Duckling won't/can't walk

[Kwyjibo]

So here are two videos where you can see baby duck's movements concerning his legs and you can see his little body expand and contract with every breath. Does that look like labored breathing to you? I can hear him breathe when everything is quiet---is that normal?
Hope these links work!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCommanderKwyjibo?feature=watch

Thanks, Julia

 

[Miss Lydia]

So here are two videos where you can see baby duck's movements concerning his legs and you can see his little body expand and contract with every breath. Does that look like labored breathing to you? I can hear him breathe when everything is quiet---is that normal?
Hope these links work!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheCommanderKwyjibo?feature=watch

Thanks, Julia

I just now saw your video, he does look like his breathing isn't normal, not to the point that he has his mouth open struggling though which is good. Hopefully the antibiotic will take affect soon.

How is he this morning?
When you pick him up can you hear any rattling like fluid in his lungs?

 

[Kwyjibo]

He had a better appetite this morning but once he'd had enough (he only eats a small bit, mind) he started dozing off like he has been doing. I haven't picked him up to listen but I bend my ear close and can hear him breathing but no wheezing or rattling. I looked around on threads about dosages for duramycin-10 and learned that I was under-dosing. So I increased it and hope that will make a difference. I'm sprinkling niacin on his food but he's wise to me--he tries to work around it 'tho I'm sure he's getting some. And then I gave him a couple drops of nutri-drench.

I'd really hoped to see more improvement today.

I'd love to take him to the vet to see if he has an internal injury or broken bone. Jiminy is so stinkin' big and heavy it's possible he could've hurt him. But, understandably, the husband doesn't want me to. He knows that I'd take every sick critter to the vet. We already have a dog that has cost us alot in the way of vet bills and expensive dog food due to allergies to seemingly everything. And 3 girls in college.

Do you know where to get brewer's yeast?

Thanks for getting back to me

 

[Kwyjibo]

Think he's getting worse.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Think he's getting worse.

Oh no I hate to hear this.. I'm so sorry. I am wondering if he could have a heart problem. maybe born with it and it just started showing up.
We had a duckling hatch almost 5 years ago and she was fine for a couple weeks then started to breathe like your duckling when she was about a month old we decided to put her down but she passed away the day we had planned to do it, I sure hope your little one will pull through. It's so hard to loose them. And I understand about taking him to the vet, it's more expensive than going to a human Dr. Just do what you can for him, thats all you can do.

 

[Kwyjibo]

Thanks for the support, Lydia.

However, I think the little feller is going downhill. Maybe it is something I can do nothing about. I've learned quite a bit from this experience though. The lady that I bought all 3 of my ducks from said that they learned that they had to bring the ducklings in not long after they hatched because of such a high mortality rate. She said she's had a duckling drown in an inch of water, had them get separated from mama through the fence, gotten stepped on, etc. I'm sure there's a long list. She said that they learned that if they didn't bring them in that there was a very high mortality rate. I suppose it is why Muscovies naturally have such huge clutches---it increases the odds that at least a few might survive.

When I volunteered at a wildlife hospital (feeding baby birds non-stop but nothing more complicated than that) I learned that for some species that's the only thing that keeps the species going. Like possums. They aren't smart whatsoever but thought to be the oldest species of mammal. But they can eat anything, sleep anywhere, and don't need to have a permanent place to go back to every day. We got so many baby possums at the hospital because people would find them alone. It's because they ride on mama's back and eventually they outgrow all of them being able to fit. So whoever is riding caboose is most likely to fall off. If was funny to see them all making their scary face when you'd open up their box.

I still hope baby duck makes it. But either way, I'll be all the wiser when the next clutch comes along.

BTW! Good news! I've learned what to do for Jiminy's obnoxiousness. I pick him up and scratch his neck and cheeks. He loves it! I feel the tension ebb away from his hefty body, the webbed feet dangle freely, and he really leans into the scratches. It's like rubbing an alligator's stomach and putting it to sleep

. I put him down and if he's had enough he just meanders off to see Blossom in a mellow daze. If he wants more, then it's a repeat. I feel I still have to find him another home though because of Xochitl. I want to give her another chance to have a normal/relatively stress-free duck experience.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for the support, Lydia.

However, I think the little feller is going downhill. Maybe it is something I can do nothing about. I've learned quite a bit from this experience though. The lady that I bought all 3 of my ducks from said that they learned that they had to bring the ducklings in not long after they hatched because of such a high mortality rate. She said she's had a duckling drown in an inch of water, had them get separated from mama through the fence, gotten stepped on, etc. I'm sure there's a long list. She said that they learned that if they didn't bring them in that there was a very high mortality rate. I suppose it is why Muscovies naturally have such huge clutches---it increases the odds that at least a few might survive.

When I volunteered at a wildlife hospital (feeding baby birds non-stop but nothing more complicated than that) I learned that for some species that's the only thing that keeps the species going. Like possums. They aren't smart whatsoever but thought to be the oldest species of mammal. But they can eat anything, sleep anywhere, and don't need to have a permanent place to go back to every day. We got so many baby possums at the hospital because people would find them alone. It's because they ride on mama's back and eventually they outgrow all of them being able to fit. So whoever is riding caboose is most likely to fall off. If was funny to see them all making their scary face when you'd open up their box.

I still hope baby duck makes it. But either way, I'll be all the wiser when the next clutch comes along.

BTW! Good news! I've learned what to do for Jiminy's obnoxiousness. I pick him up and scratch his neck and cheeks. He loves it! I feel the tension ebb away from his hefty body, the webbed feet dangle freely, and he really leans into the scratches. It's like rubbing an alligator's stomach and putting it to sleep

. I put him down and if he's had enough he just meanders off to see Blossom in a mellow daze. If he wants more, then it's a repeat. I feel I still have to find him another home though because of Xochitl. I want to give her another chance to have a normal/relatively stress-free duck experience.

It's extremely hard to lose one but sometimes it's out of our control. I can say that because I just lost a game hen to astites[water belly] we were going to put her down in the morning and she passed away a little while ago, I loved that little hen. We do learn from each experience. I am hoping with you that the duckling makes it. but you'll be much wiser next go around. I have ducklings hatching right now with mama, 2 so far out of a clutch of 7 and I am trying to stay out of it as much as i can. I am glad to hear you have made some progress with Jiminys obnoxiousness lol what ever we have to do to get them through. i 'll try this on Opie. He came in with my DH and started biting him on the back of the leg so out he went. I like the idea of the alligator belly rub. lol Poor Xochitl she does need to be able to relax.

 

[Kwyjibo]

I'm really sorry that your sweet little hen passed away.

I wish they didn't have to suffer so. And it is so hard to put them down. I will have to look up astites and learn about it. I've never heard of that before.

How old was she? How long do chickens normally live? I've read that people who raise them for eggs kill them when they are about 2 1/2 years old. That sound kinda short-lived. My husband gets frustrated when I tell him that even when our hens stop laying we're keeping them. He says it's not cost effective but I say they still eat bugs, aerate the soil, and provide fertilizer. That's worth something, I think.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm really sorry that your sweet little hen passed away.

I wish they didn't have to suffer so. And it is so hard to put them down. I will have to look up astites and learn about it. I've never heard of that before.

How old was she? How long do chickens normally live? I've read that people who raise them for eggs kill them when they are about 2 1/2 years old. That sound kinda short-lived. My husband gets frustrated when I tell him that even when our hens stop laying we're keeping them. He says it's not cost effective but I say they still eat bugs, aerate the soil, and provide fertilizer. That's worth something, I think.

She was 2. we had another hen last year with it she was 3. thats the only thing I can come up with after reading about it. my spelling maybe wrong, just looked it up it's spelled Ascites, says large amount of fluid in abdomen associated with heart failure, liver & pulmonary Hypertension. I have heard of chickens living till 9-10ish. my oldest is 4. I have a Muscovy drake around 9. We will let all our hens retire here, we usually process extra roos if we can't find a good home for them.

 

[Kwyjibo]

You probably already know this but I found this page on The Poultry Site. I haven't visited this site before. There's someone called CrazyChick/Laura that seems to have what I think is extensive medical knowledge. She knows all the big words anyway

. On this page she talks about ascites, conditions, treatment. And further down talks about anemia and worms, vaccines, etc. It's a Canadian site, I believe. Here's the link if you want to have a look:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6808

Well, baby duck is no longer with us. He was going downhill fast and it was all he could do to breathe. I feel really awful about not picking up on it sooner. But I suppose it's experiences like this that will benefit future babies--I'll know what to look for. You have been such a tremendous help and comfort to me, Lydia. I am so sorry that you are going through your own ordeal right now. I don't guess you ever get used to it, huh?

How are your little hatchlings coming along? How many have made their debut to the world?