1 duckling with niacin defiency, only eating mealworm for now and 1 more duckling not eating or drinking at all.

[lychi]

Hi community of BYC, with heavy heart I have 2 ducklings with problems.

First duckling have niacin defiency and is only eating mealworm for now. Tried to feed peas and carrots but the duckling doesn't eat at all. Doesn't show interest at all. Now I've been adding vitamins into their drinking water. Any tips on letting the duckling eat other food?

Second duckling does not show interest in food at all and it has been 3days. I tried feeding food via force feeding but it is not enough. Further things to take note is that this duckling will spasm about 2 to 4 times daily when agitated. Any tips on saving them?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you treating for niacin deficiency? Do you also have feed for ducklings or chicks? peas and carrots aren't going to keep them healthy.
They need a feed formulated for poultry preferably for water fowl but if you can't get it then chick starter grower.
Try taking their feed and making it soupy with warm water they may eat it that way.
Also how are you treating the niacin deficiency? any chance of a video or pictures of your ducklings How old are they?
Treating for a niacin deficiency that is already going on is Liquid B complex it is the best and fastest way to treat and depending on how long it's been going on depends on how they recover.
Here is info on niacin deficiency and what to get to treat it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
any time you force feed there is always a chance of aspiration so please be careful. Tube feeding can help get one back to helalth but you need to know how and what you need to do it. We can help there too.

Welcome to BYC

 

[Quatie]

Are you treating for niacin deficiency? Do you also have feed for ducklings or chicks? peas and carrots aren't going to keep them healthy.
They need a feed formulated for poultry preferably for water fowl but if you can't get it then chick starter grower.
Try taking their feed and making it soupy with warm water they may eat it that way.
Also how are you treating the niacin deficiency? any chance of a video or pictures of your ducklings How old are they?
Treating for a niacin deficiency that is already going on is Liquid B complex it is the best and fastest way to treat and depending on how long it's been going on depends on how they recover.
Here is info on niacin deficiency and what to get to treat it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
any time you force feed there is always a chance of aspiration so please be careful. Tube feeding can help get one back to help but you need to know how and what you need to do it. We can help there too.

Welcome to BYC

Miss Lydia gave you great advice.

To add to that, are you providing grit? The food you described requires grit to breakdown in their crop.

 

[lychi]

Are you treating for niacin deficiency? Do you also have feed for ducklings or chicks? peas and carrots aren't going to keep them healthy.
They need a feed formulated for poultry preferably for water fowl but if you can't get it then chick starter grower.
Try taking their feed and making it soupy with warm water they may eat it that way.
Also how are you treating the niacin deficiency? any chance of a video or pictures of your ducklings How old are they?
Treating for a niacin deficiency that is already going on is Liquid B complex it is the best and fastest way to treat and depending on how long it's been going on depends on how they recover.
Here is info on niacin deficiency and what to get to treat it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/
any time you force feed there is always a chance of aspiration so please be careful. Tube feeding can help get one back to helalth but you need to know how and what you need to do it. We can help there too.

Welcome to BYC

Hi, my ducklings looked more alive now as they started eating the pallets and look more energetic. Now I need to focus on treating one of them with the niacin deficiency. I have been adding vitamins Bs syrup into their drinking water to bring back their niacin level up. And noted for the danger of force feeding, I'll definitely be careful on that

 

[lychi]

Miss Lydia gave you great advice.

To add to that, are you providing grit? The food you described requires grit to breakdown in their crop.

Even if just pallets and cut up vegetables, they still need the grits?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Even if just pallets and cut up vegetables, they still need the grits?

Yes. The pellets are easily digested, but they need grit for the vegetables and anything else.

 

[lychi]

Yes. The pellets are easily digested, but they need grit for the vegetables and anything else.

I'll try to find the grit for them then, thank you!

 

[lychi]

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSRyduKUn/
Update so far. The one outside is recovering from lack of vitamins and getting stronger, eating food. The one in the blue box is still having bow leg and unable to stand on both feet. Did put him in the water and let him move around to relieve some stress on his standing leg. Hopefully he can recover from it

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since you have niacin deficiency already showing, I'd use the liquid B complex over a tasty treat they love so they get the whole dose not diluted by water. Just take a small treat and put the B over it. 1ml for each duckling.
Great to hear your are seeing improvement.

 

[Canadian Wind]

I'll try to find the grit for them then, thank you!

If they are very young, you can use simple sand for the grit, but make sure to sanitize it first by rinsing it then boiling or baking.