HELP!!! Waddles won't waddle!

[tigger122171]

Ok--here's the story of Waddles (Rouen drake). It started about a week ago, Waddles was slow to come to the area where we feed our ducks. Then one day he didn't come up at all. When we checked on him he swam to us and gave us a pitiful look. We fed him down by the pond for a couple days thinking he was sore for some reason. Last weekend we noticed that his balance was off. That is when we put him in a separate enclosure to keep him from being bullied. When we went down the next morning to check on him he hadn't moved much all night and was dirty. After cleaning him up and feeding/watering him, my husband said to put him back in the pond with the other ducks (we have 11 total). Ok, so the next morning, we went down to check on him and feed him and the others--he was in the grass next to the pond and squalking. He was stuck in the grass. I picked him up and he made swimming motions with his feet. We brought him in the house and cleaned him up and kept him in the house. Now it's Wednesday, Waddles is still in the house, we are giving him VitaE and Brewer's Yeast as suggested by a poultry/duck forurm on FB. He no longer makes swimming motions with his feet when you pick him up and when we gave him a bath to clean him up (he is unable to stand at all), he flipped himself completely over on his back and stayed that way, all the while preening himeself. He is eating like a champ, drinking well and (pewww) pooing like he should. What in the world could be wrong with Waddles? I don't have the extra cash to take him to the vet right now. I want to do what is right for him but dont want to see him "suffer". Right now he is spoiled by being in the house. Please help!

 

[tigger122171]

I see a bunch of people have read this but no one is offering help. HMMM.....Could use some help....he is doing a little better but WILL NOT use his feet at all. Really baffled.

 

[RedIII]

Have you posted this in the Ducks section of the forums? There may be some more seasoned duck folk there that don't check this section of the forums regularly.

I hope you can get some help with this soon! Poor little guy.

 

[tigger122171]

Yes, they suggested that I post here as well to try and catch more 'eyes". Thanks for asking.

 

[RedIII]

I see. I'm afraid I don't know much about ducks, but I did a quick search and pulled this up:

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070529192534AA8fk4z

And also this:

http://farmingfriends.com/forums/topic.php?id=254&page=2

I'm assuming you've already checked him out for injuries on his legs and feet, right? Also, how old is he? Could it be anything that has to do with age? I have seen a mallard before that had difficulty walking around, but it was due to his old age and arthritis.

 

[easttxchick]

This almost sounds neurological.
Is it possible he got into moldy feed? Also, there is some kind of algae that is toxic to ducks-I believe it's called blue algae(I THINK).

 

[tigger122171]

I do not believe he got into anything. His pondmates are all fine. Was going to try to take a picture of him in the tub tonight so y'all could see him but before I could get the camera out, he was flappin his wings and wanting out of the tub. He is a cutie but hope he gets back to himself soon so that I can get him back with his "buds".

 

[easttxchick]

This site has some pretty good info in case he is suffering from some kind of sickness. Maybe you can check it out to see if you can find something that matches his symptoms.
http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/List_Vols/Waterfowl_Mod/List_WaterfowlDiseases.htm

 

[tigger122171]

Waddles is 4 months old.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I know nothing about ducks, but if these symptoms were in my chicken I would offer her liquid vitamins in water by dropper. Poly-vi-sol is liquid vitamins at the drugstore, dilute with water and offer by dropper by allowing a drop to touch the side of the bill and the duck should take it in. Neurological symptoms can often present as vitamin deficiencies.