Help around four week old swimming backyard (duck).

[rooster brandon.]

OK i just noticed him doing it but he can only swim backyard and after a little he starts to shake his head violently thrash from side to side and then flops on his side with head half covered with water so i grabbed him out of the water and he thrashed all around in my hands he only does that in water acts fine on the ground and in not deep water but when he has to swim he does all that!Please help.

 

[ejctm]

I think that either he is just bathing - they do thrash around a lot!

Or, if it is really abnormal behaviour, he might have a neurological disorder. is he a crested duck by any chance?

Does he behave differently to your other ducks?

At 4 weeks old, just make sure the water is not too deep and he can get out. a brick in the pool might help.

 

[rooster brandon.]

We had to give the other ducks away he is not crested he never done this before he will swim backward get stuck in a corner and just freak out and after i got him out he still freaked out in my hands this is completely abnormal behavior.But when he had his friends they never did this he would of drowned if i did not get him out.

 

[ejctm]

You could try boosting his system with some electrolytes and vitamins added to his drinking water in case a deficiency is causing the neurological problem. You can buy baby vitamins (without iron) in liquid form from the drugstore, Polyvisol is one. Electrolytes too, which are a powder or solution for humans with diarrhoea to rebalance the system). In the UK, one brand is Dioralyte, but ask in the drugstore.

Also don't let him swim, just keep enough water for him to dunk his head in and clean himself. It's a shame he is a lone duck, as they can get depressed without duck company, and if he is ill, his immune system will not fight as hard if he is lonely and depressed. You could try and get some antibiotics which might treat any underlying infection and won't do any harm to try.

There might be other conditions it could be, like Marek's disease. http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/mareks2.pdf There is no cure for this.

Fingers crossed for the little guy.

 

[Bleenie]

does he do this same thing if he swims in warm water? Maybe it's a nerve reaction to the cold water? might be a stretch but it's my best guess. I would say seizures but if he only does it in the water then I doubt it's seizures.

 

[rooster brandon.]

But doesn't it say it take 12 weeks for the symptoms to develop he is only 4 weeks though.

 

[ejctm]

[But doesn't it say it take 12 weeks for the symptoms to develop he is only 4 weeks though.]

Do you mean Marek's? I don't know is the answer. Perhaps if you do some research online you can find out a bit more. I just read a few things. Let us know what you find out.

Hopefully it is not Marek's. Try the things I have suggested above as they may work, and are good fall-backs for a lot of bird problems. It sounds like seizures to me, which could be triggered by a change in temperature, or light falling on the water, or anything! Just try and boost him up with the supplements and see if they work.

You could also try taking him to the vet if they do not work.

Best of luck.

 

[rooster brandon.]

Quote:
I made the water just a tad warm he only does it in deep water

 

[ejctm]

Sounds strange. Not sure if he is ill, or is just panicking!

Any chance you could film him and put it on Youtube for us to see, and post the link here? Might get a better chance of the right advice!