Please help!!!

[ashca]

I'm am calling on you great guys for help because I am at a loss as to what is wrong with my 10 month old runner cross. Sunday she was fine, Monday she was far from it!! She wasn't able to stand and seemed to have lost all control in her neck. I automatically assumed it was botulism and brought her in the house, forced her to drink Epsom salts and wrapped her up, fearing the worst. Now we are 72 hours later, she is still alive and seems to be very strong in herself but still no control in the neck. If I hold her beak she can stand straight and walk slightly. She has slightly improved since Monday as she can just hold her head up, whereas before she was lying flat out. She is drinking lots of water with added vitamins, but hasn't ate. I don't know what to do!! Has anybody any idea what this is or how I could help her a bit more? All my other ducks seem to be fine. Any advice, however small, I would be so greatful for you're input. Thank you!!xx

 

[Eggcessive]

Hi it's me again. It's great that she is still alive. I hope you get more advice from the duck people. Tube feeding may be a good way to get food into her. You can use a tube from your vet and a catheter tip syringe, or even a piece of aquarium air tubing and a regular 35 ml syringe from a feed store. Be sure to burn one end of the tubing to round off sharp edges of the tubing. I would first try getting her to swallow watery duck feed, and if that doesn't work, read this tube feeding thread with videos: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

 

[ashca]

Thank you for your reply @eggcessive unfortunately things aren't looking too great this morning, although I do think I know what the problem is. Last night she was very restless and got herself in an awful state, after three three hours she managed, with a bit of assistance, to lay her very first egg. This has taken a lot out of her. I'm just on my way to the vets to get a tube and syringe to try and get her to eat but I feel last night has sapped the little energy she had left out of her xx

 

[KarateHorse]

It could be wry neck we had a duck get wry neck but I'm not sure. I hope someone else replys if it is wry neck make sure she gets food and water down.

 

[DancingWthDucks]

It could be wry neck we had a duck get wry neck but I'm not sure. I hope someone else replys if it is wry neck make sure she gets food and water down.

I was also thinking that it sounds like Wry Neck ...... What are you feeding her on?

 

[ashca]

Normally she feeds on duck food and layers pellets?? But she's not ate since Sunday and is very weak now, I have tried liquidising food, and she normally loves peas as a treat but just isn't interested and yet she is still drinking so much. What is wry neck? And can it be cured at all?

 

[KarateHorse]

Normally she feeds on duck food and layers pellets?? But she's not ate since Sunday and is very weak now, I have tried liquidising food, and she normally loves peas as a treat but just isn't interested and yet she is still drinking so much. What is wry neck? And can it be cured at all?

If it is wry neck she can not eat and drink on her own she has no control over her neck. When our duck had wry neck we had a force feed her. We mixed her normal crumble food in a little water so we didn't have to force feed food and water. She got them both at the same time. Make the food runny enough to suck up into a syringe then have one person hold her mouth open while you squirt it in her mouth. We did this 5 or 6 times a day enough to keep her alive while she slowly got over it. Ours was caused by a vitamin E deficiency so we added some cinnamon. We kept forcing her to eat and drink and she eventually got better.

 

[DancingWthDucks]

Normally she feeds on duck food and layers pellets?? But she's not ate since Sunday and is very weak now, I have tried liquidising food, and she normally loves peas as a treat but just isn't interested and yet she is still drinking so much. What is wry neck? And can it be cured at all?

http://www.fresheggsdaily.com/2014/04/preventing-and-treating-wry-neck-in.html

The reason for me asking about what she eats, is because Wry Neck is normally caused by vitamin deficiency. Hopefully the article above will give you some info.

 

[ashca]

So....I (think) I successfully tube fed her!! I liquidised her layers pellets, water and the oil from a vitamin e capsule. I gave her 35mls of this?! Because she hasn't ate for three days I wasn't sure how much to give her? Do you know how many times a day I should be doing this?
Thank you guys so much for your replies, I'm pretty sure you's are right and that it is wry neck. Hopefully with a bit of time she will start to improve!!! Wish me luck!!xx

 

[Eggcessive]

So....I (think) I successfully tube fed her!! I liquidised her layers pellets, water and the oil from a vitamin e capsule. I gave her 35mls of this?! Because she hasn't ate for three days I wasn't sure how much to give her? Do you know how many times a day I should be doing this?
Thank you guys so much for your replies, I'm pretty sure you's are right and that it is wry neck. Hopefully with a bit of time she will start to improve!!! Wish me luck!!xx

I'm not an expert on tube feeding birds, but Casportpony said in one of her threads that 30 ml per kg (or 14 ml per pound of weight) at a time. Fluids are most important when first starting out, especially with electrolytes, then add food if liquid is tolerated 2 to 4 times a day. Ducks require 120 ml of fluid per day.

It did not sound like wry neck (torticolis) when you first posted. That is a neurological symptom where the neck spasms and twists to the side, down, or upwards. It sounded more like limberneck more common with botulism or weakness. It won't hurt at all to give poultry vitamins including E daily. Selenium is found in egg, tuna, seeds and nuts. Poultry Nutri-drench or Poultry Cell vitamins contain both, and dosage is 3 ml daily. I hope this helps.