First off it is coming up on one year ago that I put out a frantic request for help with my first duck emergency (or what I deemed at the time was an emergency) and I wish to thank everyone who responded so quickly. It has been a great year on the duck forum and the posts and various literature, particularly "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks", have been very helpful.
Now I have a new duck ailment and I just want to post a progress report to try and ascertain if I am providing proper treatment for my 13.5 month old little Buffy. She is a light Khaki Campbell and the smallest of my flock. About a month ago I noticed she was favoring her right wing and it was slightly out of joint. I chalked it up to banging it against the door on the way out of the coop as my five girls and one drake get quite excited when it is time to exit the coop in the morning and often fly out the door. She has been unable to fully extend her wings and flap as the others do and I noticed she stopped diving when in the pond (these ducks like to dive to the bottom to get plants) though the wing gradually seemed to improve and lay more properly on her back.
Last Sunday (June 9th), a short while after laying an egg under a burdock plant, she became semi-paralyzed on her right side. The wing drooped more and she could barely use her right leg. Sort of like she had a stroke. I figured it to be either a pinched nerve perhaps from the earlier wing damage or maybe a niacin deficiency. She did not appear to have any predator damage or broken bones. I have keep her separated from the rest of the flock since and have been giving her Durvet vitamins and electrolytes and started adding niacin to her food on June 12th.
Below are entries from my duck journal:
June 9 - Buffy is lame, almost like she had a stroke. Right wing really sagging and right leg very weak. Propels herself along (downhill only) with left leg. Quacks a little funny and sometimes she tries to quack and it is silent; don’t know if she silent quacks on purpose or not. Laid egg this morning under burdock by shed. Seemed okay then. I put her next to the pond. She floated a little. She is not preening and I had to dry her off. Isolated her in garage in the mobile coop. Flighty (the drake on my avatar) wondering where she is (he did see me carry her off).
June 10 - Seems a little better this morning, she ate and drank some (I put Durvet vitamins and electrolytes in her water). Her quacking seems a little stronger. I left the garage door up a little and the others communicated with her and slept outside the door a couple of times. Buffy ate some lettuce but not much food. It appears she may have drank some water though she did spill a bunch. She laid an egg in the afternoon. I found a warm egg beside her around 3 PM.
June 14 - Started with niacin in Buffy’s food and water on June 12th. She spent the afternoon outside and alone in the pen. Swam quite a bit and was able to get down, up, and across the dam, much more mobile than when I quarantined her. Ate quite a bit. She also preened, eventually preening her wings. Used the right foot for walking but not at all for swimming. She and the rest seemed to enjoy being together although through the fence. She will spend nights inside until she can get around better and also so I can administer electrolytes and niacin. Still has some silent quacks. She has also laid an egg the past three days.
June 15 - Buffy is outside and very much wants to join the others. She still struggles to walk but does manage to hop back up the dam slope after going down it. Is still swimming with her left leg only. I put niacin in her food and she is eating and drinking well. She did appear to use her right leg a little when swimming this afternoon.
Perhaps I should put her in the bathtub with some epsom salts since she is now getting used to me handling her everyday. Does anyone have any other thoughts as to what her condition my be the result of or what additional treatment I might employ? Thanks in advance for your replies.
I have posted a couple of photos I took this afternoon.
Now I have a new duck ailment and I just want to post a progress report to try and ascertain if I am providing proper treatment for my 13.5 month old little Buffy. She is a light Khaki Campbell and the smallest of my flock. About a month ago I noticed she was favoring her right wing and it was slightly out of joint. I chalked it up to banging it against the door on the way out of the coop as my five girls and one drake get quite excited when it is time to exit the coop in the morning and often fly out the door. She has been unable to fully extend her wings and flap as the others do and I noticed she stopped diving when in the pond (these ducks like to dive to the bottom to get plants) though the wing gradually seemed to improve and lay more properly on her back.
Last Sunday (June 9th), a short while after laying an egg under a burdock plant, she became semi-paralyzed on her right side. The wing drooped more and she could barely use her right leg. Sort of like she had a stroke. I figured it to be either a pinched nerve perhaps from the earlier wing damage or maybe a niacin deficiency. She did not appear to have any predator damage or broken bones. I have keep her separated from the rest of the flock since and have been giving her Durvet vitamins and electrolytes and started adding niacin to her food on June 12th.
Below are entries from my duck journal:
June 9 - Buffy is lame, almost like she had a stroke. Right wing really sagging and right leg very weak. Propels herself along (downhill only) with left leg. Quacks a little funny and sometimes she tries to quack and it is silent; don’t know if she silent quacks on purpose or not. Laid egg this morning under burdock by shed. Seemed okay then. I put her next to the pond. She floated a little. She is not preening and I had to dry her off. Isolated her in garage in the mobile coop. Flighty (the drake on my avatar) wondering where she is (he did see me carry her off).
June 10 - Seems a little better this morning, she ate and drank some (I put Durvet vitamins and electrolytes in her water). Her quacking seems a little stronger. I left the garage door up a little and the others communicated with her and slept outside the door a couple of times. Buffy ate some lettuce but not much food. It appears she may have drank some water though she did spill a bunch. She laid an egg in the afternoon. I found a warm egg beside her around 3 PM.
June 14 - Started with niacin in Buffy’s food and water on June 12th. She spent the afternoon outside and alone in the pen. Swam quite a bit and was able to get down, up, and across the dam, much more mobile than when I quarantined her. Ate quite a bit. She also preened, eventually preening her wings. Used the right foot for walking but not at all for swimming. She and the rest seemed to enjoy being together although through the fence. She will spend nights inside until she can get around better and also so I can administer electrolytes and niacin. Still has some silent quacks. She has also laid an egg the past three days.
June 15 - Buffy is outside and very much wants to join the others. She still struggles to walk but does manage to hop back up the dam slope after going down it. Is still swimming with her left leg only. I put niacin in her food and she is eating and drinking well. She did appear to use her right leg a little when swimming this afternoon.
Perhaps I should put her in the bathtub with some epsom salts since she is now getting used to me handling her everyday. Does anyone have any other thoughts as to what her condition my be the result of or what additional treatment I might employ? Thanks in advance for your replies.
I have posted a couple of photos I took this afternoon.
