Very Poorly Duckling

[Anonymous]

Hi all
Hope there is someone with advice. I have a duckling that cannot walk or do anything just rolls on it's back and has a floppy neck. It must be a type of brain damage. I am feeding at the best i can, but the poor thing is suffering and dont know what to do. I can't kill it, as i have a disabled daughter and can't not give this poor little thing a chance. It is about 4 days old now. It does not use its legs or anything but kicks and peeps when it is on its back.

 

[peter wade]

farmgirl i think out of kindness you should do best thing for the duckling and end its misery its not fair to it,unfortunately its one of the things that goes with keeping animals

 

[Davidd]

Hello, as above- i think the kindest thing for the duckling would be to have it put to sleep - the quicker the better- it's not fair for it to suffer- very sad but keeping animals also has it's responsibilites.
regards, David

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys i know you are right. But how do i do it, so that it will not suffer to much and that i will not cry my eyes out?

 

[victorias poultry]

I find using the handle from a bucket the quickest and easiest way to despatch a duckling when needed. Put ducklings head on bucket rim, handle down onto neck and pull legs.

Hope I have not offended anyone

 

[Tim]

I would ask someone else to do it if you can't do it yourself but failing that, a vet will do it for you.

I agree with the above. When keeping animals we have a responsibility and sadly, sometimes we have to make hard decisions.

I cried my heart out when I dispatched my first bird - but I had to face up to facts that hatching chicks would produce too many cockerels and if I wanted to do this, I had to accept this.

It's never easy, even now, years after that first experience but it's kinder to the duckling, it will probably starve if you don't - they need to dabble in water and feed almost constantly when young.

 

[Anonymous]

I sincerely hope that you did not put your duck to death - even though I appreciate why if you did, but for future reference, we had a duck with the exact same problem and how we did it was to put him in the veranda and give him garlic and warm water. We even called him floppy because of this, but now he is so big and certainly not floppy.

I wish I had joined this site sooner, so as to give this information.

 

[foxy]

I think it is a very difficult call. Ducklings are usually robust and strong when they hatch, my runners are racing around and growing like weeds its seems in front of my eyes :shock:

I would always give a weak duckling a few days post hatch to try and catch up with its hatch mates, usually they are just those that have takes ages to hatch and are a little tired. Duckling presenting with paralysis, neurological abnormalites, or other deformaties is despatched. I have to say this is very, very rare, but still a sad time.

The symptoms farmergirl described and at that age, particulary the concern around the suffering. leave with me with no doubt that the kindest thing would be to humanely despatch the duckling.