Help with Duckling!

[angierfind]

Hi there,
So I have about a month old Black Swedish duckling that seems to maybe have a mental issue (if that's even possible)? It's happened twice since I got him it's almost like a panic attack. I'll come near his cage when I've taken him outside and he'll flip over and run wild and run in tight circles .. It's very frightening to watch. Any ideas what this is? Or how I can help him?

 

[Ravynscroft]

So it's a single duckling in an open cage that is setting outside in the huge, big bad world full of flying predators whose favorite snack is duck, right?

Sounds like he's acting like a scared young duckling alone... does he have asomething he can hide inside until he gets more comfortable being outside? Also, try talking to him before approaching slowly and withsteady movements...

@Amiga
@Miss Lydia

Could it be anything more, maybe?

 

[angierfind]

So it's a single duckling in an open cage that is setting outside in the huge, big bad world full of flying predators whose favorite snack is duck, right?

Sounds like he's acting like a scared young duckling alone... does he have asomething he can hide inside until he gets more comfortable being outside? Also, try talking to him before approaching slowly and withsteady movements...

@Amiga
@Miss Lydia

Could it be anything more, maybe?

Hi thank you, no I keep him in a brooder inside with his 2 other friends. So he's not alone. I take him and his buddies outside when I clean their brooder out. However I did hatch the other 2 by myself so maybe he just isn't used to people but I got him from a feed store so I don't know his background.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Hi thank you, no I keep him in a brooder inside with his 2 other friends. So he's not alone. I take him and his buddies outside when I clean their brooder out. However I did hatch the other 2 by myself so maybe he just isn't used to people but I got him from a feed store so I don't know his background.

Ah... more than likely he was hatched at a hatchery, mailed in a box to the feed store, dumped in a huge tank with a bunch of friends and 1 by 1 his friends were picked off by huge hand predators swooping down and carrying them off... I'd say a little traumatic for any youngling, lol...

Not being sarcastic, btw, just showing their perspective... it might just be that, I'm not sure... that's why I tagged a couple other people who might see that reaction as signs of something else...

 

[angierfind]

Ah... more than likely he was hatched at a hatchery, mailed in a box to the feed store, dumped in a huge tank with a bunch of friends and 1 by 1 his friends were picked off by huge hand predators swooping down and carrying them off... I'd say a little traumatic for any youngling, lol...

Not being sarcastic, btw, just showing their perspective... it might just be that, I'm not sure... that's why I tagged a couple other people who might see that reaction as signs of something else...

Yeah that's what it seemed like to me also.. And that's what happened there were a lot of ducklings I picked him because he was the shyest and he stood out. Do you think it could something neurological though?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Yeah that's what it seemed like to me also.. And that's what happened there were a lot of ducklings I picked him because he was the shyest and he stood out. Do you think it could something neurological though?

Without seeing it, I can't be sure... is there anything else going on with him that seems off? Eating and drinking well? Grooming? Clear eyes and nares? Any twitches or tics?

I'm thinking it's just scared and still needs to adjust... ducks will have their own individual personalities as well, might be that he's more flighty than others...

 

[Miss Lydia]

@angierfind could this duckling be crested by any chance? Crested ducklings can have neurological issue some slight some very serious.

@RavynFallen asked all the right questions and you gave good answers so we have background but are there any other things about this duckling that stands out to you? How does it interact with the other 2 ducklings?

 

[Amiga]

Morning, @angierfind . Ducklings at a certain point - many of them, anyway - suddenly become easily panicked. I feel it is their survival instincts shifting from dependence on a larger entity, to fear of larger entities.

My entire Runner flock went into this state, overnight at the age of three weeks, and stayed there for more than a month. I was heartbroken.

But BYC Duck people helped me out. The advice was - do not approach from above, squat, even crawl, but do not loom over them. Do not just show up without announcing yourself. Sing, chat, make some kind of pleasant quiet noise before you come into sight. Do not corner them. Sit near them, unthreateningly, whenever you can. Just be there. Offer treats. At first, a few feet away from you. Then start leaving them a little closer and a little closer. Do not grab for them (of course you may need to pick them up from time to time, but minimize this.)

It took a little working out, but I was able to change the way I managed them for a while, and after several weeks, they got friendly again. None of them likes being picked up, but they will gather closely around me, standing on my feet, picking my pockets, nuzzling my fingers.

To be on the safe side I would get some extra B vitamins into the routine soon. Can't hurt. If the little is getting bugs while outdoors, those have some niacin in them.

Thanks, @RavynFallen for taggin me here.

Hi, @Miss Lydia

 

[angierfind]

Thank you so much guys. Yes he is very healthy eating and drinking. And no he is not a crested.

 

[angierfind]

Morning, @angierfind
.  Ducklings at a certain point - many of them, anyway - suddenly become easily panicked.  I feel it is their survival instincts shifting from dependence on a larger entity, to fear of larger entities.

My entire Runner flock went into this state, overnight at the age of three weeks, and stayed there for more than a month.  I was heartbroken.

But BYC Duck people helped me out.  The advice was - do not approach from above,  squat, even crawl, but do not loom over them.  Do not just show up without announcing yourself.  Sing, chat, make some kind of pleasant quiet noise before you come into sight.  Do not corner them.  Sit near them, unthreateningly, whenever you can.  Just be there.  Offer treats.  At first, a few feet away from you.  Then start leaving them a little closer and a little closer.  Do not grab for them (of course you may need to pick them up from time to time, but minimize this.)

It took a little working out, but I was able to change the way I managed them for a while, and after several weeks, they got friendly again.  None of them likes being picked up, but they will gather closely around me, standing on my feet, picking my pockets, nuzzling my fingers.

To be on the safe side I would get some extra B vitamins into the routine soon.  Can't hurt.  If the little is getting bugs while outdoors, those have some niacin in them.



Thanks, @RavynFallen
for taggin me here. 

Hi, @Miss Lydia

Thank you so so much. That sounds about right to me. It's so scary because it literally looks like he's having a seizure. I'll be more careful now