Duckling not doing well

[Brailey]

My ducks are a little over a week old, I noticed one of the ducklings hasn’t grown since he’s hatched. The others are 3x his size! In the last 2 days I’ve noticed he’s stumbling and he’s breathing heavily with his mouth open. I sometimes here a clicking when he’s breathing. I’ve added probiotics to his water but I’m not sure if he’s drinking or eating at this point I called my vet and they don’t deal with birds unfortunately. Any suggestions on what’s going on? Or what I can try to help this little guy

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What feed are you feeding and are you supplementing with any vitamin supplements?

 

[Brailey]

What feed are you feeding and are you supplementing with any vitamin supplements?

What feed are you feeding and are you supplementing with any vitamin supplements?

 

[Brailey]

I’m feeding a Duck & Goose starter crumble. I haven’t been giving vitamins as no where in town here has anything

 

[Brooke_R]

My ducks are a little over a week old, I noticed one of the ducklings hasn’t grown since he’s hatched. The others are 3x his size! In the last 2 days I’ve noticed he’s stumbling and he’s breathing heavily with his mouth open. I sometimes here a clicking when he’s breathing. I’ve added probiotics to his water but I’m not sure if he’s drinking or eating at this point I called my vet and they don’t deal with birds unfortunately. Any suggestions on what’s going on? Or what I can try to help this little guy

Have you been giving him electrolytes along with the probiotics? If not those should help, may not solve the issue though. If he’s not drinking maybe try dipping the end of his bill without dipping his nostrils in the water. Or putting a drop of water on the edge of his bill. Sounds like what you’re feeding probably has enough niacin but you could try adding more just in case. Can you find nutritional yeast at the grocery store?

 

[Brailey]

Have you been giving him electrolytes along with the probiotics? If not those should help, may not solve the issue though. If he’s not drinking maybe try dipping the end of his bill without dipping his nostrils in the water. Or putting a drop of water on the edge of his bill. Sounds like what you’re feeding probably has enough niacin but you could try adding more just in case. Can you find nutritional yeast at the grocery store?

I’ve started syringe feeding him electrolytes and some probiotics (just adding a drop with the syringe to his bill) I can definitely get some yeast! How do I feed him that?

 

[BelovedBirds]

I’ve started syringe feeding him electrolytes and some probiotics (just adding a drop with the syringe to his bill) I can definitely get some yeast! How do I feed him that?

make sure its nutritional yeast, not bread yeast, add one tbsp of nutritious yeast to every 1 cup of food. It will give him a boost of niacin

 

[Miss Lydia]

Or if not eating get liquid B complex that can be given straight and same way your doing the probiotics.

 

[Brooke_R]

I’ve started syringe feeding him electrolytes and some probiotics (just adding a drop with the syringe to his bill) I can definitely get some yeast! How do I feed him that?

You sprinkle 1 tbs of it into each 1 cup of food. You can probably put a little extra in case they need it too. Make sure it’s nutritional yeast instead of like regular yeast for making bread

 

[Brailey]

make sure its nutritional yeast, not bread yeast, add one tbsp of nutritious yeast to every 1 cup of food. It will give him a boost of niacin

Awesome! Thank you