Help, Duck can't wallk

wefroggy

Songster
10 Years
Mar 10, 2009
108
2
121
Wild Mountain Thyme Farm, PA
I went out to let my ducks out this morning and one of my Muscovies cant walk. She won't use her legs at all. She doesn't seem to be in any pain and I was able to move them gently without any protest, but she won't stand on them. She pulled her self across the ground with her wings. I put her back in the house with food and water close.
Any suggestions?
 
First off I'd give her a bowl of scrambled eggs with some milk poured over them and if you have it, crush a brewer's yeast tablet and sprinkle it on top. One of my adult Pekin girls was quite lethargic one day and wouldn't walk, I fed this to her (she devoured it quickly) and she was up walking within an hour. If your duck isn't walking due to an injury I'm not sure what you would do about it. Hope this helps.

Michelle
 
Q suddenly quit walking, though she showed no signs of injury. This was the reason we took her to the vet (and found out she had eaten some coins and had them surgically removed, etc....).

She was suffering from metal toxicity.

I'm not saying just because that is what happened to Q, that is what is happening to your duck, but it IS a possibility that if the legs aren't injured, her not walking is a symptom of something much bigger going on INSIDE.

Good luck with her!
 
Thanks to you both. I will try the egg mixture. Today I have another one that is beginning to act lame. Unfortunately, my vet doesn't 'do' ducks, so we are on our own with this. There isn't anything in their pen that shouldn't be there, but I am continuing to keep an eye on them now.
 
Are you feeding them chick starter or medicated feed at all? Ducks are very sensitive to medications and could react to them.
I even have to remove my muscovy from the chicken pen when I worm them. Good luck.....
 
Something else to look into is whether there is mold beginning in their feed or bedding. It almost sounds like toxicity to me, or serious nutritional deficiency. And each duck has different tolerance to these issues.

I use vitamins and electrolytes when mine are feeling puny. Please let us know how old they are and what they are eating, if you could please.

It might give someone a clue.
 
I don't feed medicated, but they did get into some moldy hay the other day. We gave everyone some egg and brewer's yeast and the 2 are doing better. I will let everyone know how they are progressing.
Thanks again.
 
Update on my girls,
They are fine now. Walking fine and eating. We also ended up building a new pond for everyone and they are much happier.
Thanks for your suggestions on diet, it seems to have helped.
 

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