First time crested duck owner

[desiduh]

Almost 3 weeks ago I picked up 2 ducklings from tractor supply. I already have 14 cayuga, a blue swedish and 2 buff ducks. The ducks did great in the brooder the first week and have since moved into their own little coop outside. The crested duck started out with a small ball of fuzz on her head but now it is larger than her head and she’s having problems eating, cleaning herself, and walking. It’s like it completely throws off her balance. When she tries to eat she has to lay her head sideways on the ground and whenever I give them peas she misses 9/10 of them. I also found it weird that whenever I put them in the pool together this duck swims backwards only. If she’s standing on flat ground and look up into the sky she goes shooting backwards too and usually flips onto her back afterwards and can’t get over. I don’t know what to do. I feel like she’s just suffering. She seems to not know what’s going on 99% of the time. She tries to follow me and the other duckling but just stands there and cries like she can’t see us. I am making sure that she eats and drinks throughout the day and she is growing, her crest seems to be growing faster than her head can handle. Here’s a photo. I had also trimmed some fuzz away from her eyes a few days ago because I thought that’s why she kept falling over but it didn’t change anything

 

[Miss Lydia]

What a precious duckling and that is a huge crest. If your not familiar with the problems crested can have please read this she may be like this all her life but they can adapt if given a chance. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-truth-behind-crested-ducks.707110/

 

[hayley3]

Awwww she is adorable.

 

[desiduh]

What a precious duckling and that is a huge crest. If your not familiar with the problems crested can have please read this she may be like this all her life but they can adapt if given a chance. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-truth-behind-crested-ducks.707110/

Oh wow. I wish I would’ve known this beforehand. She’s doing a lot worse today, keeps flipping over and now it’s looking like she has a wry neck. Gonna give her some molasses & oregano water. I hope she’s able to pull through.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope so too. What I would try is TSC has liquid B complex Durvet is the brand it will say injectable but if you can get her to eat put some over something she really likes like mealworms or peas or a small amount of feed but just enough that she eats the whole thing and get full does. 1ml is what you want her to have daily. Lack of enough niacin can also cause neurological problems so sure worth a try and see if this helps enough to keep her going. This can be a combination of the crest and niacin deficiency. Please keep in touch so we know how she is doing.

 

[TomCahalan]

Her brain is deformed from a large blob of fat in her head. Since she is missing part of her brain, her neurological problems will never go away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I would still give her a chance. Many on here have crested with large crests and do fine with life.

 

[Isaac 0]

In addition to the B complex, I would start her on vitamin E-liquid capsules, cut the tip of the capsule and spread the liquid out all over treats, she should get 400iu a day of the E which is what is typically found in one capsule.