Niacin Deficiency in Waterfowl

[Duckwood]

Thank you so much for all the great info with specific product names! I have 2 Pekins. My female had a niacin deficiency when she was a duckling so I added b vitamin complex to their water every day and she got better. They are almost four months old now and she is still a little pigeon-toed but she gets around well. The male Pekin grew very fast and really big. I think I was giving him too much protein. He has just recently started showing signs of niacin deficiency. I had gotten a little lax in adding vitamins to their water because they go to my pond durning the day and forage. Oven been trying to get some more vitamins into him but he isn’t improving very quickly. They are eating pure a flock raiser crumbles and pellets in the morning and evening and spend the day in the pond foraging. Should I be doing something more/different with the male to help him improve?

 

[Isaac 0]

Thank you so much for all the great info with specific product names! I have 2 Pekins. My female had a niacin deficiency when she was a duckling so I added b vitamin complex to their water every day and she got better. They are almost four months old now and she is still a little pigeon-toed but she gets around well. The male Pekin grew very fast and really big. I think I was giving him too much protein. He has just recently started showing signs of niacin deficiency. I had gotten a little lax in adding vitamins to their water because they go to my pond durning the day and forage. Oven been trying to get some more vitamins into him but he isn’t improving very quickly. They are eating pure a flock raiser crumbles and pellets in the morning and evening and spend the day in the pond foraging. Should I be doing something more/different with the male to help him improve?

Could you take a video of both of them walking, upload it to a video platform like Youtube or Vimeo, and copy/paste the link here?

As I mentioned in the first post, it's better to offer/administer the B vitamins either over treats or orally.

 

[JeanLynott]

Just wanted to post a big thank you for the helpful information in this thread. My family is raising 6 Pekin ducklings this summer. A week or so into getting them, we noticed a few having trouble standing and walking. Because of this thread, we were able to quickly identify the problem and treat them. We gave a vitamin B supplement daily to those who were struggling and are adding brewer's yeast to everyone's food. Now at almost 6 weeks old, they all walk and stand beautifully and have no signs of bowed or weak legs. Thank you all for your help!

 

[Isaac 0]

Just wanted to post a big thank you for the helpful information in this thread. My family is raising 6 Pekin ducklings this summer. A week or so into getting them, we noticed a few having trouble standing and walking. Because of this thread, we were able to quickly identify the problem and treat them. We gave a vitamin B supplement daily to those who were struggling and are adding brewer's yeast to everyone's food. Now at almost 6 weeks old, they all walk and stand beautifully and have no signs of bowed or weak legs. Thank you all for your help!

Welcome to BYC, and I'm glad you found this thread of help.

 

[nmr]

"A few common brands found at most feed stores and online are Durvet High-Level B complex, Aspen VITA-JEC B Complex, Vitamin B Complex "Generic Brand", and Vitamin B Complex HP by Vet One Brand, the price is fairly low and ranges from ten to twenty dollars which will last for many years."

I'm worried that nutritional yeast sprinkled on my ducklings food isn't enough/they're not getting enough niacin from it.

Even though the bottles say "injectable" I can just put it on treats and feed it to my ducklings orally? Would I give this daily/at each meal like the nutritional yeast?

Thanks!

 

[Isaac 0]

"A few common brands found at most feed stores and online are Durvet High-Level B complex, Aspen VITA-JEC B Complex, Vitamin B Complex "Generic Brand", and Vitamin B Complex HP by Vet One Brand, the price is fairly low and ranges from ten to twenty dollars which will last for many years."

I'm worried that nutritional yeast sprinkled on my ducklings food isn't enough/they're not getting enough niacin from it.

Even though the bottles say "injectable" I can just put it on treats and feed it to my ducklings orally? Would I give this daily/at each meal like the nutritional yeast?

Thanks!

Correct, you can give it orally, over treats, intramuscularly, or Sub Q. Over treats will be the easiest for you. Daily, yes.

What brand of nutritional yeast are you using, and at what dose?

 

[nmr]

Correct, you can give it orally, over treats, intramuscularly, or Sub Q. Over treats will be the easiest for you. Daily, yes.

What brand of nutritional yeast are you using, and at what dose?

I was using Anthony's Nutritional Yeast, about 1tbs per cup of feed.

How much of the B Complex should I give them each day?

 

[Isaac 0]

I was using Anthony's Nutritional Yeast, about 1tbs per cup of feed.

How much of the B Complex should I give them each day?

Ok, each tablespoon contains 28mg of niacin, that should suffice. What brand of feed are you feeding, and what breeds are you raising?

Are you treating niacin deficient birds or trying to prevent them from becoming niacin deficient?

 

[nmr]

Ok, each tablespoon contains 28mg of niacin, that should suffice. What brand of feed are you feeding, and what breeds are you raising?

Are you treating niacin deficient birds or trying to prevent them from becoming niacin deficient?

I have three cayuga ducklings, about 6 weeks old. They are on Nutrena chick starter/grower with Flock Raiser and rolled oats mixed in. They also get kale, peas, other veggies daily and an our or so outside daily (it's crazy hot and humid in MA right now). I'm planning to buy a bag of the new Nutrena duck feed this weekend.

I want to make sure they become niacin deficient. I don't think they are, but one seems a little wobbly when he walks and I just want to be sure.

 

[Isaac 0]

I have three cayuga ducklings, about 6 weeks old. They are on Nutrena chick starter/grower with Flock Raiser and rolled oats mixed in. They also get kale, peas, other veggies daily and an our or so outside daily (it's crazy hot and humid in MA right now). I'm planning to buy a bag of the new Nutrena duck feed this weekend.

I want to make sure they become niacin deficient. I don't think they are, but one seems a little wobbly when he walks and I just want to be sure.

Just drop a few drops of the B complex over some treats every few days, and offer the nutritional yeast every day.