Poorly duckling - bent neck! Please help.

[MulberryC87]

Hi

Could anyone help, not sure if anyone us come across this.

My duckling was absolutely fine this morning, but this evening he now has a bit of a bent neck.
When we got him 2 weeks ago - he looked like he had quite a puffy chest but never complained and had been doing all normal duck things.

The puffiness looks to have moved to the left and his neck is now bent. He has still been eating, drinking, walking around and even swimming.

Im really worried about it. Poor little duckie.

Here are a few photos just to show what I mean.

Any advice would be much appreciated - thank you.

 

[MulberryC87]

Does your duck live a happy life??

Wilbur seems to be happy, which is why I want to be patient with him. And if this is how he will be, and won't be in any pain or anything. Then I can accept this.

I'm going to continue with the vitimins this can't be bad for them.

I just don't want to be cruel if he is in pain.

 

[NanaKat]

Just read this thread....Hoping Wilbur is improving.
As always, Kathy is giving great advice....such a big help.

Before you massage his neck, you need to palpate it gently to see if there is anything solid in the crop. He could have swallowed a piece of rock or a tidbit of wood that has not passed on to the digestive system. You also don't want to massage too hard...if there is anything in the crop that could cause injury to his esophagus or crop. Ducks don't regurgitate things they have swallowed. The gizzard usually holds items until they are either dissolved by gastric juices or ground up by small stones the bird swallows.

If the crop is impacted, you will notice a significantly sour odor from his mouth. Since this has been going on for several days with no odor reported, I doubt Wilbur has an impacted crop.

Poly-Vi-Sol is a liquid baby vitamin. Don't purchase the liquid vitamin with iron. NO iron for poultry..

Holding good thoughts for Wilbur.

 

[MulberryC87]

Hi Nana Kat.

Thanks for your advice, everything is much appreciated.

I have tried to look for Ploy vi sol and haven't managed to find it. So I went to our local farm shop where I brought their food from and they gave me some poultry vitimins for their water. It's called 'good life'.

They seem to like it.

Kathy and Quakers have been great and it's so nice to have the support. I'm very new to all this.

Wilbur loves being with Edee our other duck - they both seem like two peas in a pod. They don't like being apart.
Edee even lays with Wilbur and lets him rest his neck over hers - how cute it that. Haven't managed to get a picture cause when I go near they move.

Wilbur gets really tired by bed time 8pm (when it's dark) he has already taken himself off to bed before then.

 

[casportpony]

Hi

Could anyone help, not sure if anyone us come across this.

My duckling was absolutely fine this morning, but this evening he now has a bit of a bent neck.
When we got him 2 weeks ago - he looked like he had quite a puffy chest but never complained and had been doing all normal duck things.

The puffiness looks to have moved to the left and his neck is now bent. He has still been eating, drinking, walking around and even swimming.

Im really worried about it. Poor little duckie.

Here are a few photos just to show what I mean.

Any advice would be much appreciated - thank you.

@MulberryC87 , welcome to BYC!

What does he look like after he eats? The crop and esophagus are normally on the right hand side but they can shift, so catch him and check his crop/esophagus after he's eaten.

Duck crop/esophagus pictured on left:


Duck:

1. Oesophagus
2. Crop
3. Proventriculus
4. Gizzard
5. Pancreas
6. Duodenum
7. Liver
8. Gallbladder
9. Ileum
10. Caecum
11. Cloaca

-Kathy

 

[MulberryC87]

His neck was bobbing a bit when eating. He is still bent, bless him. He doesn't look in pain or anything and still carrying on like normal.


Thank you for the images - I wonder whether his chest was puffy due to being full up??

But still don't understand why his neck is bent all of a sudden. I'm so worried about him. I think he is only 6 weeks old.

We have been feeding them grower feed and some vegetables and a odd bit of banana and tomatoes.

 

[quackers619]

Looks to me like it could possible be wry neck. I would start the little guy on brewers yeast you can find it at any health food store and also give nutri drence found at your local feed store...... please keep us posted

 

[MulberryC87]

Looks to me like it could possible be wry neck. I would start the little guy on brewers yeast you can find it at any health food store and also give nutri drence found at your local feed
store...... please keep us posted

Thank you so much for your reply.
Wow I have just google Wry neck.

I feel gutted that I may have caused this due to the diet they have been eating.

Can you just advise me how you feed your ducks.

I'm have been feeding them how I was advised.
So I've been feeding them Grower feed and fresh vegetable in small pots everyday. They were originally just on a corn diet.

He seems OK in himself, and our other duckling is fine.

Will his neck go back to normal, or is there something for us to do for him?

 

[quackers619]

we feed starter grower crumble with about a table spoon of brewers yeast sprinkled on top and 2 drops of nutri-drench in the water every time we fill water and food. lots of veggies like frozen peas roman and cat food. if it is rye neck doesn't look to bad and it will go back to normal but you need to get the brewers yeast like now

 

[casportpony]

His neck was bobbing a bit when eating. He is still bent, bless him. He doesn't look in pain or anything and still carrying on like normal.


Thank you for the images - I wonder whether his chest was puffy due to being full up??

But still don't understand why his neck is bent all of a sudden. I'm so worried about him. I think he is only 6 weeks old.

We have been feeding them grower feed and some vegetables and a odd bit of banana and tomatoes.

Withhold food tonight and check his neck, esophagus and crop in the morning. I will see if I can get some pictures of what a full duck crop looks like.

-Kathy