HELP! Ducklings Unable to Stand Upright or Walk

[hiddenfarm]

Ahoy! I appreciate all of your advice/help you may have to provide on this topic. We have just hatched 26 Khaki Campbell ducklings in our incubator for the first time EVER. 24 ducklings are as healthy as can be, but 2 ducklings seemed to be jostled around a bit during incubation and there are currently in what we call the "ICU" bin. The ducklings were hatched on 4/28 and 4/29. I have been scouring the internet reading and researching tirelessly, but am having difficulty finding EXACTLY what is happening here. Our ducklings were born unable to walk. They do not have damaged/hurt legs and are not showing any sign of pain. They are able to stand in my hand if I offer the tiniest bit of support on their spine/neck. Willie (Nelson) seems to stargaze a bit and topples over, and Johnny (Muir) seems to have more of a hunch back. Their necks are just wiggly and wobbly over all. They have a wonderful appetite and are drinking water, and they have officially pooped which seems like good news. They are drinking electrolyte water with a B-complex supplement added for Niacin support. Their food is "mashed" with a little water and a little extra Niacin, and it is NOT medicated. I have placed paper towel down over the straw to allow for some traction because they are constantly putting pressure on their necks while spinning around. I read that this is preferred so they don't get caught in a dip on the straw to make things more difficult. I have read dozens and dozens of duck references/aids and this seems like it could be anything from disease to nutrient deficiency, but nothing is really explaining the issue exactly. I will attach a video of a typical tantrum in the bin without any support on my end. They will not sit in a donut hole towel for support, something I've tried, and I'm hesitant to try a brace unless someone has a promising suggestion. I have researched "wry neck" which seems possible, but they are unable to stand upright which doesn't seem like a common wry neck issue. One topples forward, and the other backward, unable to support his/herself to stand. They often lean on their face to push themselves back up, and fall not their back once again. It's a vicious cycle I'm dying to end. Is this possible it's just damage from all the ducklings trampling these poor babies? We didn't allow it to happen for long and isolated them as quickly as possible. They sleep very sound (which melts my heart and makes me a happy duck mama), and they are calm in my hands. Any ideas as to what can be happening here? I'm hesitant to think it's Toxoplasmosis because other symptoms don't seem to align, but I'm all ears. Maybe you've experienced this exact issue and can lend a hand? I'd love to revitalize these babies. They're so sweet and they have SO much ambition to live. They seem to be getting stronger, but still unable to hold themselves up. Thank you ahead of time for all of your aid throughout this process, and I hope I provided enough information and detail on this issue. I'm relieved I have a forum to reference and use for guidance and support.

 

[house.of.ducks]

First off, welcome to BYC !!

Hmm, I’m kind of stumped as to what this could be. Wry neck sounds like it could be a possibility but it definitely doesn’t completely line up with what you’re describing. Perhaps up the vitamin B complex a little or give them a concentrated dose once a day. I also suggest giving them something as an extra source of protein (in addition to what they get in their normal feed), I’ve heard people say that giving their ducklings a scrambled egg once a day helped bring them back from being extremely weak. Meal worms or fly larvae should work too I imagine, I’m currently feeding my call ducklings fly larvae. And make sure you provide a small amount of grit for them when you feed them anything other than their normal food and they’re not outside to find their own (I imagine you probably know a lot of this stuff already but I always try to go into detail because I know I appreciate it when looking for answers on BYC when I don’t have time to make my own post). Other than these things I’m afraid I don’t have any other advice, I’m definitely far from being an expert on any of this lol.

I really hope your ducklings recover quickly, they seem like fighters (and absolutely sweethearts).

 

[Jpat]

I hope you dont mind i extracted the Zip file you uploaded and converted it to youtube

So for any helpers here is the OPs video

 

[Miss Lydia]

Get them off the paper towel very slippery. Towels or the rubber shelf liner are both good for traction. They also need vit E you can get 400iu and clip the tip and gently place tiny bits into their mouth until they take the whole capsule that along with the liquid b can help alot. I'd also drip tiny drop of the liquid b right inside the bill giving them time to swallow before doing it again maybe to start 4 drops then increase a couple drops a day until they are taking half ml by mid week. Does your B complex have thiamine? that is needed to help recover from wry neck.
@Isaac 0 anymore info?

 

[Isaac 0]

I would look at the B complex label, and make sure it's not labeled as Flush Free, No Flush, Extended Release or Slow Release, and make sure it has thiamine on the back. The vitamin E should be soft gels, and contain 400iu per capsule, that would be administered every day, since they are day olds you can split the dosage, and do once in the morning and once in the evening so you aren't giving them too much all at once.

Given their condition you are going to have to offer them food and water very often, cup them in your hand, and guide their head towards the food and water, and they should eat/drink.

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know the parent stock of these birds, what kind of condition they were kept in, and what they were fed.

 

[hiddenfarm]

First off, welcome to BYC !!

Hmm, I’m kind of stumped as to what this could be. Wry neck sounds like it could be a possibility but it definitely doesn’t completely line up with what you’re describing. Perhaps up the vitamin B complex a little or give them a concentrated dose once a day. I also suggest giving them something as an extra source of protein (in addition to what they get in their normal feed), I’ve heard people say that giving their ducklings a scrambled egg once a day helped bring them back from being extremely weak. Meal worms or fly larvae should work too I imagine, I’m currently feeding my call ducklings fly larvae. And make sure you provide a small amount of grit for them when you feed them anything other than their normal food and they’re not outside to find their own (I imagine you probably know a lot of this stuff already but I always try to go into detail because I know I appreciate it when looking for answers on BYC when I don’t have time to make my own post). Other than these things I’m afraid I don’t have any other advice, I’m definitely far from being an expert on any of this lol.

I really hope your ducklings recover quickly, they seem like fighters (and absolutely sweethearts).

Thank you for the welcome, so greatly appreciated! I couldn't of gotten this far without the forums available. Wry neck is seeming to be more and more like a possibility. Their poop is a great color, making it seem less likely they have disease. Johnny walked 2 times today without too much difficulty, but Willie's head seems to be getting more twisted. They are happy, they seem like they're getting so strong, and they eat and drink an unfathomable amount. I have to hold them to do so, so I can monitor this well. This is great news, we breed black soldier fly larvae on the farm. I will add this to their food in hopes this will make a positive impact. What a great suggestion! Thanks for all of your good energy and advice. They're so sweet and fighting so hard!

 

[hiddenfarm]

Get them off the paper towel very slippery. Towels or the rubber shelf liner are both good for traction. They also need vit E you can get 400iu and clip the tip and gently place tiny bits into their mouth until they take the whole capsule that along with the liquid b can help alot. I'd also drip tiny drop of the liquid b right inside the bill giving them time to swallow before doing it again maybe to start 4 drops then increase a couple drops a day until they are taking half ml by mid week. Does your B complex have thiamine? that is needed to help recover from wry neck.
@Isaac 0 anymore info?

It's funny you say that! They were on a paper towel for a whole 20 minutes, and I removed it immediately after this video. I wasn't really fond of that idea. My B complex does have thiamine. I made sure of this to help with wry neck, should this be the issue. I have been reading about vitamin E all day, and it sounds like this is my next step. I will do this immediately in hopes this makes a positive impact. I will look into liquid B and see where this is accessible.

Today, they seem to be getting much stronger. Johnny was able to walk a few times throughout the day without much struggle, but still inevitably topples. Willie's neck is getting a bit more twisted but when I hold him, I can feel him getting bigger and stronger. They eat and drink often. I have to hold them to do so and it's a Huge chunk of my day, which is a good sign. Thank you for all of this helpful advice, I'm sure it'll help my babies pull through!

 

[hiddenfarm]

I would look at the B complex label, and make sure it's not labeled as Flush Free, No Flush, Extended Release or Slow Release, and make sure it has thiamine on the back. The vitamin E should be soft gels, and contain 400iu per capsule, that would be administered every day, since they are day olds you can split the dosage, and do once in the morning and once in the evening so you aren't giving them too much all at once.

Given their condition you are going to have to offer them food and water very often, cup them in your hand, and guide their head towards the food and water, and they should eat/drink.

Out of curiosity, do you happen to know the parent stock of these birds, what kind of condition they were kept in, and what they were fed.

So they're on a good B complex as of late, but not a vitamin E, which is something I had been reading a lot about before and after this thread post. I was hesitant to do to much at once. I will do this ASAP. They eat food and drink water SO OFTEN. They have no issues if I hold them. I am spending such a huge portion of the day doing feedings, which seems like a great sign.

Yes! We got our ducks from a local duck farm, which was in excellent condition and seemed to have wonderfully healthy birds. I thought about contacting her, but have just been caught in so much farming mayhem that I haven't had the opportunity. Is there something I should inquire about in specific?

 

[hiddenfarm]

I hope you dont mind i extracted the Zip file you uploaded and converted it to youtube

So for any helpers here is the OPs video

I don't mind at all. I greatly appreciate this! It's been kind of a whirlwind dealing with all my day-to-day on top of this, any help is so welcomed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If they are eating good just put the vit E and b complex in their feed and mix it up. Sounds encouraging to hear there is progress. They sure are precious little ones.