Niacin Deficiency in Waterfowl

[Isaac 0]

Im sure its in here somewhere about Ducklings. I see people dosing grown ducks once a week. What about ducklings? I’m also doing one tbs of nutritional yeast per cup if duckling food.

Thank you

If one is to feed a feed formulated for ducks, supplementation isn't usually necessary for grown ducks. Niacin supplementation is more focused on ducklings as they tend to require a higher niacin requirement than grown ducks.

You can supplement niacin in ducklings using nutritional yeast, human niacin capsules, or the B complex for Cattle at your feed store. These would be given daily.

 

[FutureMillionaire]

I saw the cosmetic section of a local online shopping site in my country sells niacin powder. I think it is intended for making beauty products....

Should I buy these to my ducks. These powders are cheaper than brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast is very pricey in my country:

How many tablespoons should I mix with a litter of water.

 

[Cmbeck22]

Just a question question about Nutritional Yeast- I see some flakes and some seasoning. Is one better than the other? I've been giving my ducklings Everland Brewer's Yeast since birth and all are showing signs of niacin deficiency. Thanks to this post, I looked at the label and Niacin isn't even an ingredient! I emailed the company to inquire but now I'm panicing.
I'll order some Nutritional yeast as soon as I know what to buy. Thanks!

 

[Uwish]

Thank you such great thread

 

[Kimmyh51]

If one is to feed a feed formulated for ducks, supplementation isn't usually necessary for grown ducks. Niacin supplementation is more focused on ducklings as they tend to require a higher niacin requirement than grown ducks.

You can supplement niacin in ducklings using nutritional yeast, human niacin capsules, or the B complex for Cattle at your feed store. These would be given daily.

Just a question question about Nutritional Yeast- I see some flakes and some seasoning. Is one better than the other? I've been giving my ducklings Everland Brewer's Yeast since birth and all are showing signs of niacin deficiency. Thanks to this post, I looked at the label and Niacin isn't even an ingredient! I emailed the company to inquire but now I'm panicing.

I'll order some Nutritional yeast as soon as I know what to buy. Thanks!

in my experience raising hundreds maybe thousands by now, ducklings, brewers yeast is not reliable, I suspect it might have variable levels of niacin in it for whatever reason.

I stopped using it after the first year when I had ducklings who were given plenty of the stuff on every single meal develop niacin leg issues.
I now only use multi b or niacin supplements which have the exact amount of niacin specified on the packaging.

I have also fond that for any ducklings I raise on canned cat food (jellymeat) have not ever had a single one of them have any issues with ‘niacin legs’ (as I call them) or with angel wing.
Canned cat food, where I live anyway, has meat as it’s number one ingredient (to know the number one ingredient in any feed, you should be able to just read the ingredients as they are listed from the ingredient which the feed has in the highest proportion in descending order to the lowest.

I will attach a couple of the labels from canned cat food I buy for my ducklings. Normally I just get the cheapest budget brand, it seems to work just as well as the more expensive stuff and both have met as their number one ingredient.
Niacin is better absorbed by ducklings via meat than via vegetable sources (apparently chicks are far better at getting their niacin from grains etc which is why niacin deficiency related leg problems are seen in ducklings raised in captivity and not chicks (wild ducklings eat loads of insects and get their niacin this way).
As well as having heaps of meat, canned cat food has a low overall protein (usually around 9%) which prevents angel wing, which I have had ducklings raised on other feeds, (ie crumble and pellets feed with appropriate amounts of b vitamins added) that are 13 -15% protein max get. Again with the jellymeat never had any ducklings develop angel wing. It’s expensive if you have a lot of ducklings (ie 100 or more) and for them I give pellets/crumble and at least one full meal each day of jellymeat and that seems to work well. But for smaller numbers of ducklings or if you can afford, I recommend you feed them nothing but canned cat food as a base till fully feathered and wings developed, with just some greens and vegetables etc as treats.

I’ll attach the labels of a couple of cans I have in my recycling bin with the meat content highlighted

 

[Kimmyh51]

Just a question question about Nutritional Yeast- I see some flakes and some seasoning. Is one better than the other? I've been giving my ducklings Everland Brewer's Yeast since birth and all are showing signs of niacin deficiency. Thanks to this post, I looked at the label and Niacin isn't even an ingredient! I emailed the company to inquire but now I'm panicing.

in my experience raising hundreds maybe thousands by now, ducklings, brewers yeast is not reliable, I suspect it might have variable levels of niacin in it for whatever reason.

I stopped using it after the first year when I had ducklings who were given plenty of the stuff on every single meal develop niacin leg issues.
I now only use multi b or niacin supplements which have the exact amount of niacin specified on the packaging.

I have also fond that for any ducklings I raise on canned cat food (jellymeat) have not ever had a single one of them have any issues with ‘niacin legs’ (as I call them) or with angel wing.
Canned cat food, where I live anyway, has meat as it’s number one ingredient (to know the number one ingredient in any feed, you should be able to just read the ingredients as they are listed from the ingredient which the feed has in the highest proportion in descending order to the lowest.

I will attach a couple of the labels from canned cat food I buy for my ducklings. Normally I just get the cheapest budget brand, it seems to work just as well as the more expensive stuff and both have met as their number one ingredient.
Niacin is better absorbed by ducklings via meat than via vegetable sources (apparently chicks are far better at getting their niacin from grains etc which is why niacin deficiency related leg problems are seen in ducklings raised in captivity and not chicks (wild ducklings eat loads of insects and get their niacin this way).
As well as having heaps of meat, canned cat food has a low overall protein (usually around 9%) which prevents angel wing, which I have had ducklings raised on other feeds, (ie crumble and pellets feed with appropriate amounts of b vitamins added) that are 13 -15% protein max get. Again with the jellymeat never had any ducklings develop angel wing. It’s expensive if you have a lot of ducklings (ie 100 or more) and for them I give pellets/crumble and at least one full meal each day of jellymeat and that seems to work well. But for smaller numbers of ducklings or if you can afford, I recommend you feed them nothing but canned cat food as a base till fully feathered and wings developed, with just some greens and vegetables etc as treats.

I’ll attach the labels of a couple of cans I have in my recycling bin with the meat content highlighted
View attachment 2683962View attachment 2683963

Notice all the top 10 niacin containing foods are from animal sources....

And it appears it is not just ducklings that cannot get all the niacin out of grain sources like wheat.

 

[Isaac 0]

I saw the cosmetic section of a local online shopping site in my country sells niacin powder. I think it is intended for making beauty products....

Should I buy these to my ducks. These powders are cheaper than brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast is very pricey in my country:

How many tablespoons should I mix with a litter of water.

Do you have a link to the product website?

Just a question question about Nutritional Yeast- I see some flakes and some seasoning. Is one better than the other? I've been giving my ducklings Everland Brewer's Yeast since birth and all are showing signs of niacin deficiency. Thanks to this post, I looked at the label and Niacin isn't even an ingredient! I emailed the company to inquire but now I'm panicing.
I'll order some Nutritional yeast as soon as I know what to buy. Thanks!

Flakes tend to stick to the feed better, contrary to the powder which may end up at the bottom of the feeder unused.
If your ducks are showing current signs of a niacin deficiency, you may find it necessary to give vitamin B complex, then maintain niacin levels with the nutritional yeast.

Thank you such great thread

You're welcome!

in my experience raising hundreds maybe thousands by now, ducklings, brewers yeast is not reliable, I suspect it might have variable levels of niacin in it for whatever reason.

I have found that to be the case as well - it is a shame it is still recommended so often without people knowing many brands don't contain niacin at all.

 

[Seleniumirao]

Hello,
I have 3 one week old ducks (indian runners). I have been feeding them this duck crumble : https://beattiespetfoods.com/duck-w...-best-duck-1-2-crumble-5kg-5410340512135.html (the only one available at my local shop).
Since it's made for waterfowls and especially for ducks I thought I wouldn't need to give them any supplement in niacin. However, now that I'm reading the ingredients I don't see any niacin or vitamin B. Do you think this food gives them what they need or should I supplement them even tho it's supposed to be a complete duck starter feed ?
(sorry for grammar, english is not my native language)

Thank you !

 

[Isaac 0]

Since it's made for waterfowls and especially for ducks I thought I wouldn't need to give them any supplement in niacin. However, now that I'm reading the ingredients I don't see any niacin or vitamin B. Do you think this food gives them what they need or should I supplement them even tho it's supposed to be a complete duck starter feed ?

Do you know what duck breeds you are raising?

 

[Seleniumirao]

Do you know what duck breeds you are raising?

Yes, they are indian runners ducks