Getting my first ducks. Questions!

[rubberduckies]

I moved the lamp as far away as I could, turned it back on, and kept checking the temp. It stayed at 73 degrees so I think I'll leave it there for another week and then remove it. (Unless they seem too hot). Thanks for the advice! I'll check GNC.

 

[rubberduckies]

Ok... Last night when I was checking on them before bed they were all laying as far as possible away from the heat lamp. So I just turned it off. It's 70 degrees upstairs so I figure it's about 68 downstairs where they are.

I didn't have a chance to get to the store until 7pm last night. I went to Walgreens and found regular niacin but it's time release. They're capsules with tiny little balls inside. I opened them up and tried to crush the balls up before I put them in the water. There were still some little pieces left in the bottom. I hope enough was dissolved into the water for my ducks to drink it. My poor Pekin is not looking good. She doesn't (or can't) stand on her legs. How long will it take to start seeing an improvement now that she's getting the niacin? She didn't go to drink when I have them new water last night. I'm hoping she drank some during the night. I think I'll give her a small bowl to drink from while she's laying down to make it easier. (Just to make sure she's getting at least some of the niacin).

While I'm thinking about it... I've been wondering... I have two Indian Runners. A black (Quacker) and a fawn/white (Stella). Quacker stands normal (for a runner) but Stella doesn't seem to stand up as tall. She prefers to stand more like the other ducks and hold her head closer to her body. She's a little shy. Is that just her being her or... ?? I mean, she seems completely healthy (although she's the runt). It's just something I wonder about sometimes.

Last, but not least... THANK YOU! I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have BTC to come to for advice. Y'all are awesome.

 

[Amiga]

I can't say about the niacin - - - perhaps if you put the contents into a small cup of lukewarm water at the beginning of the day and let it really soften up and dissolve . . . .

The shortest time I recall hearing improvement was four days. Give her swim time in lukewarm (80F) water deep enough to float in to get the weight off her legs and encourage her to swim and exercise the muscles and improve circulation. That should help some.

Keep at it - you're being a good duck caregiver!

 

[rubberduckies]

Update: Puddle is doing a little better. She seems to stand more often and she started participating in the fun of bath time yesterday. (She hadn't been doing much but floating before). She still seems to have trouble moving her legs to walk though. I know it takes time to build up the niacin in her system but it seems like its taking FOREVER. I'm ready for her to get back to normal.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Update: Puddle is doing a little better. She seems to stand more often and she started participating in the fun of bath time yesterday. (She hadn't been doing much but floating before). She still seems to have trouble moving her legs to walk though. I know it takes time to build up the niacin in her system but it seems like its taking FOREVER. I'm ready for her to get back to normal.

I know you are but even that much of improvement is wonderful, just keep up with what your doing.. it will pay off.

 

[shicks0211]

I ordered my first duck from Efowl.com. Well actually, I ordered fertile eggs and then hatched my own. I got rouen, runners, cuyoga, pekin and buff. They were inside for about 8 weeks. Well actually what I did was after about 5 weeks or so, I had a little playpen area so they could be outside when it was nice, not in their cage and then I brought them in at night. My first chicks i got locally at a feed store, those were pekin and one of them was a black crested. So far my favorite personality wise is my cuyoda. he is so sweet and protects the other ducks when they have little tiffs. Another site you can check isn Franks Trade. There are TONS of chicken, duck and swan people there too (and pheasant and peafowl) This time of year there are hatching eggs and chicks on there for pretty good prices. I've had really great luck ordering them online. My neighbor ordered 20 mallard chicks from online (i think metzer farms?) and they all came happy and healthy..and in fact some of his mallards from the year before just put a nest right off the dock in my back yard. I have a sort of chicken coop in my yard for when they want to come in at night. some of them do, but some choose not to, they do come up in the yard for food as soon as they see my car, or when I come out into the yard. Right now i have some ancona eggs in the incubator, and I took some of the mallard eggs and am going to hatch them because she abandon the nest..i found all but 4 broken so i think it's been raided by critters. They're forming nicely. Only 18 more days and they'll hatch!! in about 3 weeks i'll get my mandarin eggs. it's addicting really. but their personalities crack me up!