Help, 2 Week Old Magpie Duckling is Sick

[Jillio]

Hi guys! We are first timers with baby ducklings. We have a two week old magpie duck that was more lethargic than the rest of the flock. We have separated her and she is in a warm, dry place with food and water (ACV and extra b vitamins added in). Her eyes and bill are clear, her vent is clear, her feet look well, and her feathers look normal. She does not seem to be eating, is drinking considerably less, and is sitting a lot. She did shake her tail feathers as if she was going to poo a couple times and nothing came out. Her wings are also droopy. She will take a few steps and the sit again. She is a darling and we would love advice on how to care for her better!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Does she have access to plain water as well? How warm is it where she is being kept and does she have access to a place where it is cool as well? What feed are you feeding?

 

[Jillio]

Does she have access to plain water as well? How warm is it where she is being kept and does she have access to a place where it is cool as well? What feed are you feeding?

She only has access to water with apple cider vinegar and some nutritional yeast (for niacin). She is on Scratch and Peck starter feed. She wasn’t eating or drinking much outside (water was plain). She’s being kept indoors under a heat lamp but her brooder is large and where she can get away from some of the heat. She was shaking a bit when I brought her in yesterday and wondered if I should treat her for hypothermia (it is 80-85° under the heat lamp). She was being kept outside at about 95°-100 in the daytime and about 75 degrees at night. The remarkable thing is when she came inside yesterday and had a little bit of water with vitamins she perked right up. We then left her for a few hours not knowing what we would return home to. When we returned she had devoured almost all of her food, drank half of her water and all the greens that were in her water at that time, and is now doing fabulous! I also put nutritional yeast on her food to make sure she was getting enough because I really think it is a niacin deficiency after some research. I do not think I have been adding in enough to their feed! Just lets me know the whole flock probably needs more. She is about 90% normal right now! She still sits sometimes, as her legs don’t seem quite as strong as the rest of the flock, but she is walking much more and doing great already. I am shocked! Again, I am a newbie and would still love to hear your thoughts! Thank you so much for your previous reply.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

She only has access to water with apple cider vinegar and some nutritional yeast (for niacin). She is on Scratch and Peck starter feed. She wasn’t eating or drinking much outside (water was plain). She’s being kept indoors under a heat lamp but her brooder is large and where she can get away from some of the heat. She was shaking a bit when I brought her in yesterday and wondered if I should treat her for hypothermia (it is 80-85° under the heat lamp). She was being kept outside at about 95°-100 in the daytime and about 75 degrees at night. The remarkable thing is when she came inside yesterday and had a little bit of water with vitamins she perked right up. We then left her for a few hours not knowing what we would return home to. When we returned she had devoured almost all of her food, drank half of her water and all the greens that were in her water at that time, and is now doing fabulous! I also put nutritional yeast on her food to make sure she was getting enough because I really think it is a niacin deficiency after some research. I do not think I have been adding in enough to their feed! Just lets me know the whole flock probably needs more. She is about 90% normal right now! She still sits sometimes, as her legs don’t seem quite as strong as the rest of the flock, but she is walking much more and doing great already. I am shocked! Again, I am a newbie and would still love to hear your thoughts! Thank you so much for your previous reply.

According to Scratch and Peck their starter feed only has 27mg niacin per pound and usually it is recommended to have 55mg niacin per pound for ducks. I agree niacin most likely is the issue. Also if you are putting vitamins or ACV in water you should also offer plain water as well.

 

[Jillio]

Wonderful! I’ll begin to offer plain water as well, and to add more niacin into feed. Thank you so much!!!