DUCKLING ACTING STRANGE

[elziebellyt]

my mother duck hatched 10 beautiful babies a week ago and they all were going on strong; eating and drinking etc. one of them (the smallest) i have noticed today has been very sleepy, not as hyper as the rest and isn’t really eating. i’m slightly worried. i have seen her poop and it looks normal. she huddles up with her siblings under the lamp and drinks but she isn’t interested in her food. i have tried to stick her beak in her food but she just shakes her head to get it off her beak. i also noticed she kept opening her beak to breathe i think but there wasn’t anything noticeable in her nostrils. anyone have any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Your brooding the duckling and not mama?

 

[elziebellyt]

Your brooding the duckling and not mama?

yes. we have cats and dogs that roam the same place as the mother it was to keep them safe. they have been doing fine without her. i have a 4 week old duckling that i have put in there and the babies have unprinted on him

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you know the temp in your brooder? What are you feeding them? Are you offering any niacin? It’s really hard to say what might be going on, could be failure to thrive. Have you seen it eating before today?

 

[elziebellyt]

Do you know the temp in your brooder? What are you feeding them? Are you offering any niacin? It’s really hard to say what might be going on, could be failure to thrive. Have you seen it eating before today?

not sure but the others seem fine with the temperature. i’m feeding them chick crumb. no not offering niacin as my breeder told me there is enough protein in their food as it caused problems for my others. she has been eating since she hatched but hasn’t really today

 

[Brooke_R]

not sure but the others seem fine with the temperature. i’m feeding them chick crumb. no not offering niacin as my breeder told me there is enough protein in their food as it caused problems for my others. she has been eating since she hatched but hasn’t really today

If you’re giving them chick crumbles instead of duck crumbles, they will definitely need added niacin. I add 1 tbs nutritional yeast for niacin to 1 cup of chick crumbles. I don’t see how added niacin could hurt them but not giving it will hurt them. That might be the issue. I’d start adding that and maybe some save a chick electrolytes to help them feel better

 

[Miss Lydia]

The Nutritional yeast is my go to when I have ducklings. Niacin has nothing to do with protein, niacin is B3 and is very important for leg strength and growth. Chick starter does not have enough niacin in it for waterfowl babies. If one gets a niacin deficiency and is left untreated it will eventually kill the duckling. Symptoms are lameness unsteady gait, falling over, weakness. I would def start all your ducklings on Nutritional yeast and this little one also needs something like Poultry Nutri Drench or save a chick.
Here is more info on niacin deficiency
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

 

[elziebellyt]

update: she is getting worse. breathing realt heavy not eating or drinking. we think this is her last night

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm so sorry to hear this.

 

[elziebellyt]

I'm so sorry to hear this.

anything i can do