Please help! Duckling looked like it had a broken neck?!

[redrose5396]

I went outside to check on my ducks and found one of my ducklings (about 5-6 weeks old), with its neck twisted, and its head upside down. I thought for sure that a predator had gotten ahold of him/her through the fence and snapped its neck. I started crying and yelling to my mom for help.

I thought for sure this duckling was about to die in my arms. When I was telling my mom what happened, and doing a headcount of everyone else, the ducklings head went back to normal. I set the baby down and it ran kind of funny back to the flock. Now its acting completely normal.

Anyone have any ideas for what happened to this duck? Is this wry neck? Anything I should do to prevent this? All the ducklings were 3-4 weeks old when I got them, and ever since I've had them in the fenced area with fresh grass, water with apple cider vinegar, DE sprinkled in their bedding, extra niacin in their food, and a duckling pelletized food from a local farmer. They're anconas if that makes any difference. None of the other ducklings have been acting like this.

 

[chickens really]

Hello..Not sure what could of happened?
Keep an eye on it..

 

[redrose5396]

My little sister just let them out this morning (I'm at work since 4am), and she said that the drake was being aggressive towards the babies. Is it possible that he just pinched this ones neck? Might have to think about getting rid of him if this is how he treats the babies. He's really good and protective of his girls though. :/

 

[CayugaJana]

Any chance of wry neck?

I don’t keep any drakes with my ducklings. My drake is in jail right now because he incessantly tries to mate with my ducks who aren’t old enough to breed yet. He chases them, yanks chunks of feathers out. We cut his feathers so he can’t fly and he’s not as fast now.

 

[redrose5396]

Any chance of wry neck?

I don’t keep any drakes with my ducklings. My drake is in jail right now because he incessantly tries to mate with my ducks who aren’t old enough to breed yet. He chases them, yanks chunks of feathers out. We cut his feathers so he can’t fly and he’s not as fast now.

I'm not sure if it's wry neck because it went away. I thought ducklings were fine with older ducks once they hit 5 weeks?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd separate the drake from the ducklings.

 

[chickens really]

My little sister just let them out this morning (I'm at work since 4am), and she said that the drake was being aggressive towards the babies. Is it possible that he just pinched this ones neck? Might have to think about getting rid of him if this is how he treats the babies. He's really good and protective of his girls though. :/

Yes...The Drake possibly wrung his neck..I had that happen to a Duckling too except a Big Chicken landed on her..Keep them separated...

 

[chickens really]

No, Ducklings are not mature enough to battle with mature Drakes. I free range together as long as my Drake is locked up..

 

[CayugaJana]

Mine are 8-10 weeks old and they run when he tries to mate. So I know they aren’t ready. If they are ready, they sit down and lay their necks flat for the drake to climb on top and hold on to the back of their necks. It might just be a bad time of the year for the ducklings. This is breeding season so the drakes want to mate a lot in order to continue their genetics. But if they were born in the fall, he might have left them alone as his hormones aren’t as high then.

 

[Lil Drake40]

Ducklings here are left alone by my Muscovy drake but I am not sure how my Runner would be with ducklings he’s never been around any.