giving ducklings niacin supplements??

[OpalRaven7]

Hi, I just got 4 kacki campbell ducklings and I read that ducks tend to be niacin deficiant and was wondering how I would supplement them? And where I would buy the niacin, how much I should give them, etc??

 

[FenDruadin]

Everyone's experience is different, but if you're having leg problems niacin is an excellent first step in treatment--even if it doesn't solve the problem, it won't hurt, and higher niacin in general supports good leg health in ducklings (but not too high--you can overdose--details below). I do not mean to criticize those who do fine without niacin, but I will say that I have also raised hundreds of ducklings and on the one occasion when I decided not to bother with the extra niacin, the birds developed leg problems which were quickly corrected by adding back the correct amount of niacin. And it is not just me. The most-respected waterfowl expert in the nation, Dave Holderread, also recommends higher niacin for ducklings.

You have several options for accomplishing this:

1. Mix the chick feed 50/50 with game bird starter. The game bird starter contains high levels of niacin, but also levels of protein that are too high. By mixing the two, you balance it just about right for waterfowl. This is what I do because it is simple and effective.

2. Add brewer's yeast to the feed. This is also simple, IF you can find brewer's yeast (try health food stores or beer making supply if your town has one). Just sprinkle it on top of their food. You can't overdose on brewer's yeast.

3. Add niacin directly to their water. Buy niacin at the pharmacy, try to get the NON-flush-free, and also NON-time-release (this gets harder and harder to find). You need it in gel caps because you're going to break the gel cap into the water and dissolve the contents in the water. Don't worry if it doesn't all dissolve--I've found it's quite effective even if there are still bits of it settling on the bottom. The dosage is about 100 mg per gallon of water. It doesn't have to be precise, but don't overdo it.

4. Feed them Purina Flock Raiser. I have had mixed results with this among people I've talked to, but it is recommended by Dave Holderread and he is rarely wrong, so it's definitely a potentially viable option. If you end up with niacin deficiency anyway, you can always add in extra by one of the other means.

Niacin deficiency, when caught early, is easily corrected by adding the correct amount of niacin. Of course, if you're raising lots of birds, it's way easier just to prevent it to begin with, plus birds thrive best when provided the proper nutrients, even if a deficiency isn't clearly visible. If niacin deficiency symptoms are allowed to persist without correction, they can develop into permanent debilities.

Good luck with your babies. It's quite possible her ankle problem is NOT caused by niacin deficiency (in fact, niacin deficiency usually causes a generalized weakness and shakiness in the legs rather than location-specific distress), but the proper quantities of niacin will help develop leg strength which may aid in her healing.

I hope she does great for you.

 

[Tawnya Blackburn]

I've done a ton of research for my babies. I'm posting a couple of different articles regarding niacin for ducks. Everything I've read state that it is very important to supplement with niacin in the beginning weeks for ducks to help strong leg and get development since ducks are much heavier than chickens. I get my niacin from the tractor supply or southern states farm supply. There are instructions for dosage based on age right on the label.

Article 1
Niacin is a critical vitamin required for the correct development of ducklings and goslings. In fact, waterfowl have a higher requirement for niacin (also called nicotinic acid) than chickens.Niacin is formed from the amino acid tryptophan and waterfowl do not synthesize niacin well from tryptophan.Mar 13, 2011

Article 2
You can feed ducklings regular chick starter feed but since they require more niacin than chicks do, to help with bone growth especially in their legs, you will need to add brewers yeast to the feed (at a ratio of 5% or roughly 1/2 lb (3 cups) brewers yeast per 10 pounds of feed). I use Thomas Labs Brewer's Yeast & Garlic Powderand just sprinkle a bit over the top of their feed a few times a day. This mix gives them the niacin they need plus garlic which has immune system and other benefits to growing ducklings.

The ducklings should start on chick feed (20% protein) for the first 2 weeks, then can switch to a waterfowl starter or starter/grower (15-16% protein) until they are 18 weeks old or so and then switch right over to a regular (16% protein) layer feed - or waterfowl feed if you can find it in your area.

 

[jenniemig]

Not trying to start an argument here but wanting to ensure proper nutrition is not over thinking. Pajero, it is great that you are being proactive and asking questions. I have treated a duckling with wry neck which can be caused by a vitamin deficiency. It is recommended that ducklings up to 10 weeks, who are not fed a waterfowl starter feed, receive vitamin supplements. There are many ways to supplement like brewers yeast or niacin tablets, I prefer poultry nutri drench which was the easiest for me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Look on Amazon for Brewers yeast or Nutritional yeast that is where I buy it ,and you can buy in bulk I do since I used Nutritional yeast for myself.

 

[RainForestBird]

I wish they sold that around here

I found it online at tractorsupply.com. I should have bought it two days ago because it was 15% off! they had feed on sale too. if anyone knows of a reliable coupon for Tractor Feed, please share. I had a booklet of $1 off coupons for livestock and dog food but they're just about gone. They had them at the grand opening of their store where I used to live.

 

[RainForestBird]

NEVER feed medicated chick starter to ducklings! They eat too much and get too much of the meds! I used nutritional yeast to supplement my ducks. I had 3 that were lame. the Nutritional yeast might have helped some but adding some (a few droppers) of colloidal silver to their food seemed to do the trick for them. 2 recovered completely and the 3rd one is still having issues. Get some non medicated feed!

I lost my little pigeon toed duck the other day, and I feel so bad. I think I could have saved him had a brought him inside and kept him under a heat lamp. He was about four months old, and had lost a lot of his feathers being trampled on by the other ducklings. Its always a hard decision whether to separate the weak ones and cause them more stress or to leave them with the others and let nature take its course. the problem with the lame ones is that they have a hard time getting out of the water, they get soaked and then they don't dry off enough before sunset which comes quickly in the winter months. I bring them in my horse trailer at night lined with fresh shavings, and insulated, but its been very cold here. Dry and cold, which makes it bitter and even inside my house its difficult to stay warm with a wood stove blaring and my space heaters (don't have a working furnace). My poor little duckling took his last breath under a heat lamp where I put him after I wrapped him in a soft towel. He was fine that morning, but after a swim in their little pool, he couldn't dry off and we got a late start. Always start early with ducks in the winter, so they have enough time dry off and preen before the sun sets. Especially in dry high desert climates. I don't have the same problem with my wilder ducks like the Australian Spotteds. They seem to have better protection against the elements, and they are much more agile. The domesticated ones are more helpless.

 

[Gypsy52]

I wish they sold that around here

Have you checked Amazon, they seem to have everything

 

[duckyfromoz]

Quote:
X2

Many people supplement their ducklings unnecessarily. Chick feed does contain niacin - ducklings eat more feed than chicks and with a balanced diet including fresh greens and free ranging they can often have an extremely well balanced diet without the need for supplementation.

Medicated feed containing Amprolium is safe for consumption by waterfowl.

 

[jenniemig]

@jenniemig

In my country, duck starter & grower are hard to find, all this while I've been using chicken feed except layer which are so expensive.

So, for cheaper solution, mixed our own feed, in search for info came across this niacin issue.

Here, niacin products are meant for human supplement, sold in pharmacy outlets such as Guardian or Watson.

The salesgirl got shock when being told that my flock of ducks need niacin.....LOL

Thanks so much for this BYC Forum and members. I learn a lot here.

It's the same here, no one carries waterfowl food. I had to order it and have it shipped, which was too expensive. Now that they're older I have all of them, ducks and chickens, on flock raiser.