Sick ducks please help

[Alpops]

Hi everyone. This year I have had 20 ducklings hatch in the spring, so they are now about 6 months old. 3 of them have suddenly gone lame. I'll call them duck 1, 2 and 3! So duck 1 got lame as in couldn't walk at all, then the next day he was fine again which lasted a week and then he suddenly completely couldn't walk at all again. During his 'good' week duck 2 and 3 went lame. I separated all 3 of them and gave them all panacur (safeguard) for worms for 5 days. After 2 days if treatment duck 1 went lame again and the other 2 started to waddle slightly. That was a week ago and duck 1 is still completely unable to even stand and the other 2 are waddling badly but enough to get around the pen a bit. All 3 are eating and drinking fine but have slightly raspy breathing in the last 24 hours. Please does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong with them???! I thought worms at first but surely they would be better now? Does anyone know the recovery period?

 

[LemonyCatapult]

So sorry to hear this! I had a young drake (about 4 months) develop some pretty severe lameness but no other symptoms, and all I did was give him extra medicated duck starter and soak his feet in emspom salt and ACV a few times a day. I thought either the early signs of bumble foot or a lack of the correct proteins from mainly foraging and not enough starter. After about 5 days he was completely better.

In my experience those things don’t hurt to try out!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Are you providing vitamins? What are you feeding them? What breed are they? Do you have any pictures of the affected animals' feces? Is there any possibility that they have injured their feet (jumping) and have you brought any new animals into the flock from outside sources?

If you suddenly have twenty ducks in a semi-enclosed space, there is a possibility of disease.

 

[CayugaJana]

Are you providing vitamins? What are you feeding them? What breed are they? Do you have any pictures of the affected animals' feces? Is there any possibility that they have injured their feet (jumping) and have you brought any new animals into the flock from outside sources?

If you suddenly have twenty ducks in a semi-enclosed space, there is a possibility of disease.

X2
My first thought are either injury or they need extra vitamins in their diet to build proper muscles to support their weight.

 

[ShannonR]

Looking at the bottoms of their feet would be my first move.

 

[chickens really]

What breed are these Ducks?

 

[Alpops]

Thank you so much everyone for replying! We've had strong winds here, so offline for a while!! I have checked their feet and they look fine....went to ask the vet today and they were all out! But I have come away with some vitamins (can't hurt!) And antibiotics. They are free ranging and get grain as feed....for the first 3 months of their life they get duckling starter crumbs though. The affected ducks were all born in may so are young but should be strong?

 

[Alpops]

What breed are these Ducks?

They are muscovies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Muscovy's are a hardy breed if given good feed which duck starter would be. Could they possibly be eating something while free ranging that may be poisonous? I know it seems all would be affected but my Muscovy's aren't always together when foraging. I'd def give the vitamins a go since vitamin deficiency can cause lameness especially niacin def. And the antibiotics also.

Grain? what all is in it? not just corn?

 

[happy duck]

I would give some electrolytes and give them some liquid b-complex.