Help! My duck throws his head back!

[lindsbradway]

My 4 week old Welsh Harlequin duckling last week, started throwing his head back when he drank his water or his food. I know ducklings tilt their heads back but this is nothing like that. He does it in an almost violent way and when he does this he half lays down and then proceeds to throw his head back and his whole body goes backwards with him sometimes. Help me! What's wrong with my duckling?!

 

[chickens really]

Are you wetting the feed? That could help lots......Make it a soupy mix.....

try that......

Cheers!

 

[lindsbradway]

I tried this when they were 1 week old and it helped but now he's 4 weeks old and just started doing this recently. I add a bit of water to his dish but he still seems to throw his head back even when drinking water I have no clue what's up. Could he have something wrong with his neck maybe?

 

[chickens really]

Possibly wry neck?
I have zero experience with that.......Hope others who know that condition chime in soon.......


Cheers!

 

[lindsbradway]

Possibly, I'll look more into it. Thank you!

 

[Ori]

Possibly, I'll look more into it. Thank you!

Hey, did you ever figure out what was going on? My duck is doing the same thing!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hey, did you ever figure out what was going on? My duck is doing the same thing!

@Ori
Sometimes we miss these when replying to an older thread.
We would like to help though how old is your duck? can you post a video of what he is doing you'll need to put it on youtube or another platform and then paste it here. What feed and what breed?

 

[Ori]

@Ori
Sometimes we miss these when replying to an older thread.
We would like to help though how old is your duck? can you post a video of what he is doing you'll need to put it on youtube or another platform and then paste it here. What feed and what breed?

My duck is about a month and a half, I got her on July 27th, and I made a thread describing more of the behavior, I don’t know if you can find that, but I can put a link if needed. Welsh harlequin and I feed her the Purina duck pellets, but recently I switched my ducks over to a mix of 1/2 Purina duck pellets, 1/2 Purina flock raiser, and then a little bit of grit. I then give her a good amount of snack access like watermelons to snack on, sweet corn, spinach and frozen peas in water just recently to see if those extra vitamins will help her. I don’t know if she is biologically male, but she might be?

 

[Ori]

@Ori
Sometimes we miss these when replying to an older thread.
We would like to help though how old is your duck? can you post a video of what he is doing you'll need to put it on youtube or another platform and then paste it here. What feed and what breed?

here is a video, she was only inside because a predator tried getting their pen open that night, so they were inside that gate area. she only does this when she seems scared, stressed, drinking water or eating. any other time she acts like a happy healthy duck. it used to be way more violent though but i help hold her head down and comfort her if it gets bad.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It looks like star gazing I would try some liquid B Complex or Poultry Cell by mouth or over a tasty treat. 1 ml you can put some in her water but it will dilute it so it is best to get them to take the full dose over a small amount of treat. Watermelon, mealworms something she really like. It may take up to a month to see a change but hopefully this can be corrected.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/star-gazing-in-ducklings-genetic-or-deficiency.1142331/

Are you hearing any honk/quacks/peeps ever once in a while? this is when they usually start. Drakes peep quite a bit longer that females.