Duck keeping can be quite an emotional experience, there are highs when the bird is healthy and happy, and lows when the bird is sick or is worrying you. A duckling stuck on its back may be worrying to you.
This article looks into why your duckling keeps getting stuck on its back
Table of Contents
Duckling keeps getting stuck on back:
Understanding why your duck is doing certain things can help you get treatment for the bird.
This is what you need to know if your duckling keeps getting stuck on its back:
Incoordination:
One of the simplest reasons why your duckling may be stuck on its back may be that the bird is simply uncoordinated.
Young ducklings are just getting used to their bodies and can sometimes make mistakes like flipping onto their backs on accident.
What to do:
This is normal behavior and is not something that you should be worried about. The ducklings will learn how to operate their own bodies soon enough and will right themselves up when they fall as they age.
All you have to do is wait for the birds to get a bit older.
Sudden death syndrome:
One of the reasons why your duckling may be stuck on its back may be that the bird has a condition called sudden death syndrome.
The reason this condition is named this way is that the first sign that your bird is suffering from this condition may be that the bird suddenly dies. Another name for this condition is Duck Viral Enteritis.
Signs of this condition in your bird can’t be seen from the outside. A bird with this condition will develop hemorrhages in its body and necrosis of its gut.
Some birds who suffer from this condition may fall on their backs before suddenly dying, and this may be what you’re seeing.
Some birds may also flap their wings frantically, squeak, squawk, and gasp for air before dying.
What to do:
The best way to deal with this condition is to prevent your ducks from getting it in the first place, this involves making sure you have good biosecurity measures in place.
Wry neck:
Another reason why your duckling may be falling onto its back may be because the bird has a condition called wry neck.
The bird starts to fall onto its back because it is unable to keep its head up causing it to fall onto its back.
Causes of this condition include a vitamin deficiency, genetics, the ingestion of toxins, a head injury, or, it can develop as a symptom of another condition like aspergillosis, botulism, or Mareks disease.
What to do:
Figuring out what is causing the wry neck in your bird will guide you to what treatments to give your bird for this condition.
You can try to diagnose the bid yourself or you can take the bird to the vet for a diagnosis and treatment.
Toxoplasmosis:
Toxoplasmosis can also cause your duckling to flip and stay on its back.
This is a parasitic disease that can affect a wide variety of animals, ducks included. One of the first signs of a duckling suffering from this condition is flipping on its back.
Other signs of this condition in your birds include weight loss, diarrhea, blindness because the bird is grinding its eye on the floor trying to get up after falling back, paleness, and congestion.
What to do:
Supportive treatment is recommended if you think that your bird has this condition, this would include isolating the bird in a warm location and giving the bird its own food and water.
Taking your bird to the vet for an examination and treatment would be the next step. The vet will likely prescribe antiparasitic medications to treat your bird’s condition.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Do Ducks Hide Their Babies?, Egg Broke Inside Of Duck, Why Do Ducks Bite Your Feet?, How To Communicate With Ducks, How To Play With Baby Ducks, Why Does My Duck Jump On Me, How Does A Mother Duck Take Care Of Her Ducklings, Chick Sitting Back On Legs, Why Does My Duck Lay Flat?
