My duckling keeps throwing it’s head back so far that it falls over

[Miss Lydia]

It looks like it can eat well but be careful around water.

 

[Abi184]

the vet gave a vitamin b1 supplement that will help with thiamine deficiency, we where prescribed to give it to the ducking 3 times a day with 2 drops along the bill each time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

And he is getting the full dose? What is the feed please?

 

[Abi184]

Yes we have been giving it the correct dose so far. Sorry, the feed is just starter mash.

 

[Abi184]

Will his neck be causing him pain?

 

[Isaac 0]

Hi again, sorry to hear your duckling hasn't shown much of improvement, if it were mine I'd probably contact the vet and tell him so, with birds this young recovery is usually rapid, hours are common so the fact she isn't much better makes me think the underlying cause may not be thiamine related.

 

[Abi184]

Okay , thank you for you help

 

[Isaac 0]

Thiamine is fairly hard to overdose, but just stick to the dose he gave you and you should be fine. Another vitamin that comes to mind that may cause problems like this if a bird is lacking, would be vitamin E, if you want you could buy an all-round poultry vitamin and put a few drops over his feed, or buy some human 400iu vitamin E soft gel capsules and give him one a day. A vet is going to diagnosis a problem like this by eliminating other possible causes, your duckling can make it through this.

 

[Abi184]

Thank you!! I will update tomorrow, hoping for the best!

 

[Ch2098]

I know this is an old thread but I’m just replying in case anyone else is having this issue!

I had a duckling this morning with the exact same symptoms and heard from a neighbour that cornflakes are fortified with thiamine. I replaced their chick crumb with crushed cornflakes for a few hours and she’s perfectly fine now, not a bother on her!

Would recommend to anyone who can’t find the vitamin mixes that seem to be suggested everywhere