Wobbly duckling

[FortCluck]

We went to a chicken swap last week and bought two Muscovies. One was really wobbly since minute we got it home... I assume the breeder knew this animal was wobbly and not in perfect health, but that's a story for a different day.

Some days she doesn't fall at all, but today she has fallen twice and could not get back up. I picked her up and put non-slip grip duct taped to an xl dog kennel floor, it seems to be helping.

I've been giving her supplements like vitamin b complex, nutritional yeast, and I use all flock raiser feed with oatmeal/herbs/rooster booster vitamins added to it.

I really don't know what is wrong with her and I am very upset at this point. She is such a beautiful duckling and I really want her to recover. She does not seem to be suffering, the only suffering I can see is when she can't get off the ground but now she is in a kennel with non-slip grip so she can walk.

There are no veterinarians that do ducks in the area so I am basically left to my own knowledge (I used to work in a veterinary office as a vet tech). I have not seen any physical signs or indicators that the animal is hurt, I do believe that this might be a spinal issue or something neurological that happens when hatched.

Any advice or help you can give me would be great...

 

[Miss Lydia]

If nothing you’ve been using has helped, maybe it’s birth defect. She isn’t able to walk on the ground but can walk where you have the tape? If Neurological sometimes the liquid B complex helps. I just don’t know what else you can try. And with out a diagnosis hard to pin point she could have been dropped after hatch or injured before you got her since she was with the breeder for a few weeks right?

 

[FortCluck]

If nothing you’ve been using has helped, maybe it’s birth defect. She isn’t able to walk on the ground but can walk where you have the tape? If Neurological sometimes the liquid B complex helps. I just don’t know what else you can try. And with out a diagnosis hard to pin point she could have been dropped after hatch or injured before you got her since she was with the breeder for a few weeks right?

She was with the breeder for 4 weeks, I got her at 4 weeks old...

I have the non-slip shelving inserts duct taped to the kennel floor because she could not walk on the kennel floor even with the wood chips She would slip and fall and land on her side.

Some days I think she's making a turnaround, but then she goes right back to being wobbly and falling over. The reason why I put her in the kennel is because she's been falling more frequently the past two days. I also think if I put her by herself that she will get the correct dosing of everything I'm giving instead of having to share it with everyone. I don't really like chasing her around the yard to catch had because she falls and panics.

There are no vets anywhere in my area that take ducks or chickens, they only accept larger farm animals. It's quite a pity because they'd make good money with all the duck and chicken owners in the area.

When we bought this duck we heard about another duck that this breeder uses and supposably its eggs were too small to be incubated and the chicks that she did incubate from those eggs were having issues... I think possibly Taco is a hatchling from this duck and instead of the breeder taking care of the problem, she passed it on to somebody else... This duckling is honestly lucky because anyone else I know would have already euthanized her. I just can't see doing it when she is thriving with her disability, she just can't get up after she's fallen on her side. She's eating and drinking just like the other ducklings. She does seem to be growing at a slower rate, but nothing that is alarming.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay so get her on the liquid b complex full dose and lets see if that helps along with what else your doing. at 6 weeks? I'd try 1 ml morning 1 ml evening. for a week.

 

[FortCluck]

She also likes going into the pond and swimming.

I just didn't feel safe leaving her outside in the heat if she's going to keep falling over and not be able to get back up. I am usually home, but there are times when I have stuff to do, I fear that something bad will happen if she's on her side and I can't get to her. There are also predators around so a duckling that is struggling on its side is definitely going to attract one and I don't want that happening.

 

[FortCluck]

Okay so get her on the liquid b complex full dose and lets see if that helps along with what else your doing. at 6 weeks? I'd try 1 ml morning 1 ml evening. for a week.

Ok thank you!

I'm not happy about this duckling being in this condition, But I am happy that all of the ducklings we could have chose from we got her. Who knows where she would have ended up by the end of the swap.

She's very sweet and when she sees me she gets all excited and talks to me. I have to keep the door closed in the room that she's in because our beagle is a hunter.

Thank you for your help. I feel like I'm caring for a baby because every noise I go peak at her. I'll be sleep deprived for the next week

 

[Miss Lydia]

She sure is blessed to have you caring for her. It’s sad when they have a disability but it’s amazing how they can adapt, but hopefully having the extra TLC and b complex will make a big difference. Maybe you can take her out so the others can see her so when you do put her back they don’t look at her as a newbie!

 

[FortCluck]

She sure is blessed to have you caring for her. It’s sad when they have a disability but it’s amazing how they can adapt, but hopefully having the extra TLC and b complex will make a big difference. Maybe you can take her out so the others can see her so when you do put her back they don’t look at her as a newbie!

So I've been watching her all day, now she's not wobbly Her tail is down for the first time since we got her... This girl has me scratching me head. I'll keep her inside for a few days then test her outside again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you give her the liquid B complex today.

 

[FortCluck]

Did you give her the liquid B complex today.

Yup... Along with peas and nutritional yeast. She loves nutritional yeast