Why did the duckling turn its neck: causes of curvature and what to do, prevention
Breeding ducks in a private farm allows you to quickly get delicious meat to the family table and a significant profit to the budget. The bird grows quickly, gains weight well, does not require complex care. Beginning poultry farmers often have many questions, especially when it comes to small ducklings. There is no single answer to the question of why a duckling can twist its neck, so we will consider all possible options.
Why do ducklings twist their necks?
Children's neck twisting can be caused by vitamin deficiencies or infectious diseases. A crooked neck in a pet occurs when there is a lack of vitamins D, group B or calcium in the body.Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets. It is characterized by stunted growth, curvature of the bones and spine.
Lack of B vitamins (B2, B6, B12) is manifested by damage to the nervous system, convulsions and paralysis. At the same time, the ducklings stretch their neck, and it can twist.
Lack of calcium affects the condition of the spine and bones, causes their fragility, manifested by the curvature of the neck, paws, adult birds begin to lay eggs without shells, only in the shell membrane.
Many infectious diseases cause convulsions that stretch the neck of birds:
- Aspergillosis. A fungal infection that affects young animals. It is transmitted to the embryos, penetrates through the eggshell, ducklings are already born sick. In addition to convulsions, there is diarrhea, difficulty breathing, flow from the beak, inflammation of the eyes.
- Salmonellosis. Bacterial infection, it is characterized by an acute course and high mortality. Ducklings fall on their backs, stretch their necks and die.
- Pasteurellosis (cholera). Ducklings wheeze, there is diarrhea with an admixture of blood, the temperature rises, swelling of the joints and paws occurs.
The doctor should determine the disease and prescribe treatment. To protect ducklings from these diseases, young animals are vaccinated.
Non-infectious causes include goiter catarrh, when it is clogged with improperly prepared food. Sore throat and inability to swallow causes the neck to stretch and twist.
What to do in this case?
If a duckling (and especially several individuals) has a curvature of the neck, you should contact your veterinarian. Sick chicks must be isolated from he althy livestock and wait for the doctor's verdict. If an infection is suspected, laboratory tests are prescribed to determine the pathogen, and treatment is prescribed.With cholera, no treatment is prescribed, sick chicks are exterminated.
Important: many of the infections are transmitted to humans, care should be taken when caring for sick chicks.
To eliminate vitamin deficiency, it is necessary to add cottage cheese, dairy products (whey), green onion feathers, finely chopped nettles to the ducklings' feed. Grown up chicks are given bone meal, fodder yeast, finely ground shell rock. Chicks from 3 weeks old go for a walk.
In catarrh of the goiter, it is carefully released from the remnants of food by gentle pressure, they are given a 0.3% solution of lactic acid or a 0.2% solution of hydrochloric acid (food is not given for 24 hours). Then give the bird decoctions (oatmeal, rice, flaxseed) for 2-3 days.
Prevention measures
To avoid problems, you need to provide birds with a balanced diet, keep the house clean, and vaccinate chicks against infectious diseases on time. Birds should always have access to clean water, high-quality food is chosen, and dirty and rotten vegetables are not used for mash.
Good living conditions, quality bird care allow you to grow a he althy livestock. Systematic contact with the veterinarian will save the livestock from problems, and the owner from unnecessary worries.
Recommended
Why does a cow grind its teeth: causes and what to do, symptoms and prevention
Why there is no chewing gum in cows and calves, possible actions of the owner if the cow begins to grind her teeth, diseases in which this occurs, methods of treatment and prevention.
A goat has a bump on its neck: what it could be, how to detect and properly treat
A goat has a bump on its neck - what could it be, possible reasons, how to examine the animal. Treatment options and their effectiveness. The danger of untreated bumps on the neck.
Why did onion feathers turn white and what to do?
Sometimes, among the onion beds, pleasing with rich emerald color, a whitened tip of the pen catches the eye. Not all gardeners who plant such a crop know why this is happening.
