Wobbly duckling normal?

[Tia Z.]

I just got my first duckling, it is a mallard and is still small enough to fit in your hand. It is really wobbly though, when it eats and drinks it shakes its head and falls over a little. And if it tries to clean itself it will fall backward. Is this normal? How long should ducklings be wobbly for? I'm nervous because I had a bad turkey experience with the same symptoms that didn't end well.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Did the duckling just hatch? If so then she should still be a little wobbly on her feet from hatching.

If you got her from a feed store then she may have been picked on by the other duckling.

I hope somebody else can help you better.

 

[Tia Z.]

She's probably 5 days old or less, I'm guessing, she was a rescue after the mom was killed so I'm not sure how long she was left to fend for herself. She seems to swim okay.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Can she eat/drink okay? Can she walk? Is she warm enough? If she keeps falling over put a towel or something beside her so she can't fall over.

Can she sleep? Can you tell if shes growing?

 

[Amiga]

Niacin deficiency can be a problem, or just general malnutrition or possibly injury.

Can you give her some duck vitamins? I use Vitamins & Electrolytes Plus. Gro gel is another supplement that could help, or help rule out nutritional deficiency.

I would just make sure she is warm enough, fed enough, watered enough, and cuddled enough (if she is okay with that last part), and keep an eye on her. Some ducklings are just wobbly for a while.

 

[Tia Z.]

We just got her yesterday so today was the first day we were able to get it on the duck starter mash. When she eats it seems like quite an ordeal, lots of head shaking and bill flapping. I'm not sure if that's normal but she definitely has an appetite. Unless we are holding her and playing with her she doesn't walk around much and just stays on the heating pad. Tomorrow I will get her on the vitamins and electrolytes, thanks for that tip.

 

[duckluck]

Quote:
What Amiga said. I would give her the concentrated dose listed on the package, if it is the package I am thinking. Getting some Poly-Vi-Sol infant vitamins without the iron would also help...put a squirt in a dish and dip the ducklings beak in it. The duckling won't like it but that should help. Try this every 12 hours for a day, and make sure she is hydrating about every hour with the water/electrolyte blend listed above, even if you have to hold her and coax her to drink. You can let up when she is able to walk around on her own and right herself after she falls over.

 

[duckluck]

Oh, and if the duck starter mash seems too big for her to eat, like it sometimes is for smaller Call duck babies, put some in a Ziploc bag and mash it into powder with the flat side of a hammer. It is then easier to eat.

 

[Amiga]

Moistening a small bit of food, perhaps with the vitamin drink, and hand feeding might help. Helps the bonding a little, too.

I think you know not to leave moist food out because it will begin to mold, and that is toxic to ducklings.

 

[EliseSwitzer1]

I have 5 ducklings about a week old. Yesterday one started displaying all these things. I got it the Save-a-Chick Electrolytes and Save-a-Chick Probiotics that go in their water. They have food, water, heat....this morning another is starting to look a little wobbly and the first doesn't look any better. Someone also mentioned it could be the beginning of a calcium deficiency. Their food has some calcium and the Save-a-Chick stuff has a bit too I think. I gave them some egg shells and dirt for their micro nutrients, should I be getting a calcium supplement for on their food or would that be too much....
How long do the electrolytes/vitamins need in order to take effect? is there anything else I should be doing?!?! Thank you!!