how to help my duck gain weight?

[sillyduckz]

hi all! i need some help regarding my runner girl Reptar. she is a very lively and spry duck, but she is just a little too skinny for my liking. i know there is naturally some variation in the shapes and sizes of ducks, especially with runners, but her keel bone is very easily felt on her belly and her neck is similarly very thin. she just recently completed a course of dewormer to hopefully address any potential worms that may be causing her weight loss, but her weight is still sitting around 2.5 to 2.8 lbs. what can be done to help her gain weight and what other things should i consider that may be contributing to her weight? any and all advice would be much appreciated, and i will try my best to give info to relevant questions. thank you!

 

[Papaye]

Hello.

You would do good by giving us more details about your duck...

• How old is she?

• Is she currently laying eggs?
If so : what do they look like, and how much do they weight?
(Pictures would be appreciated!)

• What do you feed her?
And does she have an unlimited access to her food - including during the nights?

• What did you use to deworm her?

Tell us EVERYTHING you can thing about your girl, and please : post pictures, so we can see for ourselves if she looks unhealthy or not.

In case you think she needs help ASAP :
I would personally feed her a mix of : Duckling Crumbles + Duck Pellets + (a little bit) of Wheat + food grade Diatomaceous Earth!

(From what I could observe with my own ducks : mixing food grade Diatomaceous Earth with their usual food makes them eat MORE...!)

And do not forget to give to your duck another feeder full of Oyster shell GRIT!!

(Good luck!)

 

[sillyduckz]

Hello.

You would do good by giving us more details about your duck...

• How old is she?

• Is she currently laying eggs?
If so : what do they look like, and how much do they weight?
(Pictures would be appreciated!)

• What do you feed her?
And does she have an unlimited access to her food - including during the nights?

• What did you use to deworm her?

Tell us EVERYTHING you can thing about your girl, and please : post pictures, so we can see for ourselves if she looks unhealthy or not.

In case you think she needs help ASAP :
I would personally feed her a mix of : Duckling Crumbles + Duck Pellets + (a little bit) of Wheat + food grade Diatomaceous Earth!

(From what I could observe with my own ducks : mixing food grade Diatomaceous Earth with their usual food makes them eat MORE...!)

And do not forget to give to your duck another feeder full of Oyster shell GRIT!!

(Good luck!)

she is 11 months old, and she does lay fairly consistently, maybe around 3-4 times per week. her eggs look good and average around 75g. she is fed NatureWise All Flock 20% Pellet feed along with grit and oyster shells, and has free access to these throughout the day, however food isn't available to the girls at night as to not encourage rats to get into the coop. she was dewormed with Safeguard 10% Equine Paste, given 20mg/kg (working out to be 0.23ml for her) over the course of 5 days. i will provide some photos below; also, should the diatomaceous earth be wet before offering? is there a specific food-to-diatomaceous earth ratio you use? thank you kindly for your help! i'll try my best to answer anything i've missed

 

[Papaye]

she is 11 months old, and she does lay fairly consistently, maybe around 3-4 times per week. her eggs look good and average around 75g.

Okay... great!
...Meaning her health is good enough, or she would not lay these eggs...!

however food isn't available to the girls at night as to not encourage rats to get into the coop.

But giving her food during the nights could really help...!

Buy a wall mounted feeder, such as the ones sold by Omlet : https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/feeders_and_drinkers/21348/eglu_cube_feeder_-_green/
(I am not saying you have to buy these ones specifically : I am just using them as an example of wall mounted feeders!!)

And then give her an unlimited access to her food... and to her drinking water!

(...Honestly, I don't think rats will come in the coop during the nights if they have not already come during the days...
...nor do I think them not currently coming during the days does mean they won't eventually end up coming... even if you don't feed your ducks during the nights!!)

she was dewormed with Safeguard 10% Equine Paste, given 20mg/kg (working out to be 0.23ml for her) over the course of 5 days.

Huuuuh... is it chemical?
It "sounds" to be... and to be too strong for your girl...
But what do I know? (I actually really don't know about this product, so don't take me seriously here...)

Natural dewormers that won't weaken your ducks exist, so I really recommend you to use them next time.
(But you do what YOU want, of course!!)

hould the diatomaceous earth be wet before offering?

No.
Keep it dry, so it can also act as a natural, non-agressive dewormer.
(In case she - still? - has worms or whatever... not that I think she actually has them, but we never know...!)

is there a specific food-to-diatomaceous earth ratio you use?

Personally?
It actually depends on what I have on hand, but I like using one or two food shovels - I think the shovel sizes about 500 ml? - of food grade DE in a 2,7 liters feeder.

I use more than recommended, but it is not hurting my birds, AND is good for them (and for their eggs)...

(Just so you know : since last year, I have had several Indian Runners coming to my home, being much too thin... but I have been able to easily and quickly get them in a healthier and stronger shape notably by mixing food grade Diatomaceous Earth with their food!)

will provide some photos below;

Looking at the pictures, your girl at least doesn't look sad or weak...

She could be so thin because of genetic - chickens, and even people, can be like that too...

Still : I would monitor her, and feed her more of course - if possible!

 

[sillyduckz]

Okay... great!
...Meaning her health is good enough, or she would not lay these eggs...!



But giving her food during the nights could really help...!

Buy a wall mounted feeder, such as the ones sold by Omlet : https://www.omlet.us/shop/chicken_keeping/feeders_and_drinkers/21348/eglu_cube_feeder_-_green/
(I am not saying you have to buy these ones specifically : I am just using them as an example of wall mounted feeders!!)

And then give her an unlimited access to her food... and to her drinking water!

(...Honestly, I don't think rats will come in the coop during the nights if they have not already come during the days...
...nor do I think them not currently coming during the days does mean they won't eventually end up coming... even if you don't feed your ducks during the nights!!)



Huuuuh... is it chemical?
It "sounds" to be... and to be too strong for your girl...
But what do I know? (I actually really don't know about this product, so don't take me seriously here...)

Natural dewormers that won't weaken your ducks exist, so I really recommend you to use them next time.
(But you do what YOU want, of course!!)



No.
Keep it dry, so it can also act as a natural, non-agressive dewormer.
(In case she - still? - has worms or whatever... not that I think she actually has them, but we never know...!)



Personally?
It actually depends on what I have on hand, but I like using one or two food shovels - I think the shovel sizes about 500 ml? - of food grade DE in a 2,7 liters feeder.

I use more than recommended, but it is not hurting my birds, AND is good for them (and for their eggs)...

(Just so you know : since last year, I have had several Indian Runners coming to my home, being much too thin... but I have been able to easily and quickly get them in a healthier and stronger shape notably by mixing food grade Diatomaceous Earth with their food!)



Looking at the pictures, your girl at least doesn't look sad or weak...

She could be so thin because of genetic - chickens, and even people, can be like that too...

Still : I would monitor her, and feed her more of course - if possible!

i will definitely look into the wall feeder, i've never seen one of those before! i also have a suspicion this weight loss may have been caused by the time of year; she is an adamant forager and will preferentially try to get the bulk of her food from the land, but as it's been pretty barren here due to the cold, there's been no greens or bugs for her to munch on. we're finally beginning to see buds on the trees so hopefully soon she can get back to getting her fill by foraging thank you so much for all of the info!