Sick or injured Cayuga

[gilmeryote]

Hello folks, I've got a seven week old Cayuga that can't stand up. It's just happened suddenly, I let my ducks out of their coop on Sunday afternoon and they all filed out like normal. They played around in their pool while I cleaned out the coop and I noticed one was laying down and just wasn't acting right. It wouldn't get up on it's feet,just try to get up on it's knee joints. I wondered if the other ones might have piled up on it and hurt it's leg.
I've been keeping it in a box since then and it still won't stand.It seems to be alert,,doesn't act sick,eats and drinks just fine.I've been putting some brewers yeast in with it's food,using Dumor chick starter 20% protein. I was gonna try to pick up some niacin tomorrow to add to it's water. I've got 10 other ducks the same age and they are just fine. I'm not sure what else to do.Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Amiga]

I would get Little into a lukewarm tub of water, deep enough to float in.

Watch the legs, see if he or she has any balance issues in the water. Are the eyes bright? Toss in a treat - any interest?

How's the poop?

Is there any possibility she or he ate something toxic?

I would give poultry vitamins with electrolytes and probiotics. The niacin is a good idea.

How's the breathing?

Is there a ramp into and out of the pool? Do we have double sprained legs?

 

[gilmeryote]

Her poop is kinda runny and dark,not bloody. I don't think she got into anything toxic. Eyes and breathing seem normal,the top edge of the pool is flush with the ground and they have a ramp to crawl out. I fed her some water melon this evening and she gobbled it up.I'm gonna put her in some water tomorrow evening and see how she does. My first thought was that she had sprained her legs because they all left the coop just fine, I would have noticed if she was limping. Thanks for the reply and advice.

 

[Amiga]

Please keep us updated. Love to the little one.

 

[gilmeryote]

[/IMG] My duck doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'm still giving brewers yeast and electrolytes. She's alert as can be, eats and drinks well but can't stand. I took couple pics to show her legs, almost looks like her joints are flattened. I have no idea what could have caused this.

 

[Amiga]

If something or someone stepped or rolled over her, that could flatten a joint, I would think.

You may need some kind of leg brace, and a vet may be able to help.

Another line of thinking is that somehow she has infection in the joint, in which case Epsom salts soaks, topical antibiotic and oral antibiotic would be high on my list.

Epsom salts is a laxative - so do not let her drink it. Use compresses, or a small shallow bucket that she cannot reach while soaking.