Need help with an Indian Runner

[schleitheim]

We've got an 8 week young Blue Runner that is acting odd. We're new to raising ducks and haven't been able to find an answer to this. This evening I let the four ducks out to munch on some greens in the garden while I fixed up their water.

Three went out, but the blue runner (Cheetah) started to limp out a bit then just parked herself in the grass. I picked her up, inspected her legs and they looked fine. Then I tried to put her down and she would not stand on her legs. I saw she was tucking her backside in. I hadn't seen any of them do something like that.

She would not stand up, and didn't seem to be favoring any leg when I inspected them. I put her down and she spread her legs out behind her. She now only lays on her belly with the legs out. She looks like a penguin sliding on the ice.

Her neck stays bent and she can drink and eat what I put close to her. But she doesn't try to stand or even move.

Each time I try to pick her up and lay her down, same thing. She tucks in her bottom, then lays down like a penguin.

Any ideas? Any help? The other three ducks look and act normal. Cheetah looks normal otherwise; nothing else seems different.

What do I do?

Eddie

1 Blue Runner (Cheetah), 1 Fawn and White Runner (Sassafras), 2 (not so bright) Khaki Campbells (Meiling and Bacon).

 

[MidnightChickenLover]

Does cheetah do this only when you are around?

 

[schleitheim]

Quote:
Here's an update. Checked on her from our window this morning and she's up and about like normal. Went out there to have a closer look and open up their enclosure, let them out, and she's acting normal.

Yesterday was the first time she (or any of them) had done that. And it happened to be while I was out there. So not enough info to really answer that question yet.

But now, she seems fine.

 

[call ducks]

are these ducklings ? or full grown ducks ?

 

[schleitheim]

Our ducks are 8 weeks young. Not ducklings, and not close to egg bound from what I understand (should be another couple months at least).

 

[call ducks]

sorry don't know. never had any of y runners do this

 

[schleitheim]

Okay. Another update. She did it again. We let them out and she was doing fine.

I was inside doing stuff and my wife was working on the garden while the ducks were roaming. I went out there about 5 minutes ago to take care if their water and food supply, and when I herded them back into their enclosure, she goes down into the same limp position.

It's as if she's acting injured.

Is she just trying to get attention? Is there really something wrong (other than mentally)?

 

[schleitheim]

Update:
Cheetah did the same thing tonight while I was herding them back into their enclosure for dinner and fresh water. Later, she was walking just fine.

The problem now is one of the Khaki Campbells has started up. At the same time Cheetah was doing her flop tonight, Bacon began to limp favoring her left leg (same leg Cheetah seemed to favor when she first started), then lay on the ground. She'd scooch herself into the enclosure. She let me pick her up but only for a couple seconds then would try and jump out. She'd get down and flop on the ground.

I checked on them maybe 1 hour later and they were all fine, as normal.

What is going on? If it's not some odd cry for attention, could this be some sort of vitamin deficiency? Maybe some sort of parasite? They are all good eaters and have the same diet. We try really hard to make sure they get a good balance through the day. I'm wondering if they might be eating something in the garden that could be hindering them somehow.

 

[MidnightChickenLover]

hmmm...this is odd, do you have a local vet that you could ask? I'm completely clueless, but it does sound like it could harm you whole flock, so get it checked as soon as you can!

 

[rainplace]

you may want to also post this in the emergency forums, especially if you are unable to take them to a vet.