How much Niacin do you feed baby ducks? Just found out they can get deformities with too much protein in their feed. Their feedhas 22%. Very worried.

[Quackin Up]

Our ducklings are a week and a half old and growing very quickly. Am very worried about their development. All three seem very healthy and formed fine. Please advise.

 

[Isaac 0]

What brand are you feeding them?

 

[LizaKnepper]

Our ducklings are a week and a half old and growing very quickly. Am very worried about their development. All three seem very healthy and formed fine. Please advise.

Are you putting probiotics in their water if so until there about a month old I don't think you need to worry about niacin and it's that point I would give them frozen peas in their water keys are a good source of niacin for ducks. I still give my grown ducks peas daily. that's how I've raised my ducks and they have done fine but I'm not an expert in this so if you were looking for expert advice you might want to look further.

 

[Isaac 0]

Are you putting probiotics in their water if so until there about a month old I don't think you need to worry about niacin and it's that point I would give them frozen peas in their water keys are a good source of niacin for ducks. I still give my grown ducks peas daily. that's how I've raised my ducks and they have done fine but I'm not an expert in this so if you were looking for expert advice you might want to look further.

Probiotics don't contain Niacin, and one month old they are still growing very fast, their niacin requirement is still very high and should be provided a source of supplemental Niacin. In my experience peas don't have enough niacin to properly prevent or treat a B3 deficiency.

 

[Ratchnick]

You can cut their feed with oatmeal, 25% by volume. Also you can feed 3x a day after 2 weeks which will slow their growth as well.

 

[Isaac 0]

No need to add oatmeal, 22% is fine at that age, the only thing I would add to the feed would be a niacin supplement, once they are three weeks you may want to switch feeds so it's 19%.

 

[LizaKnepper]

You can cut their feed with oatmeal, 25% by volume. Also you can feed 3x a day after 2 weeks which will slow their growth as well.

When you say slow their growth are you saying like mute your growth?

 

[Isaac 0]

I also know in order to eat certain foods ,they have to have grit because I don't have a gallbladder so their food does not process like ours does chickens have gallbladders.

But they should also be getting sand at this point should they not

If they are being fed treats/grass, small chick grit should be provided, sand can compact too easily in their system.

 

[LizaKnepper]

Our ducklings are a week and a half old and growing very quickly. Am very worried about their development. All three seem very healthy and formed fine. Please advise.

Are you giving yours probiotics. Are water. I give my two cans of peas a day have all their life in the beginning I'm mashed them up.and they've never had any problems. I prefer peas over niacin. But I'm not an expert you might want to get an expert advice I don't like giving mine drugs.

 

[Isaac 0]

I give my two cans of peas a day have all their life and they've never had Cubone problems I prefer peas over niacin.

Treats should make up no more than 11% of their diet.