My flying mallard drake is havong trouble walking!! please help!

[wvducklady]

I will start at the beginning. My ducks were born the day before Spring. My drake developed alot slower than the hen, she has always been bigger than him. He became clumsy when he started developing his wings. Well, about 17 days ago he started getting clumsier, and we just figured it was do to him just being awkward. Then over the past week he has gotten worse and worse. He is having trouble walking. It is so hard for him to get from one place to another. He eats, drinks, swims, and plays in the water with the hen normally, but he cannot balance himself when he walks. He either falls forward or backward, and even falls on his back and cannot get up. It is truly terrible, and breaks my heart. At first I thought that my Rhode Island red injured him when she jumped on his back a while back and started pecking him, but he can shake his tail, bend his tail sideways, move his neck fine, spread his wings like he is flopping them to fly, and if I hold him he cleans and oils himself. His balance is so bad now I have to sturdy him so that he can clean and oil himself. If I do not he cannot do it without falling. I have had him seperated except fr the daily bath with his buddy and play time. He just keeps getting worse. The chickens now see that he is weak and if he fall they try to attack him. I cannot leave him unattended if he is out or he will fall and hurt himself or the chickens will pick on him like bullies. I assume it is because they know he is weak.... It makes me so angry.
I now wonder if he has a nutrient deficiency...he has always been smaller than the hen and his growth rate is way behind hers. If you look at my profile picture you will see how much the hen on the left is developed more than him. They are the same age. My boyfriend is going to pick up some vitamins for him tomorrow, brewers yeast, and niacin. Also i am going to bring him indoors for a few days to live in a box in my laundry room and start him on some vitamins. If anyone has any advice on what I need to do please share. I will be so grateful. Duddles is the sweetest little drake. suggestions on food, nutrients, should i keep him away from the water for a few days besides his fresh water?, anything you can help me with. I want to save him and do not want to lose him. Thank you!

 

[wvducklady]

I started giving Duddles niacin and vitamins thursday evening and moved him inside. He began eating even more, continuing to drink, acted happier, and more alert. I took him out staurday and he walked better, and only fell 2 times when he saw the chicken that hes afraid of and paniced. He did very well. I put him back outside in a safety pin I built him sunday and when I took him out to do his leg therapy, he did not do very well and fell and could not hold his balance. Maybe I let him walk toomuch the day before? I also wonder if he could have a thiamin deficiency? I read that they can not stand without toppling over. If anyone has any suggestions please help me!

 

[cymbaline]

I am having almost the exact same trouble, and was searching for some help and found your thread. I can't believe you never got any advice on this - usually these folks are quick to help.
My mallard drake is just over two years old, and has the same symptoms of not being able to balance and falling forward and backward. He does well in the water though, and I've never seen him fall on his back. I spoke with an out of state family member who is a vet and she advised that he may have strained his "groin" area, possibly during some over-zealous mating. I thought I saw some slight atrophy of. one leg (this has been going on for a while) so she said to make sure he got lots of exercise in the water along with extra vitamins. The extra swim time doesn't seem to be helping, and after more studyng I don't think he is favoring one side, so I'm thinking maybe a trip to the vet for some kind of anti-inflammatory shot (she mentioned that was a possible aspect of treatment too) and some R&R in a confined area indoors is going to be my next plan of action. Now I just have to get the cats who live in my house in board with the idea, lol
I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[Amiga]

There are a number of possibilities - - - wish it were clear cut.

Sometimes there are spinal injuries. I have also heard of their reproductive systems becoming swollen. You are right to get him to the vet.

 

[wvducklady]

It has been a while since I have been back here. My Duddles had to be put down He got so bad that he could not stand up without falling over. It was terrible. I felt so bad, because I wanted to save him and I failed. I could not find a vet that sees waterfowl anywhere nearby. My boyfriend was told by farmer that my Duddles was a lame duck and it just happens sometimes. He was always alot smaller than the female, he feathered slower than the hezn, and he always walked a little clumsy. The female Duddy, she turned into a beautiful and happy duck that friended the chickens About a month ago a huge hawk killed her while i was in the shower...(the hawk attacked her about 2 months before that but my boyfriend was able to stop the bleeding and she recovered completely) I found her on my bottom step where she had tried to hide under the steps...it broke my heart. I was so furious. The hawk watched me from across the road take her and then I buried her. I just could not bare the thought of something eating her. She was the coolest duck. I am not giving up on having ducks! I got 2 baby flying mallards Friday! 3rd times a charm right?

 

[cymbaline]

I had the same outcome - my boy was put to sleep as well. Not sure where in WV you are, but there is an avian vet in Charleston. I took Bullwinkle to see him and he did x-rays and bloodwork and even consulted with another avian vet and we still got no definitive diagnosis. They gave him sulfatrim for 3 weeks in case it was a bacterial infection like encephalitis or something, but nothing anyone did made any difference.
I'm so sorry for your losses. I've had a hawk flying nearby for the past week or two. Everytime I see him I quickly herd all the ducks back into their covered pen. They may just have to stay there for a while until that jerk decides to move on and leave them alone.

 

[wvducklady]

I had the same outcome - my boy was put to sleep as well. Not sure where in WV you are, but there is an avian vet in Charleston. I took Bullwinkle to see him and he did x-rays and bloodwork and even consulted with another avian vet and we still got no definitive diagnosis. They gave him sulfatrim for 3 weeks in case it was a bacterial infection like encephalitis or something, but nothing anyone did made any difference.
I'm so sorry for your losses. I've had a hawk flying nearby for the past week or two. Everytime I see him I quickly herd all the ducks back into their covered pen. They may just have to stay there for a while until that jerk decides to move on and leave them alone.

I am so sorry for your duck loss as well I cried when my Duddles had to be put down, and then cried my eyes out when I found my Duddy murdered by the hawk. She always ran to me when she was scared, and it just broke my heart. If I had not showered I would have heard her and saved her. Yea, you keep an eye on your ducks, because that hawk will get them so fast. Watch your ducks "like a hawk"! I really hope it moves on

 

[wvducklady]

I had the same outcome - my boy was put to sleep as well. Not sure where in WV you are, but there is an avian vet in Charleston. I took Bullwinkle to see him and he did x-rays and bloodwork and even consulted with another avian vet and we still got no definitive diagnosis. They gave him sulfatrim for 3 weeks in case it was a bacterial infection like encephalitis or something, but nothing anyone did made any difference.
I'm so sorry for your losses. I've had a hawk flying nearby for the past week or two. Everytime I see him I quickly herd all the ducks back into their covered pen. They may just have to stay there for a while until that jerk decides to move on and leave them alone.

I am in Gilmer County. I am so sorry for your duck loss as well I cried when my Duddles had to be put down, and then cried my eyes out when I found my Duddy murdered by the hawk. She always ran to me when she was scared, and it just broke my heart. If I had not showered I would have heard her and saved her. Yea, you keep an eye on your ducks, because that hawk will get them so fast. Watch your ducks "like a hawk"! I really hope it moves on

 

[Kleonaptra]

I'm so sorry guys. For the future when in doubt worm them and try apple cider vinegar it works wonders. Doing this will also mean any supplements you give are given the best chance. Again so sorry.

 

[wvducklady]

I'm so sorry guys. For the future when in doubt worm them and try apple cider vinegar it works wonders. Doing this will also mean any supplements you give are given the best chance. Again so sorry.

Thank you for that advice! I got 2 baby mallards a week ago, and I will keep that apple cider vinegar tip just in case.