One of my three little ducklings randomly falling over

[ctroxtell]

We picked up an assortment of chicks and 3 ducks a few days ago. I noticed just a few minutes ago when the duckling went to walk they would fall over ending up on its little back and would begin flapping and kicking. After giving the duckling some time the duckling is back up on its feet. Is this anything to be concerned with? We've fed them the Medicated Purina Start & Grow and chick grit.

 

[nuthatched]

The ducklings need extra niacin, can you get nutritional yeast?

 

[ctroxtell]

My wife may have some with all the home cooking she does. Do we just mix it in with the food? The ducks and chicks are in the same area.

 

[nuthatched]

My wife may have some with all the home cooking she does. Do we just mix it in with the food? The ducks and chicks are in the same area.

It won't hurt the chicks at all. 1 tbs per cup of feed.

 

[ctroxtell]

Okay, great! The wife has some, we just mixed some up for them.

 

[HeritageFan]

Ducklings should not be on medicated feed based on my research- I have always started them on non medicated feed.
@Miss Lydia
@Eggcessive
@New duck mommy 2021 - can you back me up on this?

And. Nutritional yeast is a great Niacin supplement - but you may need something more potent to get the lil dude that is struggling back up to speed.

I’ve had good success w Durvet Vitamin B (liquid, injectable for cattle) supplement, available at most feed stores.
You need a syringe (w a needle) to draw it up from the bottle, and then it is squirted over some dry mealworms or soldier fly larvae to encourage them to get the full dose (no injection for the ducky application )

You may need to separate that baby when giving the supplement to be certain that s/he gets it all.
Swim therapy can also help, if it is warm enough where you are.
Separate the little one, offer some supervised pool time, then give the “treats” would be my recommendation, if possible- and 2x daily. You will need to continue treatment about a week after s/he begins walking normally again.

How much does this baby weigh, so we can get you the correct dose?
(A guess is ok.... but a week old Khaki Campbell is a different “bear” than a 6 week old pekin )

 

[CoriM]

Agree with above poster, ducklings should not be fed "medicated" chick feed. They have different nutritional needs - you can do chick food with added niacin, but definitely not the medicated form. They need more niacin than chicks in order for their legs to develop properly.

 

[ctroxtell]

Ducklings should not be on medicated feed based on my research- I have always started them on non medicated feed.
@Miss Lydia
@Eggcessive
@New duck mommy 2021 - can you back me up on this?

And. Nutritional yeast is a great Niacin supplement - but you may need something more potent to get the lil dude that is struggling back up to speed.

I’ve had good success w Durvet Vitamin B (liquid, injectable for cattle) supplement, available at most feed stores.
You need a syringe (w a needle) to draw it up from the bottle, and then it is squirted over some dry mealworms or soldier fly larvae to encourage them to get the full dose (no injection for the ducky application )

You may need to separate that baby when giving the supplement to be certain that s/he gets it all.
Swim therapy can also help, if it is warm enough where you are.
Separate the little one, offer some supervised pool time, then give the “treats” would be my recommendation, if possible- and 2x daily. You will need to continue treatment about a week after s/he begins walking normally again.

How much does this baby weigh, so we can get you the correct dose?
(A guess is ok.... but a week old Khaki Campbell is a different “bear” than a 6 week old pekin )

I think these are Runner ducks, I will have to get my scale to weigh the duckling. So if they don't need the medicated food will they need to be separated from the chicks or how does that work?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Make sure it's nutritional yeast and not baking yeast. Big difference. But when one is already has a problem liquid B complex is better.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...dicated-feed-the-myths-and-the-truth.1247838/
Info on liquid B complex and dose for age of ducklings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

I hope you helped the little duckling right itself when it was on its back. That can be very stressful for one.

It takes a little effort but you can get the top off the bottle without having to use a syringe to get the liquid out. Then just use the rubber stopper to keep it fresh and place in the frig. Don't give it cold to your young duckling though.

You may want to have 2 brooders going anyway the ducklings are much messier than the chicks and you don't want the chicks wet.
ideas
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-to-set-up-a-duckling-brooder.75719/
something else put the chick grit in a separate container from their feed they will use it as needed.

 

[ctroxtell]

Make sure it's nutritional yeast and not baking yeast. Big difference. But when one is already has a problem liquid B complex is better.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...dicated-feed-the-myths-and-the-truth.1247838/
Info on liquid B complex and dose for age of ducklings.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

I hope you helped the little duckling right itself when it was on its back. That can be very stressful for one.

Okay, well that is good that the medicated food isn't bad for them. We did help the little duckling, my little wife was ready to cry thinking she had done something wrong when she got the duckling out to spend some time with it. We initially just helped it back onto its little feet and it would just fall right back over, ended up picking it up to check its little legs and sat it back down. Given just a minute it was back up and running around.