Brand new duck owner need help!

[Nsampsel]

I never fed wet food to my duckling either.

Just make sure they have plenty of water. Talking about this brings back memories of how messy ducks are compared to chicks. Mine used to take big beakfulls of food, then run over to the drinker, and drop it in, mix it all about, then scoop it up, shake their heads, splattering the walls and floor with slimy food! Then they would do it again and again as fast as they cold, back and forth.

Finally they would love to stamp it all about in the brooder, lay in the mess, and rub it all over their feathers before going to sleep. Yuck! Now I let my ducks raise their own ducklings on the pond......much easier for me!

LOL...my last batch went to the coop at just over a week old. In with chicks in the grow-out pen for another week & then in with my 2 older Mallard drakes (about 2 1/2 months old now, about 6 weeks older than the "babies") I got tired of the mess in the brooder & since there were 4 of them & temps were staying well above 50 at all times I knew they would be fine in with the chicks.

 

[ldutch123]

What age should I let them swim? They are about a week and they peep so loud because they want me to take them out to play I'm the yard and swim in the warm water I put out. I only allowed them to swim for a fee minutes cause I don't know if its ok

 

[TheDuckWoman]

What age should I let them swim? They are about a week and they peep so loud because they want me to take them out to play I'm the yard and swim in the warm water I put out. I only allowed them to swim for a fee minutes cause I don't know if its ok

hiya congrats on your babies! I'm not as experienced as others on here but I usually take them for their first swim in the first week, and just sit with them until they look like they want to get out. (Usually shown by trying to leap out in a suicidal fashion

)

 

[ldutch123]

We a having a problem finding just niacin. Is there a brand name or anything that u Guys and gals use? We found products that contained some niacin but it also had a lot of other things in it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We a having a problem finding just niacin. Is there a brand name or anything that u Guys and gals use? We found products that contained some niacin but it also had a lot of other things in it.

I would think just about any store from grocery to drug store to dollar store would carry niacin. generic even. I can't help you brand names since I used Brewers yeast.

 

[mnferalkitty]

I don't understand why you would even need to give them Niacin supplement? Are they not foraging? Is the feed your feeding them have no Niacin in it?

 

[ldutch123]

I don't understand why you would even need to give them Niacin supplement? Are they not foraging? Is the feed your feeding them have no Niacin in it?

They a just a week old and was advised to give them niacin until they are old enough to go out and forage.


I will look at a drug store instead I just wasnt sure if it is straight niacin people use or a mix

 

[Miss Lydia]

They a just a week old and was advised to give them niacin until they are old enough to go out and forage.
I will look at a drug store instead I just wasnt sure if it is straight niacin people use or a mix

Straight niacin and not time released. chick feed which most of us have to use because we can't get duck starter, use niacin to keep our ducklings from getting leg problems, especially if brooder raised. http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html

 

[ldutch123]

Straight niacin and not time released. chick feed which most of us have to use because we can't get duck starter, use niacin to keep our ducklings from getting leg problems, especially if brooder raised.     http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html

How do u suggest administering it? That article said a lot would go to waste. What has worked for u

 

[Nsampsel]

If you have access to Purina Flack Raiser it has sufficient levels of Niacin for Ducks & you shouldn't need to supplement. Just a work-saver suggestion. Not sure what you are feeding now, but the Flock Raiser is recommended for ducks up to laying age.