Is this wry neck or something else?

[Kuma]

I picked up this duckling from a feed store. I have no idea what it is, it was just lying on its back in a tub labeled "Ducks". I probably shouldn't have brought him home because I've never had ducks before, just chickens, but he was laying on his back and looked really depressing. I didn't think he would make it so I just brought him home so he could die without being stepped on by the crowd of other ducks in the tub with him. A week later he was still alive so I started researching what could be wrong with him since he still kept flipping on his back. He twists his head around funny sometimes but I can't tell if it's wry neck or if he's preening. I found a bunch or threads that said adding Niacin to his diet would help. It helped for about a week but now he's back to the way he was before. Any ideas on how to fix him? He's about three weeks old. And he is eating "Purina Flock Raiser" and drinking water with Niacin mixed at about 100mg per gallon. I'm going to try to upload a video at some point if anyone thinks that would help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I picked up this duckling from a feed store. I have no idea what it is, it was just lying on its back in a tub labeled "Ducks". I probably shouldn't have brought him home because I've never had ducks before, just chickens, but he was laying on his back and looked really depressing. I didn't think he would make it so I just brought him home so he could die without being stepped on by the crowd of other ducks in the tub with him. A week later he was still alive so I started researching what could be wrong with him since he still kept flipping on his back. He twists his head around funny sometimes but I can't tell if it's wry neck or if he's preening. I found a bunch or threads that said adding Niacin to his diet would help. It helped for about a week but now he's back to the way he was before. Any ideas on how to fix him? He's about three weeks old. And he is eating "Purina Flock Raiser" and drinking water with Niacin mixed at about 100mg per gallon. I'm going to try to upload a video at some point if anyone thinks that would help.

yes upload the video, and add some poultry vitamins including extra vit E to his feed. you can squeeze the vit E right on top of his feed. you'll have to look up the dosage but I'm thinking it's 400 meg. and I think selenium is another one that's used too,. it's very important that the duckling be treated as quickly as possible to have the best chance to get over it. Keep up with the niacin too. Bless you for rescueing this little duck at least he has a chance for a good life now. and

 

[Amiga]

Perhaps this will encourage you and give you some ideas

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/761308/peking-duckling-with-crooked-neck-help

 

[Kuma]

Thank you Miss Lydia, I'm going to look for some vitamin E today if my mom has time to run me to the store. I've been trying to get a video of Crackers but its hard to get a video since he stands for such a short time before he falls over. I've managed to get a picture of him doing what I think could be wry neck. I don't really know that much about wry neck ,or ducks for that matter , so for all I know it could just be how he laying. I'll have to upload it when I get home from school around noon.

Thank you Amiga! I'm gonna go grab a pen and paper so I can read through and take some notes

 

[Amiga]

Good ideas. Please take a look at the raising ducklings sticky, too.

 

[Kuma]

I took a look through the raising ducklings post and so far I have manger the brooder and waterer aspects just fine. The feed I'm using has 20% protein and it says for the ducklings age it should be at 16-18% protien, is that a big deal or is it ok?

I read in a different post that if you're not sure what you're doing you should buy a supplement that is premixed so that you don't cancel out one of the other vitamins on accident. The one that I saw recommended the most was Avia Charger 2000 I think. I went to all the nerby feed stores and couldn't find it anywhere. I bought something that I thought was fairly similar. It's called Sav-a-chick Electrolyte. It says it contains
Potassium 15.0%
Vitamin A, min 1,280,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D3, min 3,200,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E, min 960 IU/lb
Does this sound ok or should I get the Avia Charger? And if so where do I find it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I took a look through the raising ducklings post and so far I have manger the brooder and waterer aspects just fine. The feed I'm using has 20% protein and it says for the ducklings age it should be at 16-18% protien, is that a big deal or is it ok?

I read in a different post that if you're not sure what you're doing you should buy a supplement that is premixed so that you don't cancel out one of the other vitamins on accident. The one that I saw recommended the most was Avia Charger 2000 I think. I went to all the nerby feed stores and couldn't find it anywhere. I bought something that I thought was fairly similar. It's called Sav-a-chick Electrolyte. It says it contains
Potassium 15.0%
Vitamin A, min 1,280,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D3, min 3,200,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E, min 960 IU/lb
Does this sound ok or should I get the Avia Charger? And if so where do I find it?

The only places I have seen Avia Charge 2000 is McMurray hatchery, I ordered some from them last year. How is your duckling doing? looks like the Save a Chick has some good stuff in it, Vit E D3 which I think would help with wry neck but I read that it also has a high sodium content I don't have any so don't know does it say on the package it has sodium in it? I would still give the baby the niacin it not only helps with leg issues but also Neurological problems.

 

[Kuma]

Yeah the Save a Chick is really high in sodium. I think I'm going to take him off of it though cause you have to mix it in such a high volume and you have to dump the entire mixture and start fresh each day. It's starting to get a little costly since he doesn't even drink close to half of what we mix up, even though I change it multiple times a day(for a critter that doesn't move around well he still manages to get a ton of stuff in his water. Food, bedding you name it). He is still on the Niacin, I have to make up a new batch tonight. I've been looking for some alternatives to the Save a Chick. So far the two the sounded the most promising were 1. A capsule of salmon oil and half a capsule of super-stress B complex everyday or 2. A tiny crushed piece of B vitamin, half of a 400 IUD vitamin E gel cap, and a couple drops of selenium. Do either of those sound like a good replacement? Or is there any better ideas?
For the most part he seems to be doing pretty well and doesn't seem to be getting much worse. His feathers have started coming in really nice. The only thing of concern that I've noticed is that his legs seem kinda stiff to me. Normally when I put him next to his food or water dish to make sure he's getting enough I tuck his legs up under him so that he doesn't fall over as soon. Lately when I've done that his legs feel stiff and don't feel like they wanna move up under him. I'm not sure if it's his way of saying that he doesn't want to do that or if there is something wrong with his legs. Oh and the other thing is when I try to get him to walk he turns his foot over and steps on the top of his foot. Kinda like if you were walking on your palms and flipped them over and tried walking on the back of your hands. Should I be concerned about this? But despite all this he seems to be pretty happy all the time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yeah the Save a Chick is really high in sodium. I think I'm going to take him off of it though cause you have to mix it in such a high volume and you have to dump the entire mixture and start fresh each day. It's starting to get a little costly since he doesn't even drink close to half of what we mix up, even though I change it multiple times a day(for a critter that doesn't move around well he still manages to get a ton of stuff in his water. Food, bedding you name it). He is still on the Niacin, I have to make up a new batch tonight. I've been looking for some alternatives to the Save a Chick. So far the two the sounded the most promising were 1. A capsule of salmon oil and half a capsule of super-stress B complex everyday or 2. A tiny crushed piece of B vitamin, half of a 400 IUD vitamin E gel cap, and a couple drops of selenium. Do either of those sound like a good replacement? Or is there any better ideas?
For the most part he seems to be doing pretty well and doesn't seem to be getting much worse. His feathers have started coming in really nice. The only thing of concern that I've noticed is that his legs seem kinda stiff to me. Normally when I put him next to his food or water dish to make sure he's getting enough I tuck his legs up under him so that he doesn't fall over as soon. Lately when I've done that his legs feel stiff and don't feel like they wanna move up under him. I'm not sure if it's his way of saying that he doesn't want to do that or if there is something wrong with his legs. Oh and the other thing is when I try to get him to walk he turns his foot over and steps on the top of his foot. Kinda like if you were walking on your palms and flipped them over and tried walking on the back of your hands. Should I be concerned about this? But despite all this he seems to be pretty happy all the time.

From what I've read all the vitamins you mentioned have been used for wry neck, with success it just takes time. and are you giving him any swim time supervised swim time where there is just enough water to float and kick his legs ? that is very good to get muscles working and strengthened use warm water too and try it a couple times a day. and keep up the niacin he'll need it till around 12 weeks old. Glad to hear his feathers are coming in nice and he is growing.

 

[Kuma]

He's still getting the niacin everyday and I try to get him to swim everyday. He used to be really good about it when he was really little but as he's getting bigger he has a little more trouble some days with staying up right.His feet seem to be a little more of a problem than his neck the past week or so. I picked up a bunch of vitamins.
Salmon Oil in 1000mg
Selenium 200 mcg
Super B-Complex
E 400 I.U.
Any idea on how much of this I should be giving him each day?