Niacin Deficiency in Waterfowl

[TexasTurkeyMama]

Of 20 pekins ordered in June, 2 were not walking well. We added B-complex 100mg capsules to the drinking water in addition to the Vi-tal "chick Kool-aid" powder. The stumbling ducklings were waddling along within the week. We also noticed that Durvet Vitamins and Electrolytes also lists niacin and B-12, and riboflavin in its formula.

 

[Isaac 0]

Of 20 pekins ordered in June, 2 were not walking well. We added B-complex 100mg capsules to the drinking water in addition to the Vi-tal "chick Kool-aid" powder. The stumbling ducklings were waddling along within the week. We also noticed that Durvet Vitamins and Electrolytes also lists niacin and B-12, and riboflavin in its formula.

Thanks for sharing your experience, and I'm glad to hear they're doing better. Do you happen to have any videos of before and after vitamin treatment?

 

[TexasTurkeyMama]

No pictures. The pekins were a meat project. We did keep one small hen for the duck flock. She gets around well.

 

[chixNdux new mom]

I have 3 Pekins who are about 7 months old. I did give them brewers yeast on the chick starter I fed them at first (had trouble finding good duck food). Two of them are fine but one female has difficulty getting her feet under her. She tends to walk on her ankle with the foot curled back. I recently got Mazuri duck food which supposedly has the right vitamins etc. I was wondering if splints for her feet would be appropriate - she uses her beak and wings a lot to get around and I have to help her quite a bit. I just found a 3D printing company the makes splints for poultry and would get them so her poor feet aren’t curled under if it seems like a good idea. Is she young enough that she could improve with the better food (and splints?) Should I give her niacin supplements also?
I did take her to a vet a while back to be sure it wasn’t an injury of any kind but with this COVID foolishness I couldn’t go in and talk with the vet. The vet said something about vitamins and prescribed anti-inflammatory and antibiotics (the duck didn’t take the complete course of these. She stopped eating the watermelon that I put them in. They were watermelon flavored too). Any hope for better navigation for her? She seems quite healthy otherwise. Thanks for your advice!

 

[CoriM]

@chixNdux new mom Pekins sometimes require even more niacin - I learned this with my ducklings when one started developing splay leg. I had her on brewers yeast at the time. I think it would be helpful if you start the liquid vitamin B complex as soon as possible with her, and maybe all your pekins as preventative. At the top of the duck form there is a link put up with a lot of info about vitamin deficiency and you can read about the vitamin B complex there. It really turned things around for my duckling. Seems like a splint might be a good idea too. If you post pictures of your duckling someone else may be able to give you ideas for that...my knowledge doesn't go that far. I would just urge the supplemental niacin as soon as possible in hopes you can reverse the condition. And I hear you completely on the frustration of not being able to see the vet face to face - it's so much harder and ridiculous.

 

[jolenesdad]

I have 3 Pekins who are about 7 months old. I did give them brewers yeast on the chick starter I fed them at first (had trouble finding good duck food). Two of them are fine but one female has difficulty getting her feet under her. She tends to walk on her ankle with the foot curled back. I recently got Mazuri duck food which supposedly has the right vitamins etc. I was wondering if splints for her feet would be appropriate - she uses her beak and wings a lot to get around and I have to help her quite a bit. I just found a 3D printing company the makes splints for poultry and would get them so her poor feet aren’t curled under if it seems like a good idea. Is she young enough that she could improve with the better food (and splints?) Should I give her niacin supplements also?
I did take her to a vet a while back to be sure it wasn’t an injury of any kind but with this COVID foolishness I couldn’t go in and talk with the vet. The vet said something about vitamins and prescribed anti-inflammatory and antibiotics (the duck didn’t take the complete course of these. She stopped eating the watermelon that I put them in. They were watermelon flavored too). Any hope for better navigation for her? She seems quite healthy otherwise. Thanks for your advice!

B vitamins. Not just niacin. You can use human b complex tablets or liquid.

once she gets better, I prefer nutritional yeast over brewers yeast for vitamin supplementation regularly.

 

[jolenesdad]

This is one of my favorite posts on BYC.

 

[Ben10]

So I’ve been using chick stater and grower for my pekins, and been adding brewers yeast as a supplement since day one, however I’ve noticed niacin deficiencies in one of my ducks and I’m now switching to nutritional yeast which has 15 mg per 3 tbsp. I’m not sure if there’s any niacin in the chick starter at all but how much of the yeast should I mix with the 25 lb bag of starter I have. The ducks are almost 4 weeks old.

 

[CoriM]

I can't answer your questions about nutritional yeast, but if you've noticed deficiency, you should jump start them back to health by giving them liquid vitamin B complex. I had a pekin that developed splay leg when she was a baby. I had been feeding Scratch and Peck, which is also for chickens. Though I was adding brewer's yeast, it wasn't enough for two of my pekins. Once I started making sure they had the vitamin B complex I was able to help the problem reverse course - and I had to do leg hobbles as well. I would advise that you get this going as soon as possible!

 

[SolarDuck]

So I’ve been using chick stater and grower for my pekins, and been adding brewers yeast as a supplement since day one, however I’ve noticed niacin deficiencies in one of my ducks and I’m now switching to nutritional yeast which has 15 mg per 3 tbsp. I’m not sure if there’s any niacin in the chick starter at all but how much of the yeast should I mix with the 25 lb bag of starter I have. The ducks are almost 4 weeks old.

Any chance you would consider just switching to a duck or all flock feed rather than supplementing niacin into chicken feed? It's just a lot easier, and much more consistent. If there is a duck feed available somewhere you need that could be an easy solution for you.