Need advice on hatching please

[Miss Lydia]

They seem to be working well. He was able to get around on them decently last night. Found his left leg splayed out this morning so added half of a bandaid to try to correct it.

That's good staying on top of it all, lil one should be good to go in a couple days. Are you adding niacin to his water or putting Brewers yeast on feed? Does it have a stuffy to snuggle with and a mirror so it can see what it looks like.

 

[Eliza1313]

Have brewer's yeast I can add to feed, feed says it is for a mixed flock. Manna Pro Non-Medicated Starter. Plan on transitioning to homemade starter, formula from animal nutritionist. Will double check with him that it has enough niacin for ducklings.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have brewer's yeast I can add to feed, feed says it is for a mixed flock. Manna Pro Non-Medicated Starter. Plan on transitioning to homemade starter, formula from animal nutritionist. Will double check with him that it has enough niacin for ducklings.

When a duckling is having issues already it is always a good idea to add some additional niacin to their diet. All water fowl if fed chick starter need the additional niacin too. Brewers yeast or nutritional yeast is a safe way to add the extra niacin they need to leg support and neurological support. and please if you don't mind maybe sharing some of the things you hear from this nutritionist unless of course your paying for his advise.

 

[Eliza1313]

Added the brewer's yeast to the feed yesterday.

Not sure what info I can pass along, I just get the formulas. He is the nutritionist at the local farm and ranch coop. He's made a few formulas for me, so that I can feed a more affordable soy-free food to my poultry. I had been feeding a soy-free & gmo-free feed, but that was getting to be expensive. Plus I was noticing some problems with it. So initially started out with a grower formula and a layer formula. Now have one for a starter. Inadvertently the first two feeds also ended up not having grains that contain gluten, so asked for that with the starter too.

I read somewhere not to feed powdered feeds to ducks? Don't remember where. If so I will need to find out if I can add water to the starter blend and then dehydrate it to make crumbles. Will ask him tomorrow along with about the niacin levels in the feed.

Feet seem to be slowly improving. Used what I had on hand to begin with, which was the reason for the improvised braces cut from a cereal box. Picked up a new brand of tape, that seems to work really well for this purpose. Brand is Nexcare Sensitive Skin. Sticks really well, but also pulls off easily without the usual ouch factor. Made it easy to reposition it on a wiggling duckling, but sticks good enough that he can't pull it off.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Added the brewer's yeast to the feed yesterday.

Not sure what info I can pass along, I just get the formulas. He is the nutritionist at the local farm and ranch coop. He's made a few formulas for me, so that I can feed a more affordable soy-free food to my poultry. I had been feeding a soy-free & gmo-free feed, but that was getting to be expensive. Plus I was noticing some problems with it. So initially started out with a grower formula and a layer formula. Now have one for a starter. Inadvertently the first two feeds also ended up not having grains that contain gluten, so asked for that with the starter too.

I read somewhere not to feed powdered feeds to ducks? Don't remember where. If so I will need to find out if I can add water to the starter blend and then dehydrate it to make crumbles. Will ask him tomorrow along with about the niacin levels in the feed.

Feet seem to be slowly improving. Used what I had on hand to begin with, which was the reason for the improvised braces cut from a cereal box. Picked up a new brand of tape, that seems to work really well for this purpose. Brand is Nexcare Sensitive Skin. Sticks really well, but also pulls off easily without the usual ouch factor. Made it easy to reposition it on a wiggling duckling, but sticks good enough that he can't pull it off.

You might want to look into fermenting your feed. The feed I buy is non GMO and is very fine. I have been fermenting it for a little over 3 yrs now. I have a great video on fermenting if your ever interested.

 

[Eliza1313]

Thank you for the suggestion. I have looked into fermenting feed. At this point I feel there is not enough research to prove that it adds anything nutritionally. I do understand from looking into food preservation techniques that fermenting can add probiotics, so it is possible it does other things too. The vitamin and mineral supplement I add to the feed as part of the formula contains probiotics. Plus with going through at least 25 lbs of feed a day that is extra time and labor, not to mention extra equipment.

I plan to eventually purchase a small scale mill and pelletizer for the feed. For now I will try the "dough" in the dehydrator method.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for the suggestion. I have looked into fermenting feed. At this point I feel there is not enough research to prove that it adds anything nutritionally. I do understand from looking into food preservation techniques that fermenting can add probiotics, so it is possible it does other things too. The vitamin and mineral supplement I add to the feed as part of the formula contains probiotics. Plus with going through at least 25 lbs of feed a day that is extra time and labor, not to mention extra equipment.

I plan to eventually purchase a small scale mill and pelletizer for the feed. For now I will try the "dough" in the dehydrator method.

Fermenting is a simple procedure all the extra equipment needed is a bucket/acv/ hot water and a towel.

 

[Eliza1313]

Well Ducky is doing good. Taping the feet is slowly improving them. The right foot is about good to go, try to straighten out the really crooked toe slowly. That leg is also stronger than the left, which still has a bit of correction to do. Hoping that the spraddle leg band won't be needed soon.

Also brood mates should be arriving tomorrow, 10 hatchery choice ducklings.

 

[Eliza1313]

Oh yeah, and he is very attached to his stuffy. Let him have some swim time yesterday and he kept giving crisis chirps until I moved the stuffy where he could see it.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well Ducky is doing good. Taping the feet is slowly improving them. The right foot is about good to go, try to straighten out the really crooked toe slowly. That leg is also stronger than the left, which still has a bit of correction to do. Hoping that the spraddle leg band won't be needed soon.

Also brood mates should be arriving tomorrow, 10 hatchery choice ducklings.

Sounds great to hear how Ducky is improving.. your doing a great job. I know you probably know this but Ducky may not take to babies right off so you'll need to make a way for Ducky to meet tiny ones with out being able to step on or pick on them. There will be a big size difference.. Please post pics when they arrive. and hope the weather cooperates.

They do get attached to their stuffy's don't they So sweet.