! I just gave him a few drops a couple of times a day.
The vitamin E is also liquid/gel caps. (poke a hole at the end and squeeze it)

I had hoped that our little guys was from being in the egg to long, we also had to help him out, but your duckling doesn't sound as bad as ours. He couldn't straighten it at all, it was awful to watch, but good news is he is 100% better now, just needed extra TLC.

 

[ritzzy]

My little duckling can't straighten his at all either. Only when I was giving him a little neck massage, could he straighten it. He walks fine, and runs all over the brooder box, but I can tell he can't eat and drink unless I help him. Very sad to watch but I am going to give him the vitamins ASAP.

Now, with the Vitamin E, do i just squirt it right in his mouth? Or do I give it to him in his food?

 

[mylilchickadees]

I seperated my little guy from the others just in case and put him in a clear rubbermaid small tub next to their big rubbermaid clear tub so they could see each other. I massaged his neck to and that seemed to help.
Take one of the capsules and poke a hole w/ a safety pin and hold his beak open and squirt in as much as he can handle, same w/ the infant drops, I did this in the morning and evening. I also got the Naicin that I could break open and put that into his food. Also heard brewers yeast was good. I was worried I was giving him too much vitamins but that's what I kept reading to do. Plus some of the Vitamin E and Infant drops didn't always make it in his mouth, half ended up all over both of us, but we kept at it for about 2 wks, at 1 wk, I could already see a difference, but like I said w/ ours, he was really bad, he walked around like his head was tucked in his wings, had a very hard time doing anything. He's great and healthy now and lives w/ his siblings now. He's 3 1/2 wks old now.

I hope the vitamins help! What kind of duck is he??

 

[ritzzy]

I have no idea what breed. I assume a mallard mix. I am going to go get some vitamins and just HOPE it works!!

 

[mylilchickadees]

Good Luck and keep us update!!

 

[froggie71]

TSC gave me a Pekin duck with a crooked neck because they had no idea what to do with it. We brought it home and gave it brewer's yeast and poly-vi-sol drops without iron. Didn't even bother with the vitamin E. We named this duck Pisa because of her crooked neck. Now it is almost impossible to tell which one she is. Good luck with your duckling.