Sick duck kicking leg and flipping on back

thinkyesi

Songster
Oct 24, 2016
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Hi everyone, I'm new to ducks. I have a young duck, probably around a year old. And I noticed hes not looking well. He tries to walk and he kicks his rough foot alot and sometimes flips on his back but is able to flip back over. He pushes himself into corners. He doesnt want to eat or drink. He has this sadness in his eyes and when I hold him he just let's his head kinda hang and his right leg goes ballistic kicking. Idk what to do. Theres no vets around me that treat waterfowl.
 
I have 3 other females and 2 males. They are all call ducks. All around the same age.
 
They were all together but I've quarantined him.
I'm not home atm to take a picture.
 
Hi everyone, I'm new to ducks. I have a young duck, probably around a year old. And I noticed hes not looking well. He tries to walk and he kicks his rough foot alot and sometimes flips on his back but is able to flip back over. He pushes himself into corners. He doesnt want to eat or drink. He has this sadness in his eyes and when I hold him he just let's his head kinda hang and his right leg goes ballistic kicking. Idk what to do. Theres no vets around me that treat waterfowl.
Any chemicals or pesticides around?

Sounds like a neural reaction, like slug bait.

Typically for a neurotoxin the vet will administer a sedative to protect the neural and vascular system from overloading.
 
Maybe he needs niacin? Im not sure tho. I know you said hes not eating or drinking but if it was me I'd sprinkle brewers yeast in food and. Try save a chick. But as said he could have gotten into chemicals or could be neurologic problem. If it is chemicals maybe activated charcoal could possibly help? But is the factor of getting him to ingest it.i had dying guineafowl and tried to feed them with a dropper with save a chick. 2 died but the other sick ones onces they had the drops survived
 
@thinkyesi , sorry to hear you the duck is feeling ill.

How long has he been reluctant to eat or drink?
Do you have any pictures of the duck's droppings?
Do you have a video of the duck?
Has the duck been around anything toxic (carcass, moldy feed, maggots, lead, metal, decaying vegetation,etc)

Oftentimes dehydration, and/or malnourishment will cause the bird to pass rather than the affecting condition - my first goals would be to address the bird's hydration, and nutritional levels, and then attempt to treat what might be the underlying problem. Unfortunately, determining the underlying problem at home can be difficult, to near impossible so sometimes treatment is founded on a conjecture basis which isn't most reliable.

If the bird is outside, could you place him in a warm (80F-ish watch for overheating), stress-free area inside?

To fulfill a fluid, and nutritional deficit you must acquire tube feeding supplies which consist of tubing, a large syringe, feed formula, and a scale. One must first correct a fluid deficit, then administer maintenance fluids as needed. You can find information in the link below pertaining to tube feeding.

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https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/

If the duck is in a stable enough state, a physical examination may help suggest what might be the underlying problem. The owner will likely know any problems that may have predisposed the bird to develop into such as state, so if you know of any please do mention them.

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exot...ltry/physical-examination-of-backyard-poultry
 
I noticed yesterday there was some rusty brown stool on the ground and it smelled pretty bad, but I have so many other birds I couldn't figure out whose stool it was. So I tried to observe them all but none of the birds showed any signs of being sick. Until this morning and I saw the duck kicking around. I've never owned ducks before up until this past year. But since I saw he wasnt well I separated him. I've tried feeding him and tried giving him water. I was able to get a little water down him, but he doesnt respond. Hes been just laying on his back with his head twisted and his little feet shake.😔
 

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