Flipping on back and not being able to walk....

[PetesMom]

We just got 3 mallards about a week ago. All healthy up until last night. They are all 3 months old. Last night when we went to put them all up and feed them for the night I noticed one was missing from the yard.....so I opened the barn door and there he is upside down just laying there? Now about a month ago I found one of our pekin girls outside upside down and when I picked her back up onto her feet she stumbled around for a little bit then recovered, she's been fine ever since. So I picked this guy up thinking he just got knocked over and couldn't get back up. Well he kept flipping over, we put him in the pool and he kept flipping over in the pool too. His right side pretty much was worthless. We gave him a day or so to right himself, then my boyfriend ended his suffering tonight. I just couldn't keep him off his back :'( And I cried and cried. I just don't understand what happened to a healthy duck in just a couple hours? Also he would not eat, or drink anything as we left him with food and water all day and nothing was touched. Did I make the wrong call?

 

[Amiga]

I don't think second guessing at this point will help, but let's correspond about some possibilities to help you in the future.

It sounds like it was neurological. I think you are familiar with niacin deficiencies, but (forgive me), I am not sure about that. Anyway, niacin deficiency can cause behavior like that.

Sometimes ducks get seizures for unknown reasons. Then they pass, just as mysteriously. Sometimes toxins can cause neurological problems, or an injury of which you may be unaware.

If the body is still available and it has not been long, you may be able to take it to the land grant university or other organization responsible for doing necropsies, to determine the cause of death for sure.

 

[70%cocoa]

As Amiga says, niacin deficiency can cause a problem like that. But the fact that your duck was already 3 months old makes me think that it was not a vitamin problem....usually problems caused by vitamin deficiencies strike at a much much younger age. But, if it ever happens again to one of your ducks (especially to a duckling), you can try providing some bird vitamins in their water (you might need to use an eye dropper to get the duck to drink initially). If the problem is caused by a niacin deficiency then providnig vitamins can help and you should see a difference within a couple of days. You often need to do it throughout the whole period in which the duck is growing.

It is very hard to say exactly what might have been the problem for your duck though. It may have been something that could not have been cured. That is quite likely. Just like us, ducks can have strokes and other things that can cause seizures and an inability to stay upright.

I'm sure that it was a terribly distressing experience for you - I completely understand being so upset about it. I would have cried my eyes out too. You did your very best with what you had available to you. I hope that you are able to take time out from this very difficult experience by getting enjoyment out of watching your other two beautiful ducks.

 

[zooweemama]

I'm so sorry PetesMom for your loss.

 

[tia]

Sorry for you loss. I know how hard it is to lose one.

 

[annabell254]

ok I know this is an older thread...and I am also sorry for your loss...but I was hoping for some help as well...I have an 8 week old as of today runner duck who we found this morning on her back and freaking out, we brought her in and wrapped her in a towel and kept it dark and she calmed down in under a min...she was filthily and I know this seizure mush have been going on for a while before we got up....I have also had ducks go into random seizures but then be fine, so once she had calmed down we put her with the rest...it only took 5 min before she began having another one, so I went and wrapped her in a towel and put her in a back dark bedroom with water and food...she seemed to be able to walk in a crouching position so it looking like she was scooting accross the floor...but if she got up to run she would start to panic and that seemed to trigger the seizure...I have put vitamins in her water and relocated her to a quite sheltered pen by the barn and so far she seems fine but will not stand up...
Please anyone with any advice, she is my only one of two females out of the 9 I have and she is my only tan and white one at that so I am hoping I can help her

 

[Miss Lydia]

ok I know this is an older thread...and I am also sorry for your loss...but I was hoping for some help as well...I have an 8 week old as of today runner duck who we found this morning on her back and freaking out, we brought her in and wrapped her in a towel and kept it dark and she calmed down in under a min...she was filthily and I know this seizure mush have been going on for a while before we got up....I have also had ducks go into random seizures but then be fine, so once she had calmed down we put her with the rest...it only took 5 min before she began having another one, so I went and wrapped her in a towel and put her in a back dark bedroom with water and food...she seemed to be able to walk in a crouching position so it looking like she was scooting accross the floor...but if she got up to run she would start to panic and that seemed to trigger the seizure...I have put vitamins in her water and relocated her to a quite sheltered pen by the barn and so far she seems fine but will not stand up...
Please anyone with any advice, she is my only one of two females out of the 9 I have and she is my only tan and white one at that so I am hoping I can help her

Since your duckling is still young it maybe from niacin deff like 70%cocoa was talking about in a post above, I would keep her as quiet as possible and make sure she has fresh water and food that she can get to, and add niacin along with her other vitamins. get regular niacin capsules not flush free and just sprinkle in her water. If that is what it is you should be able to notice a difference in a couple of days. I'm sure this is upsetting and I hope she comes around quickly with TLC.

 

[annabell254]

where would I get them at?

 

[Miss Lydia]

where would I get them at?

Most grocery stores carry supplements, or drug stores Walgreens, CVS, Walmart. heres a link to Metzers site which talks about niacin, http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html

 

[annabell254]

WEll I dont see any leg problems in any of the 20+ ducks I have? they are normal and strait? The older ducks never had any problems and this group is younger and about 8 weeks and I have 15 in that group both groups were fed and treated the same? the first runner duck I kept up for 24 hours and then she seemed fine...yeasterday another crested duck started have seizures!same group but not as bad as the runner duck but still! so she is up now...I have not gone to check on her this morning