Ummm... uh oh. Or accidental duck owner

[thejaxx]

In the 2 video...My ducks do that all the time. I think it is fine. It looks as tho they are just splashing water on them. It might be a bigger problem tho.

This isn’t the normal behavior I’ve seen them doing, where they dive, etc. the first time I saw this the other night, it was in distress. And it’s neck will just “flop” around in a spasm. When the neck does it, it causes the duckling to fall over and it’s unable to right itself for a few minutes.

 

[happy duck]

Mine are not doing that. I thought they were just splashing water. Do you put electrolytes in there food. I really could help them get stronger.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What are you feeding your ducklings and are you adding any niacin or brewers yeast to their food for extra niacin which some ducklings can be deficient in especially if being fed chick starter.

 

[thejaxx]

It is chick starter crumble and am adding brewers yeast. I got some niacin the other day as well and started feeding it to the duckling, along with save-a-chick probiotics and electrolytes.

It seems to be getting worse though, it’s not got its head back and up, with the neck swaying back and forth. It’s wings also go straight out at times when the neck stops. Almost as if it’s having a seizure.

I’m starting to think I may have to cull it.

 

[HeatherD42]

I've been reading through my duck books, and here are some other possibilities other than nutritional deficiency:

Medication poisoning- use unmedicated feed

Some kind of congenital neurological defect causing seizures. Not much to do about this one

Duck Viral Hepatitis: Occurs in ducklings under two months. Infectious, transmitted through ingestion of fecal matter. Usually fatal to young ducklings, but death is within an hour of symptoms, so that doesn't match your case. One symptom is seizures as you describe. From David Holderread: "...ducklings that retract their heads over their backs, fall on their sides, and paddle their feet." No treatment. Ducklings may recover, but they will be infectious for two months.

Are there any symptoms other than the seizures?

 

[HeatherD42]

I think if it were an infectious virus, the first duckling would be dead by now, and others would start showing symptoms.

If it were something to do with feed, you'd think other ducklings would also be affected.

So maybe that leaves the neurological disorder. It's possible that the less than ideal conditions for the last week of incubation could have caused a problem. I don't want to make you feel bad, you didn't know you had ducks! I don't know if this kind of problem could take 2 weeks to show up?? Maybe it could live with seizures, but obviously unsupervised bath time is a bad idea...

 

[thejaxx]

The feed is not medicated, I made sure of that when I bought it. I’ve been thinking it was neurological unfortunately, since none of the others are showing any signs.

 

[HeatherD42]

I'm sorry for you and the poor duckling. I wish I could be of help, but it sounds like you are researching all the possibilities

 

[thejaxx]

I unfortunately had to cull the little guy. It had got to be a constant issue, which was not allowing it to eat or drink.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I unfortunately had to cull the little guy. It had got to be a constant issue, which was not allowing it to eat or drink.

Sorry to hear that.