Help! My duck is not holding her head up!

[Amiga]

Wounds may be internal, perhaps something like bruising, so I would keep her in a comfy place. If the bathtub (without water, right?

) is the best place for her, then I would put an old towel or two in with her, and some water and food. If she looks better in the morning, that is a little evidence that the drakes may be mating with her too much.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wounds may be internal, perhaps something like bruising, so I would keep her in a comfy place. If the bathtub (without water, right?

) is the best place for her, then I would put an old towel or two in with her, and some water and food. If she looks better in the morning, that is a little evidence that the drakes may be mating with her too much.

X2

 

[HeatherFeather]

I would not have thought injury in the first place- any kind of stress or illness will cause poultry to sit this way. Turkeys, chickens and ducks all do this when something is amiss IME. You do have too many drakes though. She may be over mated, or she may be egg bound. Or, she may be chilled- did the temp suddenly take a dive where you are? What is important is to see if she is eating. If she's not eating, you can try, try, try....force feeding with a syringe ect. but they often die after anyhow.

If I see a hen like this, I will see if she is joining the group to eat. If not, then I put her in a small pen with a heat lamp. If that doesn't perk her, she is usually a goner. I haven't had year round ducks long enough to see this in a duck. But it is a very common stance. I've seen this in WR chicks a lot, the ones that aren't going too make it, same with young pekins. I deal with hundreds of meat pekins and WR and turks each year as I am a small scale poultry farmer, but fewer egg birds-I think it is worth trying to treat in an egg bird, but if I see this in a meat bird, I would rather turn the bird to dog food (I won't eat a sick bird) than to let it suffer through treatment, which is often really scary and confusing for a small animal.

I hope she turns around, and it is something simple.

 

[Amiga]

Ducks can often come back around even from very serious conditions, based on what I have seen here on the forum, and in my own flock. Not always, but they can. Figuring out what is going on can be tricky.

 

[jdsbanana]

Update 12/4/13: Daffy is recovering, slowly, but she is getting better. Took her to the vet, couldn't afford xrays, so we tube fed her for a few days until she started eating on her own. Sadly we lost one of the drakes one night to a predator. I am hoping to find a new home for them. It's fun having them, but I want them to have a better environment.
Thank you all for your input, and I'm glad she didn't suffer for too long.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Update 12/4/13: Daffy is recovering, slowly, but she is getting better. Took her to the vet, couldn't afford xrays, so we tube fed her for a few days until she started eating on her own. Sadly we lost one of the drakes one night to a predator. I am hoping to find a new home for them. It's fun having them, but I want them to have a better environment.
Thank you all for your input, and I'm glad she didn't suffer for too long.

Thank you for updating, and glad to hear she is doing so much better. I hope you can find a wonderful home for them if that's the way you go.

 

[Aphrael]

Update 12/4/13: Daffy is recovering, slowly, but she is getting better. Took her to the vet, couldn't afford xrays, so we tube fed her for a few days until she started eating on her own. Sadly we lost one of the drakes one night to a predator. I am hoping to find a new home for them. It's fun having them, but I want them to have a better environment.
Thank you all for your input, and I'm glad she didn't suffer for too long.

I am really glad that she is doing better and so sorry you lost one of your boys.

 

[furbabies86]

That does not look normal, something has happened did you look under all the feathers up and down her neck at the skin to see if there are any wounds? could she have fallen on her head? not trying to be funny honest. or could one of the other ducks jumped on her head and maybe her neck is strained. what is your drake to duck ratio are they mating right now sometimes drakes can gang up on ducks and injure them. I think I'd put her where she can rest, not have to try and keep up with everyone, maybe bring her inside and put her in a luke warm tub of water[staying with her the whole time] to see how she acts does she wash and preen while in the water etc. Maybe put some poultry vitamins in her drinking water for support while you figure this out,. she may drink if you have her where you can give her only some TLC. and you offer it too her in her own bowl.

and

Hey!! I just noticed my female duck is doing this as well. She eats and drinks still but she does not stretch her neck out. there are 3 drakes. its winter time, snow and really cold weather so the pool is not open because its frozen solid. what can i do to help her? @Miss Lydia

 

[Laura1436]

So she is floating, and I have a place for her away from everyone outside. Do I leave her in my tub overnight or should I put her outside? I don't see any visible wounds.

So what ended up being the cause or what happened? My duck is doing the same thing, mine is a drake. He doesn’t seem as active or himself.

 

[MisfitRanch3]

So what ended up being the cause or what happened? My duck is doing the same thing, mine is a drake. He doesn’t seem as active or himself.

My duck is doing the same thing but can walk but it’s wobbly. any suggestions? ive had her inside and will eat and drink if I hold the bowl up or have it elevated enough for her to reach. Ive also been giving her vitamins in her water.