Ducks with special Needs

[quackers619]

yes she is laying again.....we are just adding a little extra calcium..........

 

[quackers619]

This is a great thread!!! Thanks quackers619! Dandelion is adorable!

I wouldn't necessarily call my ducks special needs.....because they don't need any extra help from me but.....

I have a duck, Mr. Fiona, who had a serious eye infection and lost the sight in one eye. After being nursed back to health from various other issues and being separated from the flock for near 3 months he is now the Alpha over 2 drakes and 13 gals. He is also the protector. If the gals split up into 2 groups he makes sure each of the other drakes splits up with them and then he runs back and forth between both groups to check on every one constantly until both groups come back together. I love him to death. Great great duck.

I also have a female duck, Annibelle aka Hoover (because she eats everything) that only has 2 toes on one foot. The vet amputated her toe due to an infection that he feared would spread if we didn't. He said she might be a little slower than the other ducks and might kind of swim in circles but that she could live a pretty normal life. She hasn't skipped a beat and you would never know she was any different than before. Always first to the food and treats and swims just like the rest.

My third "special needs" girl we aren't really sure what is wrong with her yet but suspect a congenital defect or possibly she had a niacin deficiency when she was younger before we found her. She can't bend her knee joints and walks very stiff legged. She may have had a spinal injury at some point. We don't know. And although she is a little slower then every one else and walks and runs a little differently, she still catches up and is a happy girl just following everyone around. Mr Fiona always knows where she is and never lets her get too far behind.

I hope someone will read the stories on this thread and decide to give their "imperfect" duck or duckling a chance.

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the thread please keep us updated and feel free to share advise

 

[quackers619]

Hi! Sorry to hear that Dandelion keeps having seizures. We had a roster that was having alot of seizures from 3 days old. (didn't know it was a roster at the time). We found giving a mixture of vitamin B complex and also magnesium really helped. In fact I think it was the magnesium that helped stop the seizures as it is a muscle relaxant. They seizures certainly seemed to be less frequent by giving him this. Unfortunately he was also blind and possibly intellectually disabled as he had quite and uncoordinated walk and was uncoordinating eating and therefore was a bit on the skinning side because despite spending alot of time at the food bowl pecking he would often forget to open his beak.

Anyway, might be worth trying Dandelion on some magnesium. We use to give it to Pepper 2-3 times a day intially, and then as seizures started to lesson we gradually reduced the dose to the point where we only give it to him after a seizure. We would give him some immediately after the seizure and then a few extra doses in the day or two following.

Thanks for the advice I am willing to try anything for her......I am very familiar with magnesium seeing I was on high doses throughout my pregnancy with my daughter lol......we are giving vitamin b so we will add magnesium and see if that helps

 

[quackers619]

I will be sure to get some!! My little guy was gone this morning... He didn't make it. We were very sad as we really thought he was going to be on

Sorry for your loss

 

[sugar101]

Thank you.

Here are our new babies. They are hatching days apart? So weird.

 

[quackers619]

Thank you.

Here are our new babies. They are hatching days apart? So weird.

oh my how cute

 

[quackers619]

Quick update Dandelion is doing good we have been giving her magnesium and no joke like a 95% difference.....she is spunky.....much more alert and talking a lot of s**t thanks for the advice I am truly grateful

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quick update Dandelion is doing good we have been giving her magnesium and no joke like a 95% difference.....she is spunky.....much more alert and talking a lot of s**t thanks for the advice I am truly grateful

Awesome!!

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

x2!!! That's fantastic!

 

[hippie1]

We just got this duck and didn't notice while the guy put him in our box. We saw later that she has a hunchback. She walks and swims ok, a bit slower, but seems to be gaining weight and thriving. She's not growing as fast as the others she came with though. When she sits she sits back on her tail with her flippers out. She doesn't seem to be in pain, but really I don't know. We've taken her to a friend that is our vet but he has no idea and suggested vitamins. We've done that but haven't noticed anymore changes. Anyone seen anything like her?