HELP! Something wrong with duckling!!

[mlheran]

I just went out to check in on my Magpie trio and the littlest one looked dead!

She was flattened out and her head was on it's side. She picked her head up when I touched her, but couldn't seem to get up. When I picked her up her legs couldn't even kick and she wouldn't stretch her neck out. She didn't peep at me either, she just looked... exhausted.

When I took her out to isolate her she peeped so loudly and tried to run around, but kept falling down. She was so distressed at being separated -and the others started up even louder- that I put her back in with them.

The other two seem prefectly fine -they're twice the little one's size, eating and drinking with gusto and running around like crazy. I don't think it's anything contagious, but rather something she was born with. Her hard start may have contributed to it, or may have been a symptom. Her first days: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4334
and then she seemed to come completely out of it: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=4710

I noticed earlier today that she seemed to have head tremors some of the time -mainly when she stood. She also seemed to be sitting a lot today now that I think of it. I was so concerned about her head shaking (it almost looked like she had Parkinson's

) that I reread the chapter in Dave Holderread's book on "Symptoms of Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies in Ducks."

The head tremors, keeping her head against her back, and the general weakness sound like a couple things; either thiamine or vitamin E. According to the feed they're on, she should be getting plenty -and they've been enjoying a daily treat of diced clover for the past several days. After reading the article in Backyard Poultry magazine about all the vitamin and mineral problems that can effect if and how a chick hatches (and if it lives), I'm suspecting she may have a fundemental problem.

Am I wrong, what do you think?

I love these little babies, is there ANYTHING I can do to bring her back and help her thrive?!

Here is a pic of the trio, you can see how much smaller she is -she's not skinny, just small.

 

[mlheran]

Has anyone experienced anything like this -in ducks or other poultry? I'm just so upset because I have no clue what to do for her.

 

[dlhunicorn]

you can give three drops of POLYVISOL for a week in addition to giving a vit E /selenium tab pricked open and squirted in beak (do NOT exceed 50 micrograms on the selenium content) ... just to be on the safe side you might give to the duckling every other day until the symptoms subside. (human tabs pricked open > bought at agway / walmart or a drugstore)...hopefully this will do the trick for your birdie.

 

[mlheran]

Thanks dlhunicorn!

I'm going to have to go look for Polyvisol, but I have vitamin E capsules so I will try that right away. For the Polyvisol, is that three drops at once per day, or three times a day? Sorry for being newb, but I just want to do it right.

She seems a bit better today -she stood to drink water at least, but still hasn't stretched her neck out. She almost seems like when she first came home, except that her eyes are shiny and alert.

*sigh* These weird illness things are so frustrating! Thanks again.

 

[dlhunicorn]

once a day... I hope the vit. E without the selenium will do the trick but as they are interdependent (each need the other in order for the bird to utilise it into system), do get the combination with selenium if things seem to "stall" ... if the bird shows any other symptoms or worsens/relapses then post that here... Good Luck!

 

[mlheran]

We'll see what the pharmacy has.

Thanks again!