Runner Duck,can't stand...

[mominoz]

I posted this up in emergencies, but maybe it only is for chickens? anyway here it is............
I realised one of my almost 2 month old Runners wasn't standing, or walking or getting into the pool today . He just squawked when others stepped on him. I picked him up and looked at his legs , they looked ok. Everything looks ok, but when he tries to get up , he just can't seem too, kind of pushes, floppy , can wiggle around.Doesn't seem distressed, bright eyed, etc. He lives in an outdoor bombproof aviary with his siblings.I clean the water everyday. They are on peapond round stones I hose every couple days. He is getting TS , grower developer 15% for poultry including ducks and geese and I add brewers yeast to that, also a bit of oats. I try to give a bit of grass, or carrots or lettuce daily. I separated him and put food and water within reach, which he went after greedily. But he is right next to his siblings , so he can see them, but they can't tromp on him. I wondered if I should bring him into the garage or just let him stay next to his flock in a separate area, and watch him. Just seems like he can't stand up--- Other than wait and see I don't kow what else to do. He is from Holdereads and I looked in my "Poultry and waterfowl problem" book - I Put a bigger pool in their pen, and thought maybe he tripped getting out ... Nothing could grab him, 3ft hardware cloth under 2X2 with HOt wired sides on aviary.They do dabble when I hose out their pen, unless he ate something in dabble poo.. but there are only 6 in a 7X20 pen ? Tonight I picked him up again, I am wondering if he got hurt somehow.The only thing other than tripping out of the pool could be ,the 2X4 short fence section than seperates them from the geese side .Not fully featherd yet, wings and neck feathers almost in. Maybe his back? He does move his tail area side to side, wings move, but it's like he can only push with one leg at a time?Kind of shove himself around on his belly. Still seems eager to eat & drink. I guess time may tell..... No other outside birds , but the Holderead ones and the geese, been with /next each other for over a month. The geese did come from Metzger. There are wild birds in the area, but the ducks haven't been out of the aviary and nothing smaller than 2" c ould get in.

Last edited by mominoz (Today 5:53 pm)

 

[CorralitosSunflower]

This sounds similar to something that happened to a friends duck. She ended up taking her to a vet and it was too late, turns out she was infested with maggots! The doc said they thought perhaps she got a fever (hard to tell in a duck) or some other infection and than the maggots took hold. I would take her to a vet ASAP if you can. If you cannot than I would flip her over and look very closely under the feathers for them. I don't know what sort of home remedy there is for that and how effective it is, I guess it would depend on how bad the case is. You wouldn't know what caused it in the first place either. I hope your duck is ok, it was a very sad day I shared with a friend. She hatched her out

I am sending my postive thoughts your way! Keep me updated

 

[mominoz]

Well I Picked him up today and held him over the food and water and he realy chowed down for several minutes, like he was more comfortable with me holding him up a bit. He did and can eat on his own, but maybe he got weak and didn't get enough to eat in the bigger pen, for a couple days. I notice a gray sitting around when others were eating or swimming, now that I think about it , but didn't connect that it was the same duck for perhaps a couple days. They usually eat any flys that dare to come in. I did put him in the little pool, he swam and ducked his head, so I am beginning to think, it is more some kind of leg weakness and not back....I did watch another runner have some difficulty getting out of the deeper pool, so I put a flat rock in it, like I had in the smaller one for evryone to use to step out on (they learned fast)l.Maybe he tripped? Or a deficency? I started adding a bit of ground flax to everyones food too. He kind of moves around pushing with legs and wings...Seemed a bit thin, his chest bone(keel?) seems to be less fleshed out than others I tested. Food has been kept in front of them all the time. Still seems bright eyed and feathered... I will try holding him more and making sure he gets all he wants out of dishes and try the swimming, maybe it will be therapeutic for him and see if he improves.I did increase the brewers yeast in the food, because I may have not have put enough in the mix before.

 

[mominoz]

Should I put more brewers yeast in his food or water? If so , how much? -What about feeding him something like hardboiled egg yolk?What suppliments might be helpful , without killing him?;0)

 

[Wifezilla]

Egg yolk sounds good. As for qty on the brewer's yeast...I never measured. I just sprinkle a little of it on their feed.

 

[duckboatprincess]

I'm having the exact same problem with my 1.5-2 week old call ducking. She started that last week but then, that night she was fine. Yesterday, she started having issues standing and still is today. I don't know what's going on. She is in with one other duckling in a steel tub I'm using for a brooder. Food and water are easily accessible and the floor is shavings. She scoots herself along with her feet but just can't hold herself up to a stand. I was told to try baby vitamins? She's on 24% grower. The other one is fine and seems to get bigger daily. She's grown a little but not very much. I think she is younger than he is. I don't know what to do.

 

[mominoz]

Today,seems the same, maaaaybe a bit stronger...She, pretty sure now it is a female, because she makes so much noise. Didn't seem interested in egg last night, just wanted the dry food. Chows down real fast for a couple minutes , then stops, let her swim, but noticed after a while ,she was shivering-(I had refilled the water from the well, gee, now I am giving her Hypothermia! But it is in the 90's in day so she should warm up quick. I hope I am not just dragging out her death...;0( I will try and feed here 3X a day. Food and water are within her reach, but don't know if she eats.She can move her head and neck in all directions and wiggle her tail--Basically seems weak.... Wondered if I need a sling for her...
I am thinking she may have gotten hurt with the new pool, they sometimes perch up on the edge getting in and out and it is maybe 8' deep....
I just can't tell if she is getting better or not...wonder how long I hold and feed her and wait for her to improve. If she still can't stand or walk in a week?
Anybody have this sort of thing and seen an improvement?

 

[roocrazy]

this sounds just like my duck minnie, my brother droped her and she couldn't stand or walk so put her in my garage and put her in a tight box and put her under a heat lamp it took a bout a week then she could walk then one more and she could now stand! and now she can probably go as fast as 8 miles an hour!

 

[mominoz]

Well, she moves around by shoving with her legs and using her wings stretched out for balance -- So she can eat , drink, wiggle her tail, seeminly swim and preen her back while swimming.. She moves by shoving herself backwards and she has figured out that if she shoves her self to a corner she can partially pullup or put herself in a position she likes. Her wings feathers are coming in , I wonder if that could have anything to do with a nutrient issue or just weakness. I left her in a fence seperated section next to her group, I think she is less stressed there , than bringing her into a hot garage or house with 2 cats and 3 terriers.
I am holding her to eat 3X a day now. Sometimes she shoves her head into the food after eating a while and stiffens. Can't tell if that is from an injury or if it means , "had enough leave me alone I want to go sit down. " She seems to like dabbing to the bottom of her water dish, like she wants to eat what has faleln into the bottom, so I made it soupy with her food , hoping she gets enough slurp for nutrition.She likes that or the dry food with a drink after. She won't eat the wet food in the same dish. The feeder is divided so water gets in the dry, but it makes it convienent for her to reach.
I don't mind doing it if she is recovering, but I guess you can't really tell if it's permanent damage or recoverable for a week or more?

 

[sandiwiles]

I am having the same problems you were with your duck. What ever came of this duck. I am trying anitbiotics right now to see if she just has an illness or something. It seems healthy other than just lugging itself around on its feet but not standing and dragging its bottom. Any solutions?