Strange Duck Behavior

[McRider]

Okay Duck Peeps I need some help. I have searched several google pages and forums etc and I cant find anyone who has had this kinda behavior with their ducks.

This is the 2nd babies I have had this trouble. Both being from different blood lines. One was a hatchling of my own and the other from a different breeder. The one I hatched out it happen really early in life about 1 week after hatch. The second one it happen about 1 month into life. The younger was worse than the older one.

Its hard to explain what happens but to start let me tell everyone both ducks necks are in the air. The ducks body flip flops all over like they do not have control of it. Looking up in the air. However the little ones whole body was flipping around non stop like a seizure. The older one its mainly just the head. If I pick her up and pet her for a while almost like I am calming her down she stops for a while. Both make noise so nothing is stuck. Both drink and eat. I treated water with electrolytes and tried flushing with epson salt too. Protein should be good, I use Game Starter. I have hatched alot of birds and raised alot of birds and never seen anything like this. ALSO when this happens they breath rather heavy.

Does anyone have any suggestions or maybe have had this happen?

Also i am pretty sure it's NOT botulism. I have had botulism before and it is not like this.

 

[AmandaVirus]

My Mallard does this, they started when she was about 2 weeks old, I exhausted all possibilities of what may be causing them, but she still has them occasionally. I think she has some weird neurological disorder, but that probably isn't your case. She had one this morning where she flings her head around frantically like something is stuck (that kind of sounds like what your older one is doing?) But she didn't even have food or anything at that time.

Are you supplementing niacin? I know deficiencies can cause seizures.

Make sure they aren't exposed to anything toxic (toxic plants, pesticides, rat poison, mold, metals, ext.)

If you think it may be something they ate, activated charcoal is great at absorbing toxins and flushing them out.

 

[McRider]

I always go back to something neurological also. Nothing around thats toxic. The baby one was never outside just in the house. And it was the same behavior except the little one was alittle worse. Ive tried nician doesnt help either.

 

[Amiga]

Could you tell us how much niacin, what kind, for how long?