Strange Malady!

[gilbert2]

One of my young ducklings, as Welsh Harlequin, was all messed up yesterday. She was too weak to even hold up her head, and I thought she was dying. So I gently placed her at the edge of the pen, and went to bed.
This morning, she's "up and at 'em" like nothing ever happened! She is eating and drinking, and has me totally stumped.
If anybody has a clue what happened, or even a guess, I am all ears. It is the strangest thing I have ever seen, and I would dearly love to know what the malady was. So, duck lovers, please pipe up with any ideas you have, OK? Thank you. And Thank God she appears to be out of the woods with this thing.

 

[sourland]

Do an on site search of 'Niacin Deficiency'. This may be the problem.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How young @gilbert2 ?

 

[gilbert2]

She is about 7-weeks, I think.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe have some poultry nutri drench on had and if this ever happens again very slowly dribble some right along her bill . What feed are you using? Are you supplementing with any niacin at all?

 

[gilbert2]

Miss L, no I am not supplementing with anything. Until now, ALL the ducks I have ever raised did well on just plain old Flock Raiser. And maybe some iceberg lettuce and spinach. Also, until now, I have NEVER seen anything wrong with any of the 50 or so ducks I have raised. I suppose I should go over to the supplement rack at Big R, and look for what you said.
Thanks.
Gil

 

[Miss Lydia]

Gilbert sometimes a little one will just need a little boost. It can be one in a hatch of10 or many in a same hatch and it may have been a seizure like was mentioned. It has nothing to do with how well you care for your ducklings it’s just something that can happen maybe the duckling isn’t getting what it needs from the feed because of something going on inside of him. No way of knowing for sure but if a niacin deficiency its best to go with liquid B complex and have Poultry Nutri drench for back up. Always good to have some on hand and the Liquid b complex can be kept in the frig.

 

[chickens really]

Was it just tired?..Maybe cold?
Glad it's perked back up.