Help! Possibly sick duckling?

[The Duck Mother]

This isn't our first time caring for ducklings but I've never had one get sick or act strange before. A few days ago our first duck hatched from our incubator. And then the day after, our second hatched very prematurely but was active. (All the eggs were put in at different times). Yesterday, the first born was very active while the second was still getting use to things. Now the first born is acting very lethargic and peeping to itself. It will walk around and move but mostly will just stand there with it's eyes half closed or lay down. And then it peeps like a constant small little peep, peep, peep... to itself and it almost sounds like something it would do if it was in pain but nothing has really happened. It was fine yesterday, has food and water, been kept warm, isnt limping. I don't know if it's sick or if there's something I can do or just need to give it time? It is the first one, closest to the camera, in the picture. It just lays like that and constantly peeps. I'm really worried something wrong. What could be the problem?

 

[chickens really]

Sorry....It does not look well at all...I usually use paper towels or piddle pads the first two days and mix feed to a soupy mix till they eat well on their own...Dry on the side ...water deep enough to dunk heads ...

 

[The Duck Mother]

It may have a neck injury but I don't know. Does this sound like some of the symptoms? Is so, how could I treat it?

 

[chickens really]

Hello, any improvement with the Duckling?...

 

[The Duck Mother]

Unfortunately, he passed away yesterday. I believe it was a neck injury somehow but I can't be sure. The only other thing it could be is botulism, but I don't know how that could be possibly when it was only alive for a few days and all its food, water, and bedding was clean. The second ducking was very sleepy and unbalanced this morning too, so just to be safe I replaced all the bedding, water, cleaned their tote, and added sugar and vinegar to the water. That perked him up so, so far the second duck seems to be doing better. Also, as a side note, I was feeding them medicated feed, only because I didn't realize until I brought it home. I don't think this was the issue though as they never ate too much of it, plus we have given our ducks medicated before and never had an issue. But again, just to be safe I bought some local unmediated feed. So I don't know if it was a neck injury, even though I think that makes the most sense. Or possibly a toxin since the other duck did seem off this morning but it may have just been tired, or possibly something I did actually did help and that's why the second duck is better now. I don't know, but I guess I'll take this as a learn experience regardless..

 

[chickens really]

Sorry....Sounds more like infected eggs or Parent Birds passed something on to the Ducklings?...Weak ducklings....
Niacin deficiency ?.....

 

[casportpony]

Sorry you lost your duckling. One of the more common problems in artificially incubated chicks and ducklings is "mushy chick disease". That could explain the oddity you saw with the neck.

Medicated feeds that contain amprolium and/or bacitracin are perfectly safe for ducklings and goslings, so don't worry about that. However, they do not contain enough niacin, so make sure you supplement with niacin if you aren't feeding a "duck or turkey" starter.

It was not botulism.

 

[The Duck Mother]

Thank you so much! I think that is exactly what the duckling had, after researching it the symptoms do fit.