Ducklings bill’s turning white

[Quacking ducks]

A week ago I had some ducklings hatch. They were all fine for about 5-6 days then they started not acting right and their bills and legs turned very pale/white. Shortly after I found them they just started dying.

I’ve hatched over a 100 ducklings and chicks this year already and I haven’t had this problem before.

Any ideas what happened? What is wrong with them? Is their any way to save the other ducklings?
Thanks

Before

After

 

[Miss Lydia]

What are you feeding them and any supplements?

 

[Quacking ducks]

What are you feeding them and any supplements?

This is what I have fed all my ducklings and chicks all year. no I haven’t been giving them any supplements, I did just give them some brewers yeast

 

[Miss Lydia]

I honestly have never seen a ducklings bill or legs go from original color to white it sounds like Anemia.

For one chick starter doesn't have adequate niacin which is very important for leg strength. Fine for chicks but not for duckings. I use chick starter too but use Nutritional yeast to cover the lack of Niacin in the feed [b3} That maybe the problem too . When one is having problems though Liquid B complex is the way to treat it works best. As for anemia I found this online. Sounds like peas which ducklings/ducks love may help.

Anemia in ducklings can be fatal if left untreated because it prevents organs from getting enough oxygen to function properly. It is important for ducklings to have enough iron in their diet to prevent anemia, which is caused by a lack of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells.2 Excessive onion consumption can lead to deposition of thiosulfate, which can cause anemia.3 Frozen peas are an excellent source of iron, which helps build healthy red blood cells in baby ducks.0 Onions are toxic to ducks, but can be fed raw. Fresh or canned vegetables, dried beans, corn, and iceberg lettuce are safe foods for ducklings, but avoid iceberg lettuce and dried beans.1

 

[Quacking ducks]

I honestly have never seen a ducklings bill or legs go from original color to white it sounds like Anemia.

For one chick starter doesn't have adequate niacin which is very important for leg strength. Fine for chicks but not for duckings. I use chick starter too but use Nutritional yeast to cover the lack of Niacin in the feed [b3} That maybe the problem too . When one is having problems though Liquid B complex is the way to treat it works best. As for anemia I found this online. Sounds like peas which ducklings/ducks love may help.

Anemia in ducklings can be fatal if left untreated because it prevents organs from getting enough oxygen to function properly. It is important for ducklings to have enough iron in their diet to prevent anemia, which is caused by a lack of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells.2 Excessive onion consumption can lead to deposition of thiosulfate, which can cause anemia.3 Frozen peas are an excellent source of iron, which helps build healthy red blood cells in baby ducks.0 Onions are toxic to ducks, but can be fed raw. Fresh or canned vegetables, dried beans, corn, and iceberg lettuce are safe foods for ducklings, but avoid iceberg lettuce and dried beans.1

Thank you! I just gave them some peas and they loved them!!! Hopefully it helps

 

[BelovedBirds]

Thank you! I just gave them some peas and they loved them!!! Hopefully it helps

Be sure to give them some chick grit in a little dish so that they can digest the treats properly. Hopefully the little one gets back to normal soon

 

[Aki no niwatori]

Peas are a solid win for all of my ducklings. You can also give them mealworms. I like to give them some floating in the water to let them kinda forage for them.

 

[Aki no niwatori]

I honestly have never seen a ducklings bill or legs go from original color to white it sounds like Anemia.

For one chick starter doesn't have adequate niacin which is very important for leg strength. Fine for chicks but not for duckings. I use chick starter too but use Nutritional yeast to cover the lack of Niacin in the feed [b3} That maybe the problem too . When one is having problems though Liquid B complex is the way to treat it works best. As for anemia I found this online. Sounds like peas which ducklings/ducks love may help.

Anemia in ducklings can be fatal if left untreated because it prevents organs from getting enough oxygen to function properly. It is important for ducklings to have enough iron in their diet to prevent anemia, which is caused by a lack of oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells.2 Excessive onion consumption can lead to deposition of thiosulfate, which can cause anemia.3 Frozen peas are an excellent source of iron, which helps build healthy red blood cells in baby ducks.0 Onions are toxic to ducks, but can be fed raw. Fresh or canned vegetables, dried beans, corn, and iceberg lettuce are safe foods for ducklings, but avoid iceberg lettuce and dried beans.1

So are onions toxic? and is iceberg lettuce safe or are we avoiding it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wouldn’t feed onions or iceberg lettuce the lettuce because it really hasn’t nutritional value like romaine does I’d stick with peas for iron and they will get some b3 from it too but really the only way of knowing they are getting enough niacin is to offer it from other sources also dried beans I wouldn’t use either split peas are okay though I actually buy them and add them to their feed. For young duckling frozen thawed would be best I think

 

[BelovedBirds]

So are onions toxic? and is iceberg lettuce safe or are we avoiding it?

Onions are interesting as there are contradictory sources. Perhaps it depends on how the onions are prepared and what quantity is eaten.
I saw a thread recently about chickens, but I expect its similar for ducks- that onions are actually not toxic. But, having said that, if multiple sources say something is toxic, I'm going to personally avoid it, even if another source says its fine.
At the end of the day, they don't need them in their diet and to me its not worth the risk.

I agree with miss Lydia that peas are probably the best way to go.

@Miss Lydia I'm pretty sure nutri drench contains iron, I may be misremembering, but if so would that be a good thing to try and treat anemia with?