HELP! Peking duck: Maybe wry neck but can't be sure

[Katando1485]

Hi there!
So I have a peking whose about a month and a half old now. As a baby was fine. Showed no signs of disabilities or issues at all. As he has grown I noticed that his neck was curved into his body to the point he was having issues breathing. I started researching and symptoms seemed to coincide with wry neck as it seemed to be an issue with his neck so I started him on a cocktail or nutri drench and vitamin e. It's been about a week now of this and now the symptoms seem to have changed. He hobbles around the pen looking almost hunch backed with his wings drooping and now his head instead of being tucked to his body he lays it on the floor when he isn't moving around. He also seems to always be shivering to some degree. He is eating and drinking just fine and the other ducks are not picking on him. When I place him in the pool he splashes around with one leg and dips his head in the water and seems to generally enjoy it. His droppings are normal as well. I'm trying to accurately diagnose this guy as to better help him. I thought it may be botulism due to the labored walking and lameness in his neck and wings but no diareaha and this has been going on for weeks where as I feel he would have died by now if it was that. Help!!

 

[Tlmcq]

View attachment 556864 Hi there!
So I have a peking whose about a month and a half old now. As a baby was fine. Showed no signs of disabilities or issues at all. As he has grown I noticed that his neck was curved into his body to the point he was having issues breathing. I started researching and symptoms seemed to coincide with wry neck as it seemed to be an issue with his neck so I started him on a cocktail or nutri drench and vitamin e. It's been about a week now of this and now the symptoms seem to have changed. He hobbles around the pen looking almost hunch backed with his wings drooping and now his head instead of being tucked to his body he lays it on the floor when he isn't moving around. He also seems to always be shivering to some degree. He is eating and drinking just fine and the other ducks are not picking on him. When I place him in the pool he splashes around with one leg and dips his head in the water and seems to generally enjoy it. His droppings are normal as well. I'm trying to accurately diagnose this guy as to better help him. I thought it may be botulism due to the labored walking and lameness in his neck and wings but no diareaha and this has been going on for weeks where as I feel he would have died by now if it was that. Help!!

Were you giving extra niacin or nutritional yeast supplement? What feed do you have him on?

 

[Tlmcq]

Is he shivering like he's cold or shaky like his legs, muscles, etc...Are weak?

 

[Katando1485]

Were you giving extra niacin or nutritional yeast supplement? What feed do you have him on?

I am giving him vitamin e, I am also feeding him nutri drench which has niacin in it. He seems to be slowly peeking up from those supplements but I haven't seen much change in the last couple days on it. I was thinking to add Epsom salts to the water and brewers yeast to the supplements I'm giving him but I don't know what I'm trying to cure or if that will do the trick.

 

[Katando1485]

Is he shivering like he's cold or shaky like his legs, muscles, etc...Are weak?

It seems more of a weakness than a cold thing. His feathers are fully in and he is strong enough to be able to shake off and preen to an extent. His stance reminds me of a vulture in a way almost hunch backed when he walks. And the shaking isn't constant but it's often

 

[Katando1485]

I am giving him vitamin e, I am also feeding him nutri drench which has niacin in it. He seems to be slowly peeking up from those supplements but I haven't seen much change in the last couple days on it. I was thinking to add Epsom salts to the water and brewers yeast to the supplements I'm giving him but I don't know what I'm trying to cure or if that will do the trick.

Also I have him on Dumor chick starter/grower right now from
Tractor Supply.

 

[Tlmcq]

Ducks need more niacin than chick starter provides and unless he has gotten it from another source he is probably deficient, especially, if ya just started nutri-drench a few weeks ago. I'm not sure how much nutri-drench provides as I used nutritional yeast some ppl use brewer's yeast and all your ducks need a Tablespoon per cup of feed just sprinkled in. It may take awhile for the symptoms to go away and they can also get shaky leg weakness from not having room to exercise in brooder, which doesn't help matters. But will clear up more time spent outside moving around. At 7 weeks they should be on an all flock food and off chick starter. Although, if you're feeding chicks to you can switch after they go off it too, but they will need extra niacin until 10 weeks maybe longer if they haven't been getting enough tho. Once they are able to forage they get it on their own. There are some other threads on here and Google about treating wry neck or stargazing it is sometimes called. Just type either in search box. Some have recipes for treatment using steroids and vitamins. Good luck and keep us posted. Don't forget to join duck forum and Pekin thread

 

[Tlmcq]

Oh and I wouldn't do the Epsom salts. Don't think it's gonna help and can cause diarrhea. I had a shaky runner and withing a month of running around outside he just stopped and is fine now. He was on extra niacin from day I brought him home and still got shaky. So just keep up the extra vitamins and hopefully with time he will turn around. One more question...He hasn't had an injury or been playing rough with anyone has he? I'm assuming you would have mentioned if so. I ask cuz sometimes this can be neurological from hatch, which you said he was good when younger, or from injury to head/neck. And it can take weeks for the vitamins to get built back up enough for symptoms to go away.

 

[Katando1485]

Ducks need more niacin than chick starter provides and unless he has gotten it from another source he is probably deficient, especially, if ya just started nutri-drench a few weeks ago. I'm not sure how much nutri-drench provides as I used nutritional yeast some ppl use brewer's yeast and all your ducks need a Tablespoon per cup of feed just sprinkled in. It may take awhile for the symptoms to go away and they can also get shaky leg weakness from not having room to exercise in brooder, which doesn't help matters. But will clear up more time spent outside moving around. At 7 weeks they should be on an all flock food and off chick starter. Although, if you're feeding chicks to you can switch after they go off it too, but they will need extra niacin until 10 weeks maybe longer if they haven't been getting enough tho. Once they are able to forage they get it on their own. There are some other threads on here and Google about treating wry neck or stargazing it is sometimes called. Just type either in search box. Some have recipes for treatment using steroids and vitamins. Good luck and keep us posted. Don't forget to join duck forum and Pekin thread

I will be sure to get some niacin tomorrow and start it immediately! I appreciate your help. I will keep an update of how it works for my little guy.

 

[Tlmcq]

Not sure where you're located but I had trouble finding brewer's yeast, but my grocery store, Kroger's, has Bragg's nutritional yeast in baking aisle near the flax and gluten free stuff. It's to supplement vegan diets in people. Supposedly taste like cheese and my ducks would eat it straight from my hand they love it. I would still give nutri-drench too til better cuz the vitamins in it help too...Like E which you already know. It doesn't have the niacin which is B3 I think. The yeast has a couple B vitamins in it.