Something is wrong with my duckling

[happy duck]

He is so cute! You can go to a vitamin shop and buy brewers yest. They will have it. If not then get niacin capsules and break it open and put it in his water. I have never seen this before in a duck, but thrust me I will be praying.

 

[April’s Zoo]

No idea what is wrong either...

but to answer your questions about the niacin— you can use human vitamin b complex liquid or tabs (niacin is a b vitamin) or human niacin tabs/capsules. Much easier to find, and probably cheaper, too—b complex tabs are usually available at dollar stores (I’d call and ask, but that’s cause I hate driving all over the place to find they don’t have what I’m looking for)... but it shouldn’t cost too much even at Walmart. Do not get “time-released” and nothing with iron.
I know you can give chicks “poly-vi-sol- no iron” infant vitamins... but idk about ducks.

You can’t overdose b-vitamins, they are water-soluble, which means they won’t build up in the tissues, and the excess is excreted thru the kidneys. I think it can make their urates change color though.

To me it looked like there was something stuck in his throat, and he tired himself out trying to relieve the pressure or sensation that was causing him the distress. It could be that whatever it was finally worked it way on down, but he’s still got to recover from the constant movement he had for so long. The low chirping sound could be a cough/choke kind of sound....
I really don’t know though.... that’s just what it looked like to me.

Is he eating and drinking?.... swallowing fine?....
I’d check his crop tonight and in the morning, just to be sure nothing is impacted.

The other thing I thought of was something in his ear... an insect maybe. That would also cause the shaking & beak movement I would bet.

Even though it’s likely not plague, I’d call the university that was linked above and see if you can send them the videos (including the chewing/shaking one, even though he’s stopped that, just in case it’s important). At the very least, they can tell you if there’s realistically anything a vet could do if you brought him to one. Or if the vet would just say, “let’s just watch him, and see how he does”


Good luck!

 

[Emily_VVV]

He's eating and drinking okay, and his crop seems fine. If it was impacted it would be hard, right/

 

[Miss Lydia]

How's his poop looking? Like normal duckling poop?

How is he doing today?

 

[Emily_VVV]

How's his poop looking? Like normal duckling poop?

How is he doing today?

He's doing slightly better. He's less frantic, shaking less, and is no longer moving his beak constantly. He gets excited about food (probably because he's getting mostly mealworms lol always his fave treat), and drinks plenty of water. His poop looks fairly normal... though I've noticed that today he's pooping less. When he DOES poop, and looking at the dry stuff on his towel, it looks normal, but definitely less mass to it. They're smaller poops.

His crop is fine. My boyfriend has been checking it about every two hours. We let him eat and drink until it's pretty full, and then we let it empty itself again (at least a decent amount) before feeding again to ensure that nothing has gotten stuck.

 

[Lil Drake40]

And you got a complex? Liquid. Human or cattle?

 

[Lil Drake40]

@CayugaJana mixes the liquid in with the meal worms and hers gobble them right up .

 

[Lil Drake40]

I’d also get some Terramycin eye ointment for the eyes

 

[Emily_VVV]

We have Vetrycin (not sure if i spelled that right) that we've been putting on periodically. I'm currently waiting for my roommate to come back with my car so that I can go grab the Niacin. I'll be sure to get the liquid and put it on his worms.

 

[Lil Drake40]

So your using the Veterycin for the eye? That’s suppose to be a good product but if you don’t see improvement soon I’d get the Terramycin since it’s actually an antibiotic