What just happened to my duckling? Seizure?

[RabbitMage]

Background: Ping is a ~2 week old Pekin duckling I purchased from TSC with three other ducks. They are eating unmedicated chick starter and water, and have started going outside during the day.

Okay, now here's what happened. I have the ducks inside at night, so I woke up to a squawk. Ping is over kind of on her side, head over her back, legs stuck out. I nudge her and she doesn't move and I can't tell if she's breathing, either. So I pick her up and rub her a bit and she comes out of it. She's breathing hard, dazed, and won't stand up, but she's alive! It's been about a half hour and she's laying with the other ducks, peeping quietly. I offered them some food by hand and she stood up and ate a bit, but she's still not really walking around or anything.

What just happened to her, and what can I do to keep it from happening again?

 

[Godsgrl]

Rabbit mage, the same thing happened to a couple posters on here with their ducklings, about the same age too. No idea what causes it, but you can try dribbling some sugar water along the beak to help revive the baby. Good luck, sorry I can't be of much help.

 

[RabbitMage]

Thanks. I wasn't home for part of the day, but for as long as I've been home, Ping's been just fine. Hopefully this was a one-time thing.

 

[RabbitMage]

She had another episode about 10 minutes ago. Cruising the internet I was able to find a little info. I added some sugar to their water for tonight to see if that helps any. Tomorrow I'm going to switch everyone over to game bird starter rather than the (supposedly) unmedicated chick starter they're on now.

Other than that, I'm not sure what else to do.

 

[eggchel]

When they throw their head over their back and flip or fall over, its called "star gazer" and is neurological. Sometimes they come out of it and sometimes they dont. It may be from a deficiency in Vit E, Cacium, or Niacin.

You might try some Poly-Vi-Sol liquid baby vitamins.