Sick duckling 7 weeks

[gracielouwho]

I have a 7 week old Rouen and it is not eating or drinking. All it does is lay there and "sleep" I have separated it from my other ducklings. It's head is tucked into its body it doesn't seem to be able to walk. I did Clem the house and found some maggots but I don't see any on it in any spot. It was fine then all of a sudden it was like this. Normally these babies are afraid of people and you can't get too close. They go crazy in their house when you come out which means this one could have been run over. I have tried to get it to drink water but I'm afraid of pneumonia cause it won't tilt it's head back to swallow. I have tried Epsom salt soaks which it will stick its beak into and move around a bit. Tried giving it yogurt, apples and charcoal but I don't think I'm getting anything into it. It has been two days and I don't know what to do anymore. When it goes to move it doesn't stand it only pushes with is feet and sort of crawls.

 

[gracielouwho]

I know others have said to put another duck with it would it recover better if it could see its siblings?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I know others have said to put another duck with it would it recover better if it could see its siblings?

@gracielouwho have you given any of your ducklings niacin or brewers yeast? They can get lame if they don't have enough B3[niacin in their feed]. and most of us have to use chicken feed so we supplement. With your duckling I get a super B vitamin and start giving him some asap crushed and mixed into a gal of water. If you have a duckling that is calm I'd try it. They really do better if they aren't alone and it won't hurt any of your ducklings to have the vitamin water. Make sure the B complex has at least 125 megs of niacin in it.

 

[gracielouwho]

I don't have any calm ducklings

But they have poultry starter not the chick one this is for game birds- the other two are doing just fine. I can't get her to eat or drink anything. We cannot get her to open her beak as I have been trying to give her vitamin supplements

I think we are going to have to put her down

 

[gal5150]

Agreed, I'd add niacin to see if it's a deficiency issue. I use Brewers Yeast purchased from a vitamin shop in a big container. I sprinkle it on top of their daily crumble ration, roughly 1tbs/1cup feed. If your local feed store has Sav-a-chick that'd be great to put in their water, vitamins and electrolytes, or I buy the big yellow bag of Durvet Vitamins & Electrolytes...scant 1/4tsp per gal water (cheaper and last forever). A relatively calm buddy could help perk the little one up, too.

 

[gracielouwho]

I have been trying to give but I can't get it to eat or drink anything I put its beak in the water and it just splashes it doesn't seem to drink

 

[gal5150]

Opening the beak, had to do it on both my girls at that age due to respiratory issues....hold the duckling on you lap with its bottom facing your tummy, head facing out. Hold head with one hand, use needleless syringe in other hand to open beak all the way at the back of the mouth where beak meets fluff. Once open you can give small amounts of fluid at a time. One of my girls was super easy, the other hated it but got used to it after a few rounds.

 

[gal5150]

When is the last time it's gone poop or pee?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't have any calm ducklings

But they have poultry starter not the chick one this is for game birds- the other two are doing just fine. I can't get her to eat or drink anything. We cannot get her to open her beak as I have been trying to give her vitamin supplements

I think we are going to have to put her down

I am very sorry..

force feeding would be an alternative but it might be too late for that. or a vet.

 

[gracielouwho]

I was syringe feeding her yesterday but she didn't make it through the night. Poor baby but now she's not suffering.