What is up with my duck??

[thechickenwife]

Yep my husband ended up doing the deed last night. But it was for the best.

 

[chickensioux]

Oh that breaks my heart. So sorry for the loss of that little guy.

 

[rainplace]

I know this post didn't have a happy ending, but I found a duck health article that may describe what was wrong with your poor little duckling. If this was the cause, there isn't anything that could have been done.

I've cut and pasted some of the article. If you're interested in reading the full article it can be found here:
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page13.htm

HAVE YOUR DUCKS BEEN DOING THE BACKSTROKE?

Then you could be dealing with a case of TOXOPLASMOSIS.

Unfortunately, Toxoplasma is rarely considered when trying to diagnose poultry problems with ataxia and incoordination. Turkeys, and waterfowl in particular, are typically asymptomatic and infections usually go unnoticed. Chickens can also be infected but suffer a greater number of symptoms, along with a higher rate of mortality.

Where Toxoplasmosis causes the greatest problem though, is in young ducklings. If passed to the duckling by its hen in the embryonic stage, the mortality rate after hatch is extremely high. Although not common, according to one study a hen can pass the parasite to one in every 327 fertile eggs. This method of infection or by environmental exposure at a very young age is what is of the greatest concern for mortality rate and/or permanent central nervous system damage. Once ducks reach adult age, Toxoplasmosis is typically chronic in nature and usually goes unnoticed. The youngsters are the ones that suffer the most.

The first sign of Toxoplasmosis is usually a young duckling flipping over onto its back with the inability to right itself. Sometimes a young duckling will simply be uncoordinated, flip over on its back occasionally, and then over time, learn how to right itself on a regular basis until he finally grows out of this awkward stage. Very small ducklings, when placed in the same pens as older, heavier ones will simply get knocked over in a flurry of activity. These are not the cases I’m referring to. I’m talking about the case where a young duckling spends most of his time on his back and ultimately gets trampled to death by the other ducks, dies from exhaustion from trying to right himself to no avail, or dies from starvation from the inability to reach food or water – unless you’ve intervened somehow on his behalf.