Confused about Niacin

[DellaMyDarling]

Do my older ducks need supplemental niacin? Approx 1 year old.
Do my young ducks need supplemental niacin? Approx 11 weeks old.

They are fed an all flock pellet, 20%.
To also consider: one of the younger ducks seems to have some leg struggles. Nothing I can outright pinpoint, just waddles a little funnier, runs much slower, trips more than the other youngster. Wondering if youngster needs a tad more niacin.

If they do need niacin...
Today I went out with some peas. Youngsters were way more intrigued but everyone got some. Is simply adding peas to their feed enough of a supplement? Seems the simplest option, grocery store always has peas!

Looked on Amazon for niacin, yeast, etc. Some of the best deals had confusing info. Such as, manufacturer stating "no B vitamins in product" but a screenshot of label said "niacin 30%" DV. Umh...niacin is a B vitamin last time I knew.

Went to both local feed store and Tractor Supply. TS employees had no clue what I was talking about. Did not appear, in any aisle, to have anything labeled niacin, B supplement, yeast, etc. They said no one has ever asked for such a thing.

What do you buy?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

It all depends on how you keep your ducks: If they are locked away in a closed run without fresh vegetation and insects to feast on your ducks will need a whole bunch of additional vitamin supplies, additional to the standard poultry feed.
If your ducks can run around a larger area where they can forage, no additional vitamins necessary.
However there's nothing more connecting you with your duckies than hand feeding them healthy treats like meal worms or peas or …

 

[DellaMyDarling]

I feel strongly about letting my animals free range if able. Unfortunately, these ducks don't trust us humans yet and every time I let them out I couldn't get them to return. Running around at 10pm looking for ducks is...crappy.
Some days I herd them with an 8' 2x2 to my fenced garden. You'd think that would be duck heaven! They tend to just stand there
So...I think for now they need what their feed doesn't provide, if anyone can clue me in.

 

[Jpat]

how many ducks do you have?

this bottle from Tractor supply store is what most people use and treats many gallons of water

Do you have tractor supply store near you?


Human B vitamin complex is a lower concentration so youd need alot to treat alot of ducks

The thing with the Niacin is itll only help... If they dont need it then no harm but if they need it itll work wonders. Best to use it for a month and monitor

 

[DellaMyDarling]

how many ducks do you have?

this bottle from Tractor supply store is what most people use and treats many gallons of water View attachment 1783287

Do you have tractor supply store near you?


Human B vitamin complex is a lower concentration so youd need alot to treat alot of ducks

The thing with the Niacin is itll only help... If they dont need it then no harm but if they need it itll work wonders. Best to use it for a month and monitor

That is helpful!
I do, but they had no idea what I was talking about. Now I know why so many of the chicks die in store...

The way my ducks waste water...can I put that on food?
What about dry supplement options?

 

[Jpat]

you can find pill form, you open the pill and its powdered inside

i think @Cayuga momma was talking about it a few days ago

Eitherway you want basic niacin, Not slow release, thats bad for their kidneys and livers

you can give it anyway that gets it into them

if its powdered vitamins you could mix it into feed

if its liquid you could soak meal worms in it

 

[Cayuga momma]

Do my older ducks need supplemental niacin? Approx 1 year old.
Do my young ducks need supplemental niacin? Approx 11 weeks old.

They are fed an all flock pellet, 20%.
To also consider: one of the younger ducks seems to have some leg struggles. Nothing I can outright pinpoint, just waddles a little funnier, runs much slower, trips more than the other youngster. Wondering if youngster needs a tad more niacin.

If they do need niacin...
Today I went out with some peas. Youngsters were way more intrigued but everyone got some. Is simply adding peas to their feed enough of a supplement? Seems the simplest option, grocery store always has peas!

Looked on Amazon for niacin, yeast, etc. Some of the best deals had confusing info. Such as, manufacturer stating "no B vitamins in product" but a screenshot of label said "niacin 30%" DV. Umh...niacin is a B vitamin last time I knew.

Went to both local feed store and Tractor Supply. TS employees had no clue what I was talking about. Did not appear, in any aisle, to have anything labeled niacin, B supplement, yeast, etc. They said no one has ever asked for such a thing.

What do you buy?

Hello

Here is the down low on niacin in peas.
1 cup of peas has 3 mg of niacin, but peas are considered a treat and 1 duck per day should have no more than 1 tblsp & 1 tsp of treats. So you wouldn't be able to give them the amount they would need to get enough niacin.

All flock 20% I am assuming that is the Purina brand which has 55 mg of niacin per kg of food. Which is exactly what they need (unless they are pekins than they need 70 mg)

So what 55 mg of niacin per kg of feed means is for every kg of food they eat its needs to have 55 mg of niacin in it. 1 duck eats about .2 kg of food a day, so 1 duck needs 11 mg of niacin a day.

Now your All flock will say it has the amount needed, but the older the bag is the more nutrients it loses and that's why a lot of people supplement with other types of niacin.

For day to day, Brewers yeast or Nutritional yeast is good. Most like to add 1 tblsp for each cup of food.

Also getting the liquid B complex that @Jpat posted above is great to have on hand for emergencies.

Hope this helps

 

[Texag87]

I am such a fan of the brewers yeast from amazon that I give it to my old Lab. It is now taking the place of the hundred dollar a month joint supplements and she is doing great.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Do my older ducks need supplemental niacin? Approx 1 year old.
Do my young ducks need supplemental niacin? Approx 11 weeks old.

They are fed an all flock pellet, 20%.

Completely depends on what food (brand, etc.) you're feeding. I recommend reading this chart and comparing if to the feed you're giving them.

While peas provide supplemental niacin and can be a helpful additive, they are usually not enough to fix an existing deficiency. In most cases, neither is Brewer's yeast. To fix a deficiency, you generally need one or more concentrated doses of the vitamin in question. The recommended dose of niacin is at least 30 mg/kg.

 

[sylviethecochin]

If your ducks can run around a larger area where they can forage, no additional vitamins necessary.

Not necessarily true. My parents used to keep goats, which foraged over a very large area. (EDT: pasture and forest) They had vitamin E (or possibly selenium) deficiencies if we didn't provide minerals on the side.