Stargazing Ancona duckling

[Elmcnam]

Hello, haven’t posted in a bit. We’ve kept chickens now several times, in different parts of the country. I’ve now moved on to ducklings, and after a little research decided to get Ancona ducklings.

I bought from a breeder, and all of them seem extremely healthy, except one. We call it Brightstar, because after some googling, it seems to be stargazing. I’m hoping it’s just a vitamin deficiency and not genetic. Some days/hours it seems better, other times not so much. It doesn’t walk very well, and needs help eating and drinking. My boys and I have been helping it, every few hours, but I worry it’s not enough. I haven’t been waking at night to tend to it. So far, it’s mostly living in the brooder with its brothers and sisters, but we do take it out to feed and give it water. I’m using a vitamin supplement, apple cider vinegar, and niacin. I’ve been doing the same with the rest of the flock. I’ve also added some brewers yeast to their chick start feed. No one else is suffering. Haven’t tried molasses, which I’ve done before. Any other tips? Could it be neurological. Photos included of flock and little brightstar. Please excuse nasty brooder. I swear I clean it twice a day, and it still looks disgusting, Ducklings, SMH, 2weeks

 

[Pyxis]

How's the little one doing now?

Sounds like you're doing what you can with the vitamin supplement. What kind of supplement are you using? Stargazing is often a vitamin E deficiency. Selenium helps the absorption of E, so a supplement with those two things is best for stargazing.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I agree with the other poster on the E and selenium
If you can mix vitamin E in with scrambled eggs this was the ducking gets a good dose of both E and selenium
I use to make the eggs then take a little bit aside put the E in it
My duckling loved his scrambled eggs so had it gone it seconds then I would give the rest of his eggs to him
Usually 1 egg made 2-3 meals

 

[Elmcnam]

My duckling is doing better. We’ve been feeding it separately every hour/two hours during the day. It still does have wry neck, though. I was using the standard electrolyte vitamin pack from the feed store, but switched to one called Rooster Booster, that I found online. It has E, selenium, and niacin. I mix it with water. I might try adding in some eggs too. It loves its peas. It’s still much smaller than it’s brothers and sisters, whom are beginning to feather out.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

My duckling is doing better. We’ve been feeding it separately every hour/two hours during the day. It still does have wry neck, though. I was using the standard electrolyte vitamin pack from the feed store, but switched to one called Rooster Booster, that I found online. It has E, selenium, and niacin. I mix it with water. I might try adding in some eggs too. It loves its peas. It’s still much smaller than it’s brothers and sisters, whom are beginning to feather out.

You can put a drop or two directly on the side of his beak as well
I got vitamin E pills and poked a hole in the end and squeezed it out

 

[Elmcnam]

Here’s the most recent video of my duck

 

[Miss Lydia]

No video. You'll have to put it on youtube or Vimeo then copy and paste it here

 

[Elmcnam]

 

[Elmcnam]

That was from several days ago. Finally posted it on YouTube. She’s/He’s doing much better now, still pretty small comparatively, but not falling over while eating, and more active. Brothers and sisters are nearly ready to exit brooder, but Brightstart is definitely not yet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That sounds like great progress. Be sure to add liquid B complex to her drinking water so she is getting plenty of niacin. Your other ducklings will benefit from it also. Such a cutie

TSC carries a good brand of liquid B complex called durvet it will say injectable but we use it orally on our birds.
You can also give tiny drops full strength right inside the bill a couple drops a day.