SICK DUCK-Help

[72elizabeth]

I have a hen about 9 mos old. She went into her pen along with the other 8 ducks on Thrusday evening. All 9 ducks (3 cayauga and 6 Hybrids, same age, all hens) were fine. Friday morning she could not walk. She takes a couple of steps and falls down. She can not sit. She stands like a statue. She stood all through the nite. She eats and drinks and has green diarrhea. She likes stand in the warm water that I've put out for her. I live in No. Fl and it was cold last nite. Today she can take a couple of steps without falling over, but that's about it. CAN ANYONE HELP ME? I would appreciate any advise. Thank you

 

[easttxchick]

See if there is anything here that can help. Does this sound anything like what you're dealing with?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=450538

 

[dumb_cluck]

Sounds like she ate something that doesn't agree with her. If she likes the warm water, keep it up. Feel her tummy to see if you feel anything kinda "hard". She also could be constipated or egg bound.

I had a chicken go through that a couple weeks ago. Turned out she was constipated. She had runny milky white-yellow diaherra. I isolated her for a night and she was fine the next morning. (she passed a stool that looked like a cat poop. She would stand a lot and look puffy and her wings drooped.

Keep an eye on her for any changes in mood.

 

[72elizabeth]

No, it's not any of that, but I do appreciate you replying. She's very alert. She can get in and out of the small plastic kitty box very well. I've been using this kitty box since I've put them out. It was never used before. She preens herself, drinks, you'd never know that there was something wrong. I have an open pen that they stay in at night for protection. They free range from dawn to dusk. I really don't want to isolate her. I've seen first hand, once you isolate them, they're never accepted back into the group. Thanks again

 

[dumb_cluck]

Temporary isolation is OK. Just don't do it for weeks at a time. As I mentioned, my hen was isolated foe only one night, then returned to the flock.

If you find any ducks bothering her, you should remove her to quiet quarters to be able to let her rest and re-cooperate.

 

[72elizabeth]

Hi Dumb Cluck, I'll try your suggestion. Isolate? I can put her in a med. sz. dog crate and keep her in the pen or bring her in the house. I know if I take her in the house, the rest of the ducks won't except her back in the flock. I can see her from my living room, drinking and seems content, she just stands. She can't be constipated, she has diarrhea (green). If she walks 3 steps, she falls over. I'll go out and feel her tummy.

 

[72elizabeth]

Just went out to feel her tummy, nothings hard, seems normal. I looked at her feet and they're fine. I put her down, she walked a couple of steps and fell over. She is by herself in the pen, the others are out and about. They didn't bother her last night or this morning, she was standing by herself. I could put her in a dog crate in another section of the pen if you think it would help her. It just might stress her out too.

 

[dumb_cluck]

If she still has green diahrrea, and falls over..... check what she could have been eating. Do you have any poison around (pellets) for mice or rats? Falling over is not a good thing.

I mentioned the isolation because when the flock senses something is wrong with her, they may begin to pick on her to see what's wrong. Not that they mean to be vicious, but just curiosity.

Another thought..... is this a mallard? I have heard and read that mallards sometimes have seizures.

 

[72elizabeth]

No on the mallard. It's a Hybrid. A Hybrid is a breed just for laying eggs.. Ducks dig constanly with their beeks. I've only lived here 3 yrs. I see them pulling up beer caps. Lord only knows what she got into. There is nothing that I can see any of them getting into. No sprays or poisons. If she ingested something, would that affect her walking? She stand great!

 

[easttxchick]

Elizabeth, could it be a niacin deficiency?
I got this from a niacin deficiency post-Annarie posted this:
"Usually, with a niacin deficiency, you'll notice them having shaky legs, or acting lethargic and not wanting to walk around - if it were a niacin deficiency, I think you would have noticed something off."
I'm sorry I'm not much help, just searching for something to help your duck.