Wobbly Duckling. Need advice ASAP

[GentFarmer]

3 weeks old.
Welsh Harlequin.
Can't stand up. Falls over on its side and can't right itself.
Other 9 ducklings appear healthy and happy.

Sorry for short sentences. Typing 1 handed while holding duckling in towel.

 

[Emu Island]

Hey... are there any other symptoms? Watery eyes? Labored breathing?

 

[GentFarmer]

Hey... are there any other symptoms? Watery eyes? Labored breathing?

none. drinking and eating when hand feeding. peeping and calling normally.

 

[Emu Island]

I only saw something like that once where a duckling suddenly got wobbly and what little walking it could do was backwards. It lasted a few hours and then the duckling snapped out of it. While it was acting abnormally I encouraged it to drink as much water as I could to help flush out its system just in case it was something the duckling had ingested. Also, I put it in the bathroom and ran a hot steamy shower... again, I was in the dark as to what was wrong so I just tried whatever I could think of. The duckling recovered - these things may or may not help but you won't know if you don't try.

Keep it separated from the other ducklings just in case.

 

[subhanalah]

You can try a flush for toxins, as well as activated charcoal.

What food are you feeding?

 

[GentFarmer]

You can try a flush for toxins, as well as activated charcoal.

What food are you feeding?

They're on an organic, unmedicated starter/grower crumble after transitioning from unmedicated starter. I've been adding brewers yeast to the feed.

I've had her wrapped in a towel in my lap, and she's been eagerly eating and drinking from two small cups. I now have her isolated in a box, where she appears to be comfortable. She's trying to stand up, and not quite as wobbly. I'm wondering now if she was dehydrated. It was just all out of the blue and sudden. All other ducklings are aces, which makes this one even more baffling.

 

[Emu Island]

It could be dehydration. Ducklings need a constant supply of clean water. It should be deep enough that they can dip their bills in it up to the nostrils.

Keep encouraging her to drink water and keep her quiet and separated from the others.

I see you are new to Welsh Harlequins. They are the sweetest duck ever!

 

[Emu Island]

With 10 Harlequins the others could have been pushing her away from the water. She may just be the beta of the group.

 

[subhanalah]

It could be a vitamin deficiency, some duckling's systems Metabolize/synthesize niacin more efficiently than others. Was it chick starter you were using before? Do you happen to know the niacin content of your new feed?

Im sure they do, but do they have access to water deep enough ago dunk their whole heads in 24/7? Maybe you can set up more watering stations for her (and maybe feed stations as well,if they out compete for water, they probably do for food too)

 

[GentFarmer]

It could be dehydration. Ducklings need a constant supply of clean water. It should be deep enough that they can dip their bills in it up to the nostrils.

Keep encouraging her to drink water and keep her quiet and separated from the others.

I see you are new to Welsh Harlequins. They are the sweetest duck ever!

Yep. First go-round with ducks.

And they've got plenty of water. I've got some rather detailed descriptions of my whole set up in some other duck threads.

Earlier today, I found her laying down on her stomach with both legs outstretched. She had sort of wedged herself between the feed/water tote and the side of the brooder box. When I got her out of the jam, she appeared fine if a little shaky. After a couple of hours being here with me, and now isolated in a box of straw, she seems to have settled for the night and fallen asleep.